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About Google Book Search Google's mission is to organize the world's information and to make it universally accessible and useful. Google Book Search helps readers discover the world's books while helping authors and publishers reach new audiences. You can search through the full text of this book on the web at |http: //books .google .com/I ^ THE NEW STATISTICAL ACCOUNT OF SCOTLAND. VOL. VIIL THE NEW STATISTICAL ACCOUNT OF SCOTLAND. ISY TIIK MINISTERS OF THE RESPECTIVE PARISHES, UNDER THE SUPERINTENDENCE OF A COMMITTEE OF THE SOCIETY FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF THE CLERGY. VOL. VI II. DUNBARTOX-STIRLING-CLAOKMANNAS. WILLIAM BLACKWOOD AND SONS, EDINBURGH AND LONDON. MDCCCXLV. DUNBARTON, CONTENTS. ARROCHAR, .... PAGE 94 RON HILL, .... 220 CARDR08S, ... 83 CUMBERNAULD, .135 DUNBARTON, ... 1 KILMARONOCK, .211 KILPATRICK, NEW, • . . 36 KILPATRICK, OLD, . .15 KIRKINTILLOCH, . 168 LU88, . . .155 ROSENEATH, . . . 102 ROW, . . . . .65 1 rv t PARISH OF DUMBARTON. PRESBYTERV OF DUMBARTON, SYNOD OF GLASGOW AND AYR. THE REV. WILLIAM JAFFRAY, MINISTER. I. — Topography and Natural History. Name, — The word Dumbarton or Dunbarton is a corruption of the old name Dunbriton, a compound word, which signifies the fort or castle of the Britons. When a town was built near the walls of the fort, the same name was given to it. It was after- wards applied to the parish, and lastly to the county. Extent^ Sfc. — The parish is between 7 and 8 miles in length, and from 3 to 4 in breadth. In the Old Statistical Account, the length is stated at from 2 to 3 miles. * This is quite correct as to the inhabited part ; but the author has excluded a large moor belonging to the burgh of Dumbarton, which is quite uninhabited, except by a single family. Mr Chalmers has also fallen into error in regard to the extent ; he states the length at 4, and the breadth at 2 J miles.-f" It is bounded on the north, by the parishes of Bon- hill, Kilmaronock, and Killearn ; on the north-east and east, by Killearn and West Kilpatrick ; on the south, by the river Clyde ; and on the west, by the river Leven, which separates it from the pari.^h of Cardross. By a survey made in 1818, by Mr W^ood, the parish was found to contain 6522 Scots, or 8155 English acres. Topographical Appearances. — The south part of the parish is flat ; but towards the north, about the distance of two miles from the Clyde, it rises rather abruptly, and from that, to the northern extremity, is nearly all moorland. There are a few small hills on the moor, but Done of any great height. The most singular object in the parish is the Castle rock, which stands at the southern extremity, on a small peninsula formed by the junction of the River Leven with the Clyde, and is composed of trap of various kinds. In winter, sometimes, when the tides are unusually high, it is entirely sur- rounded with water. The rock is nearly divided into two equal parts. • Statistical Account, Vol. iv. page 21. f Calcdonin, Vol. iii. page 914. DUMBARTON. A 1 PARISH OF DUMBARTON. PRESBYTERV OF DUMBARTON, SYNOD OF GLASGOW i THE REV. WILLIAM J AFFRAY, MINIST I. — Topography and Natural Histori Name, — The word Dumbarton or Dunbarton is a of the old name Dunbriton, a compound word, which s fort or castle of the Britons. When a town was bu walls of the fort, the same name was given to it. I wards applied to the parish, and lastly to the county. Extent^ §-c. — The parish is between 7 and 8 miles and from 3 to 4 in breadth. In the Old Statistical -A length is stated at from 2 to 3 miles. * This is quit to the inhabited part ; but the author has excluded a belonging to the burgh of Dumbarton, which is quite i except by a single family. Mr Chalmers has also falU in regard to the extent ; he states the length at 4, and at 2^ miles.-f" It is bounded on the north, by the paris hill, Kilmaronock, and Killearn ; on the north-east a Killearn and W^est Kilpatrick ; on the south, by the r and on the west, by the river Leven, which separates parish of Cardross. By a survey made in 1813, by Mr parish was found to contain 6522 Scots, or 8155 Eng Topographical Appearances, — The south part of the p but towards the north, about the distance of two miles froi it rises rather abruptly, and from that, to the northern < nearly all moorland. There are a few small hills on tli none of any great height. The most singular object in the Castle rock, which stands at the southern oxtr small peninsula formed by the junction of the River the Clyde, and is composed of trap of various kinds, sometimes, when the tides are unusually high, it is i rounded with water. Tiie rock is nearly divided into two • Statisttc.l1 Account, Vol. iv. pago^l. t Caledonin, Vol. DUMBARTON. A 2 DUMBARTONSHIRE. The western part is the highest, being about 206 feet above the level of the sea. The eastern peak is not quite so high. There are houses within the walls of the castle, which are capable of con- taining about 200 men. Rivers. — The only river in the parish is the Leven, a beautiful stream, which takes its rise in Lochlomond, and after a smooth even course of seven miles over a bed ** With white round polished pebbles spread," forming the western boundary of the parish for several miles, it discharges itself into the Clyde at Dumbarton Castle. Climate^ Sfc. — The climate is on the whole moderate, though rather damrp and variable. Very heavy showers are frequent in spring and autumn. The winter is generally temperate, frost and snow not continuing for any great length of time. The prevailing winds are from the west and south-west In spring, easterly winds sometimes continue for a long time, and often do much in* jury to the early vegetation. Towards the close of the year, dense fogs for days hang over the south part of the parish. At that time,- the influenza is very prevalent, and often proves fatal to infirm and delicate people. Scarlet and typhus fever prevail very much, sometimes, indeed, to a most alarming degree. The small-pox, hooping-cough, and measles, are also very common ; but the small-pox is usually very mild, and few deaths occur from it, as vaccination is very gene- rally practised. The soil of the parish is generally fertile, but rather shallow. On the south side, there are several fields of very rich soil. There are many difierent kinds of soil ; in some parts, it is very clayey, in others full of gravel. There is a very plentiful supply of limestone at a place called Murroch glen ; and on the moor of Dumbarton, there are quarries of red freestone; The stone when taken out of the quarry is soft, but it soon hardens when exposed to the air. Zooloffy — Large flocks of wild ducks {Jnas boschas)^ and teal (Anas crecca)j are common. Besides these, several different kinds of the diver tribe visit the parish. Among the rarer birds are the kingfisher (Alcedo ispida)^ the bittern (Ardea stellaris)^ the black- backed gull (Lams marinus)^ the little awk (Aha aUe)y and the wild swan (Anas cygniis ferns). The roebuck is sometimes found, and wild rabbits and hares are tolerably plentiful. Adders are nu- merous on the high grounds. DUMBARTON. 3 II. — Civil History. No general account of this parish has ever been drawn up (so far as known), except that in the Old Statistical Account A very good account of the castle, and some excellent remarks as to the ecclesiastical state of the parish, are to be found in the third vo- lume of Chalmers's Caledonia. There are two works on the agri- culture of the county of Dumbarton, which contain some notes on the agriculture of the parish. Both of these are reports which were drawn up for the consideration of the Board of Agriculture : the first drawn up by the Reverend David Ure, and published in 1794 : * the other, the joint performance of the late Reverend Andrew White, minister of the parish of Kilmaronock, and the . Reverend Dr Macfkrlane, then minister of the parish of Drymen, now Principal of the University of Glasgow, and published about seventeen years after, f A good plan of the town of Dumbar- ton was published by Mr Wood in 1818, in the map of the coun- ty ; at the same time, a separate plan of the town was published by him. A very neat and correct plan was drawn in J 830, from surveys, made by the late Mr Henry Reed, one of the masters of the public school ; it belongs to the magistrates of Dumbarton. Parochial Registers. — The parish registers consist of three sets ; the minutes of sederunt ; the register of baptisms and marriages ; and the register of deaths. The minutes of sederunt consist of nine volumes, which are generally in good order, but are only complete from 1704. The earliest date is 1667. A volume of minutes bearing date about 1620 had fallen, by some chance, into the hands of an individual in town; the kirk-session, however, think that they will be able to recover it There are six volumes of the registers of baptisms and mar- riages. The earliest date is 1642; and they are complete from 1701. Tlie register of deaths consists of two volumes, the one from 1691 to 1749, the other from 1783 to 1795. Antiquities. — At a very early period, it appears that there* was a town at or near the site of the burgh of Dumbarton, which was cal- led Alclud or Alcluid, and was the capital of the kingdom of the Attacotti. The word Alclud signifies the rock of the Clyde, or on the Clyde ; it was at first applied to the castle, and afterwards to the town, as the name Dunbriton was applied in the same manner, at a later period. The Romans had a naval station here, which they • 4t6, London, 1794. t ^^'"» (ilisgow, 1811, 4 DUMBARTONSHIRE. called Theodosia. This has been disputed, and the mouth of Loch- lomond, and Dunglass, in the parish of West Kilpatrick, about two miles higher up the river than Dumbarton, have both been thought to be the situation. It is said that, about two hundred and forty years ago, several remains were found, which evidently showed that the Romans had been masters of the place. On the western peak of the castle rock, there stands a circular heap of stones strongly built together, which is supposed to have been the base o{r pharos or watch-tower. The parish, generally, occupies no great space in the page of history ; but the castle, from its great strength in former times, and from the strenuous efforts always made to obtain possession of it, is sometimes made mention of. It became a royal fortress at an early period. In 1238, Alexander II. granted a charter to the Earl of Lennox, confirming him in the possession of his earl- dom ; but excepting the castle and certain lands, &c in the neigh- bourhood, which had been possessed by his father. ♦ The castle was delivered over to Edward I. at the commencement of the com- petition for the crown, and was shortly afterwards put into the hands of John Baliol. Sir John de Menteith, the betrayer of Wallace, was made governor by Edward. Sir John governed the fort till 1309, when Robert Bruco obtained possession of it by stratagem. We are not informed of the way in which it was taken ; but Mr Chalmei*s mentions that one " Oliver, a carpenter," con- trived the affair, and that he was afterwards rewarded by a grant of some lands, f For a long series of years after, the castle fell into many different hands. The castle was formally annexed to the crown in 1485 by the act of Parliament, 11 James 11. cap. 41. The statute bears, *' Item, the Castell of Dumbertane, with the landes of Cardrosse, Ros- neth," &c. The history of the castle is of little importance till the time of Queen Mary. In the early part of her reign, the fort was possessed by the rebel Earl of Lennox ; but afterwards possession was ob- tained by the Royalists. After the unfortunate Queen was de- throned, the castle was still held for her by a faithful adherent — Lord Fleming. It soon, however, fell into the power of the Regent. In the month of May 1571, on a dark and stormy night, one Cap- tain Thomas Crawford, with a few soldiers under his command, succeeded in taking it by scaling the walls. Hamilton, the Arch- • Chart. Lennox. f Caledonia, Vol. iii. page 878. 3 DUMBARTON. 5 bishop of St Andrews, the governor's wife, and several other per- sons were made prisoners. The Archbishop was taken to Stirling shortly after, and was cruelly put to death. He was hanged on a tree; and the following couplet is said to have been written on the occasion : — Vive diu, felix arbor, seraperque vireto Frondibus, ut nobis talia poma feraa. The castle was in the possession of Charles I. at the commence- ment of the war ; but in the early part of the year 1639, the rebels became masters of the place. The King recovered it in the same jear. Id 1640, it again fell into the hands of the rebels. Shortly after, the Scottish Parliament ordered that the works on the rock should be destroyed. It appears, however, that the command was never obeyed. Oliver C'romwell obtained possession in 1652. At the time of the union, the castle of Dumbarton was one of the forts that was agreed to be kept in repair. The establishment consists of a governor, lieutenant-governor, barrack-master, store-keeper, and surgeon. Lord Lyndoch is the governor at present. The troops usually stationed there, consist of about thirty men, who are ge- nerally sent from the depot at Glasgow or Paisley; and about twelve men from the Royal Artillery. The town of Dumbarton was made a royal burgh by Alexander IL in 1222; at the same time, he granted certain lauds in the neighbourhood, and the right of fishing in the river Leven, for a considerable distance above the town. Several other charters were granted in favour of the burgh by succeeding sovereigns, which were all confirmed by a charter of James VI. dated 13th December 1609, and whi<*,h was ratified in 1612 by Parliament.* About this period, the town was much damaged by floods, so much so, that application was made to the Parliament to obtain a sum of money to enable the magistrates to do something to prevent the town being entirely destroyed. A commission was appointed to enquire what sum would be neces- sary ; they reported that " na les nor the sowme of threttie thowsand pundis Scottis money was abill to beir out and furneis the necessar charges and expenses in pforming these warkies, that are liable to saif the said burgh from ytter destructioune." f The Parliament accordingly granted the sum of twenty-five thousand merks Scots for that purpose. It appears that that sum was not • Acu Pari. Vol. iv. page 483. f Ibid. Vol. iv. page 376. 6 DUMBARTONSHIRE. sufficient, for King James soon after granted a further sum of twelve thousand merks. At the Union, Dumbarton was joined with Glasgow, Renfrew, and Rutherglen, in returning a Member to Parliament. By the Reform Act it is joined with Kilmarnock, Port-Glasgow, Ren- frew, and Rutherglen. The parish church of Dumbarton existed at an early period. The first notice of it appears in the Rotuli Scotiae, in 1296.* Mr Chalmers says, that the church, with all its pertinents, was granted to the monks of Kilwinning, and that it belonged to them till the time of the Reformation, -f- A grant of the patronage of the " kirk and parochin of Dum- bartane, parsonage and vicarage thereof, with the mans and glib, houss, tenements, biggings, teinds, fruits, rentis," &c. ''to the Provost, Baillies, Counsell and communitie of the burgh of Dum- bartane," was made in 1618. The charter is dated 10th June, and was ratified by Parliament on 26th June 1633. The town-coun- cil still enjoy the right of patronage. Besides the parish church, there was a collegiate church in the parish. It was founded about 1450, by Isabella the Duchess of Albany and Countess of Lennox. A single arch, supposed to be the remains of the church, is still in existence close to the town. Eminent Men. — The parish of Dumbarton has not produced n»any men of eminence. The only man of historical importance, who was a native of the parish, was Sir James Smollett of Bon- hill. This eminent man was born in Dumbarton, but the precise date of his birth is unknown. He was intended for the profession of the law, and was bred as a writer in Edinburgh. He represent- ed the burgh of Dumbarton in the Convention of Estates in 1688; he also represented the same burgh in several subsequent Parlia- ments. Smollett supported the Revolution of 1688, and when Wil. liam III. was raised to the throne he received the honour of knighthood, and was made a Judge in the Commissary Court of Edinburgh. Towards the close of the seventeenth century, when the great question of the Union of England and Scotland began to be agitated in Parliament, he came forward as a zealous advo- cate of the proposed union. In 1707, he was appointed one of the commissioners for framing the Articles of Union, and was the first member who represented the Dumbarton district of burghs in the British Parliament. Sir James married Jane M*Aulay, a daughter of Sir Aulay • Acta Pari. Vol. i. page 25. f Cale Ionia, Vol. iii. pagu 902. DUMBARTON. 7 M'Aulay of Ardincaple, and left several sons and daughters. His youngest son, Archibald Smollett, was the father of the celebrated Dr Tobias Smollett, the author of " Roderick Ran- dom." Dr Smollett was not born in the parish of Dumbar- ton ; his birth-place being in the neighbouring parish of Car- dross; but it was at the school of Dumbarton, then taught by Mr John Love, that he received his first lessons in classical learning. His biographer, Dr Anderson, thus speaks of him at that period : " The first blossoms of his poetical genius api^ear- ed at this early period of his life : They were chiefly satirical verses on his school-fellows, whose character and conduct disgust- ed him ; and were remembered, as they evinced, when a boy, the sensibility of his temper, and his disposition to chastise insolence and expose rudeness." ♦ When he had received the ordinary course of school education, he went to the University of Glasgow ; but does not appear after that to have had any connection with the parish. Mr John Love, the master of the school of Dumbarton, was a native of the parish of Dumbarton, and born in the year 1 695. He received his education at the University of Glasgow, and he was elected about the year 1720, master of the school of Dumbar- ton. This school had been for a long time prior, a celebrated one (or classical education; it is said that George Buchanan the histo- rian, received part of his education here;f this, however, is uncer- tain. Mr Love, after labouring for fifteen years in Dumbarton, was promoted to the High School of Edinburgh. He continued there about four years, when he was removed to the school of Dal- keith in 1739. Mr Love, along with Mr Robert Hunter, A. M. Professor of Greek in the University of Edinburgh, published an edition of Buchanan's Translation of the Psalms. The book was printed by the Ruddimans, and was published in 1737. :|: This edition of that beautiful translation is the best which has yet been published. Love was a very great admirer of the writings of George Buchanan, and became engaged in a sharp controversy with one Mr William Lauder, who endeavoured to prove that Johnston's version of the Psalms was superior to that of Buchanan. In 1740, Love wrote a pamphlet entitled Buchanan's and John- stones paraphrase of the Psalms compared ;§ and in 1749, he pub« * Anderson's Life of Dr SmoHetl. f Mackenzie's Lives of Scois Writers, Vol. iii. page l^C. * Edinburgh, 173T,8vo. § Do. 1740, 8vo. ^ DUMBARTONSHIRE. lished a book called " A Vindication of Mr George Buchanan.** • Mr Love died at Dalkeith in 1750, aged fifty-five years. He had a most thorough knowledge of the ancient classics, and possessed the happy faculty of being able to convey his knowledge to others. Dr Anderson says that he was " an eminent scholar, an excellent teacher, and a good man."f The Rev. John Freebairn, a native, and for several years minis- ter of the parish, though not known for any literary production, was a man possessed of considerable talents. In the General As- sembly he must have made a good figure, as Henry Mackenzie, in his Life of John Home, describes him thus : He was *' a plain coun- try clergyman, but of infinite native humour," &c. " whose talent for enlivening a debate by pleasantry, or turning the laugh against his adversary by sarcasm, not rude, though keen, I have seldom heard equalled by any debater whomsoever.''^ The late Dr Patrick Colquhoun, the author of a ** Treatise on the Wealth, Power, and Resources of the British Empire," and for some years one of the police magistrates of London, was a native of Dumbarton. By his will, he left the sum of L. 200 Ster- ling, to the minister and elders of the parish of Dumbarton, the interest of which was to be divided yearly among poor people of the name of Colquhoun in the parishes of Dumbarton, Cardross, Bonhill, and Old Kilpatrick, not receiving parochial aid.§ HI. — Population. The first statement of the population of the parish of Dumbar- ton was taken about the year 1750, for Dr Webster. The popu- lation then amounted to about 1480. According to the Old Sta- tistical Account, the number in 1790 amounted to rather more than 2000 souls. In 1801, 2541 18II, . 3121 1821, 3481 1831, . 3623 In the last mentioned year there were 1697 males, and 1 926 females- About the beginning of 1837, an enumeration of the population of the parish was made, in order to answer the queries proposed by the Commissioners for ascertaining the opportunities of Reli- gious Instruction, &c. The population was then found to have decreased very considerably, the total amount of the inhabitants • Edinburgh. 1749, 8vo. f Life of Smollett, page 12. t Account of the Life of Mr John Home, 8vo, Edinburgh, 1822, Vol. i. p. 62, § Dr Colquhoun, previous to his removal to London, was Lord Provost of Glas- gow. DUMBARTON. 9 only being 3116.* This decrease can be accounted for thus : In 1831, when the last Parliamentary census was taken, the trade of the town of Dumbarton was in a very flourishing state. A large quantity of crown-glass and bottles was made annually, which em- ployed a conf^iderable number of men. Shortly after the census of 1831, the manufacture was stopped, and the workmen of course were all thrown out of employment. These men were obliged to leave Dumbarton to seek employment elsewhere, chiefly in Eng- land. Since that time, no glass has been made at these works. At the time of taking said census, two large ship-building concerns were in full operation. One of them was not situated in the pa- rish, although most of the men there employed lived in the parish of Dumbarton. Like the glass-works, they were unfortunately stop- ped, and the men were all thrown idle. Subsequently, they re- sumed work, but not to the same extent as formerly. The num- ber of inhabitants in the landward part of the parish is about 800 ; the rest live within the town of Dumbarton. The average number of births in the parish for the last seven years has been about 69, and the number of marriages during the same period about 30. It is impossible to give any thing like a correct statement of the average number of deaths, as no register of deaths has been kept for more than forty years. According to a private note kept in 1837, the number buried in that year was 127 ; but from this we cannot form a fair estimate, as, during that time, typhus fever prevailed to a most alarming extent, and many of the people buried were strangers. There are only about five proprietors in the parish possessing lands above the yearly value of L. 50 Sterling, — besides the burgh of Dumbarton, which possesses extensive property within the parish. The annual value of real property, asassessed in 1815, was L. 4695 Sterling. In 1831, there were 804 families in the parish; 367 inhabited houses, and 6 uninhabited. The English language is pretty generally spoken. A conside- rable number of Highlanders reside in the parish ; but, with a few exceptions, they are all able to converse in the English language. A considerable quantity of game is destroyed by poachers ; but the salmon-fishings are not muth poached, as the tacksmen are almost constantly on the spot. Illicit distillation was, some years * All the statements made as to population arc according to the census of 1831, unles where specially excepted. 10 DUMBARTONSHIRE. ago, carried on to a considerable extent, but the trade is now quite unknown. A large pawnbroking establishment was carried on a few years ago ; in the winter of 1835, the premises were burnt to the ground, and, since that time, the trade has been carried on, on a very small scale. IV. — Industry. In 1831, there were 71 persons employed in agriculture ; 12 of these were occupatits employing labourers, 13 occupants not em- ploying labourers, and the remaining 46 were labourers. In the same year, there were 81 males employed in manufactures ; 405 in retail trade or in handicraft ; 56 under the class of wholesale merchants, professional persons, &c. ; 130 labourers employed in labour not agricultural. Agriculture. — The system of farming pursued in the parish is in noways different from that pursued in other parts of Scotland. The fiar prices for the last seven years were as follows : — Wheat, Oats, Bear, Barley, Peas & Beans, 1831.' L. s. d. 2 13 11 I 1 1 1 10 10 I 13 0\ 1 14 lOi 18327 L. s. d. 1 11 1 18 7 1 7 5J I 9 104 1^55: 1834. . 1835. 1836. L. s. d L. s. d 1 16 52 8 6 L. 8. d. L. s. d 2 7 9 1 19 9 19 141 31 91 5 3 1 5 9J1 3 10,1 3 li;i 7 b 1 8 641 8 M 7 I 11 441 11 041 12 1 13 1 10 2 4 6 1837. L. s. d 2 8 fc 1 g 1 7 S I 10 3 I 16 10 Wages, — Farm-servants generally get L. 12. Sterling of wages per annum. Agricultural labourers get the following rates of wages: — Is. 6d., Is. 8d., Is. lOd., Ls. lid., 2s., 2s. 2d., and 2s. 4d. Sterling per diem ; the average rate is 10s. a-\^eek. Rent of Land. — The farms in this parish are usually let on leases of nineteen years. The usual rent of land is L. 2, 10s. Sterling an acre, and some even is let as low as L. 2. The real rent of the parish is about L. 8400. Fisheries. — The burgh of Dumbarton possesses the right of fishing salmon in the river Leven, and also in the Clyde, from the Castle of Dumbarton to the mouth of Lochlong. The rents vary very much. The right of fishing in the Leven is at present let at L. 281 Sterling a-year. The Clyde fishings in 1836 were let for about L. 58. V. — Parochial Economv. The only town in the parish is Dumbarton, a royal burgh, the chief town of the county of Dumbarton,' and the seat of presby- tery. The town is situated on the west bank of the river Leven, not very far from its junction with the Clyde. It consists of one DUMBARTON. 1 1 tolerably well built street in the shape of a crescent, and several other smaller streets. The houses are generally closely built to- gether, and many of them very ill-aired. Thp principal street is kept Tery clean, and well paved, and has for some time been light- ed with gas. In 1831, the population was about 3300, but since that time it has decreased considerably. The affairs of the burgh are managed by a provost, two bailies, a dean of Guild, a treasurer, and ten councillors. Before the Reform Act passed, the council was divided into two classes , merchant and trades^ councillors ; but since the passing of that act, the distinc- tion has been abolished. The bailies are empowered to hold Courts for the administration of justice, but they do not hold them at any stated period, and they sit when business requires their attendance. The Sheriff of the county holds regular Courts in Session time every Thursday for the Sheriff Court processes, and commissary causes, and on every second Thursday for small debt causes. The business in these courts has fallen off very much of late years. Manufactures. — Previous to the year 1831, a considerable trade was carried on in the town of Dumbarton. A very extensive crown- glass and bottle-work was then in full operation. At the time when the old Statistical Account of the parish was published, there were about 130 individuals employed in these works, and the amount per annum of duties paid to Government was L. 3800 Sterling.* Some years after that, the number of workmen was about 300, and the quantity of coal consCimed per annum was about 17,000 tons. The largest sum of money ever paid by the company to Government for duties was L. 119,000 Sterling : this was in 1818. The duties never afterwards amounted to so large a sum. When these works were in operation, there were about 2000 tons of shipping belonging to Dumbarton. The number of vessels now belonging to the port is about 40, — containing in all about 1212 tons burthen. The glass-works are to be exposed to sale, in a short time, when it is expected that they will be sold, and that trade will again revive.f At high water, the river Leven is navigable for large vessels up to the quay of Dumbarton ; but at very low tides none can come up, unless of a small size. This is partly owing to a bar across the mouth of the river at Dumbarton Castle, and partly owing to seve- • Stat. Account, Vol. iv. page 23. t Since the above was written, the Glass-works have been sold, and arc going on in a nourishing manner. 12 DUMBARTONSHIRE. ral sand- banks above that These, for a small sum, and with no great labour, could be easily removed. There are two shipbuild- ing yards on the Leven, (one of them in the parish of Cardross), which employ a number of men, and where some beautiful vessels have been built, and are still in progress of building. A-small trade in tanning and rope-spinning is carried on; and there is one brick field in the parish. Means of Communication. — The town of Dumbarton is distant from Glasgow about fifteen miles, and from Greenock about seven. There are two steamers belonging to a company in Dumbarton, which sail to and from each of these places twice a day. Letters are sent also twice a day from Dumbarton to Glasgow, and vice versa. There is also a daily communication with Helensburgh, Luss, and Drymen. In summer, a coach starts every lawful morning at nine o'clock for Balloch, with passengers for the Lochlomond steam-boat, and returns to town again in the evening, in time for the steamer which goes to Glasgow. An elegant bridge, 300 feet in length, consisting of five arches, was built across the Leven about the year 1765 ; it was erected at the expense of Government, and cost L. 2.500 Sterling ; about L. 150 have been expended on re- pairing it since that time. About eighty-five years prior to the erection of the bridge, an attempt was made to erect one, and a subscription for that purpose was commenced, but to no purpose. The greater part of the fences consist of thorn hedges, which thrive remarkably well, and are generally neatly and trimly kept. Ecclesiastical State, — The parish church is very conveniently situated for the great majority of the inhabitants. It stands in the east end of the town of Dumbarton. The nearest boundary of the parish is distant from it about fifty yards, and the farthest from six to eight miles. There are about eight inhabited dwelling-houses, distant from the church more than two miles, and none farther than three miles. There are sittings in the church for 1265 per- sons ; of these sittings about 90 are free. The average num- ber of individuals attending the parish church throughout the year, is 900 ; with the exception of about 50, who come, from some of the neighbouring parishes, they all belong to the parish of Dum- barton. The minister of the parish only got a manse about the end of 1837, but has not yet got a glebe. There is a missionary in the town, who is supported by a sum rais- ed by subscription ; the salary is L. 52 a year. There are two Dis- senting places of worship in the parish, the one a Roman Catholic, DUMBARTON. 13 the Other a United Secession, Chapel. Neither of these are endowed, the clergj-men being supported by the seat rents alone. The Ro- man Catholic clergyman is provided with a house, the other clergy- man is not. The Dumbarton Roman Catholic Chapel is within the diocese of the Bishop of Glasgow. The Baptists have a place of meeting, — a small room in the town ; tliey are by no means numerous. The following will give a tolerably correct state- ment of the religious persuasions of the people of Dumbarton, as ascertained in 1837: Of the Established Church, 2311 ; Episco- palians, 35 ; Independents, 8 ; Roman Catholics, 284; Relief, 262 ; United Secession, 1 13 ; Baptists, 30 ; Cameronians, 9 ; Se- ceders, 26 ; Unitarians, 5 ; number of persons of no religious per- suasion, 33; total, 3116. There are several Sunday evening schools in the parish. There is also a Society for the Diffusion of Missionary Intelligence, which meets regularly once a month. Education. — There are seven schools in the parish, exclusive of the parochial school. Four of these are taught by male teachers, the others by females. The parochial teacher has a salary of L 40 Sterling per annum, which is paid by the magistrates of the bui^h. The amount of his school fees cannot be ascertain- ed. The other teachers depend on school fees alone. At the half yearly examination of the public school in February 1838, the branches of education taught, and the number of pupils learning each branch, were as follows: Greek, 3; Latin, 12; French, 6 ; English reading, 161; English grammar, 49; mathematics, 3; geography, 22; arithmetic, 78; writing, 96; drawing, 1. Se- veral years ago, the public school was taught by three masters, one taught the Greek, Latin, and French languages, another taught English grammar, &c. and the third taught writing, arith- metic, book-keeping, &c. Since 1833, one master manages the three departments. It is much to be regretted that classical learn- ing is very much neglected now. Not quite twenty years ago, the master of the classical department was able to live comfortably on his school fees, from the number that attended his classes. Now, there are only three Greek, and twelve Latin scholars, making a total of fifteen ! Literature — There is a public library in the parish, which was instituted in 1797: it contains nearly 2000 volumes, — among which are some good standard works. The " Dumbarton Sabbath Evening School" has about 600 volumes, which are lent out to the scholars. The scholars of the public school have also a small 14 DL'MBARTONSHIUE. library, — which now consists of nearly 300 volumes. The Oon- servative and Liberal parties each support a reading-room in Dum- barton. Friendly Societies. — There are four Friendly Societies in the parish, which were instituted for the purpose of assisting the mem- bers in time of distress. All members contributing regularly to these societies are entitled to a weekly allowance when unable to work. There is also a Society for the relief of indigent old men and women, which has already done much good. Poor and Parochial Funds, — The average number of persons receiving parochial aid, is about 70. The amount of collections at the church door, each Sunday, is generally about L. 1. The proprietors in the parish are assessed for the support of the poor, but only within the last four years. The average amount of the assessment is about L. 300 Sterling. The amount of extraordinary collections in the parish church during the last two years was as follows: in 1837, L. 82, 17s. 9d., and in 1838, L. 59, Os. 6d. Sterling. Fairs. — There is only one fair held within the parish. It is held annually on the second Tuesday of August, on a common, close to the town ; the business transacted there is of no great ex- tent Inns and Ale-houses. — There are two good inns in Dumbarton, which are well filled, in summer, by travellers going to, and return- ing from, Lochlomond. The number of ale-houses yearly licens- ed is from 40 to 50. Fuel. — Coal is almost the only fuel used, and is all brought from Glasgow. A small quantity of peats is used by the poor. February 1839. PARISH OF OLD KILPATRICK. PRESBYTERY OF DUMBARTON, SYNOD OF GLASGOW AND AYR. THE REV. MATTHEW BARCLAY, MINISTER. I. — Topography and Natural History. Name. — The name of the parish is compounded of Gi7, the Gaelic word for a church, and the name of the patron saint of Ireland. Tradition says that he was born in this parish. This is doubted ; but still it must be confessed, that, if this be not the birth- place of Saint Patrick, it is difficult to account for the name of the parish, and for many traditions in regard to his character and doings, which have been handed down for generations in the neighbourhood. Extent and Boundaries. — The parish is about 8 miles long, and its greatest breadth is from 4 to 5 miles. Its figure is trian- gular, with the base resting on the Clyde. It contains about 18 square miles. It is bounded on the south, by the river Clyde ; on the west, by the parish of Dumbarton ; on the north, by Dumbar- ton, Killearn, and New Kilpatrick ; on the east, by New Kilpa- trick and Renfrew. On the opposite side of the Clyde are Ren- frew, Inchinnan, and Erskine. Topographical Appearances. — The parish is situated on the banks of the Clyde ; and although this river is celebrated for the beauty and the diversity of its scenery, it may be affirmed that there is no part of the scenery of the Clyde which excels that of Old Kilpatrick. In sailing down the river as we pass Renfrew Ferry, near which the parish begins, at the village of Yoker, the country is flat and well cultivated, having all the appearance of land that will repay the skill and the toil of the husbandman. At this part, the whole breadth of the parish is seen rising with a gentle slope to the upper boundary. As we proceed down the river, the part in view is still fertile and well cultivated, but begins to be narrowed by the enclosing hills, so that by the time the navigator sweeps past the parish church and the village of Old Kilpatrick, the base of the hills comes nearly to the water's edge. At the part \6 DUMBARTONSHIRE, of the parish ferthest down the river, it opens up again into a plain of considerable extent The view all the way down is exceedingly diversified. The first public work which we pass is Dalmuir-shore Soda Work, on the brink of the river, which, with its furnaces and chimnies, and burnt rubbish, but ill acords with the scene around. Farther down, and about half a mile from the river, are Dalmuir paper-works, which rather add variety to the prospect than diminish its beauty. Farther on still, we see up the glen of Duntocher, at the head of which stand those huge cotton-works, part of which is seen, which give employment to thousands who live in the villages, lying concealed from the view. When we come to Erskine Ferry, the bend of the river is one of the finest which can be imagined. On the left are Lord Blantyre's house and grounds in the parish of Erskine, and on the right is the village of Old Kilpatrick, with its church and its tower, and its white-washed houses, which are situated at the bottom of the Kilpatrick braes, rising to the height of about 1200 feet above the level of the sea. On the sides, on one part are well cultivated fields, and rich crops ; on another, fine growing planta- tions, and on others, rocks and copsewood. The summit also is now smooth, now rugged, now planted, and now abrupt and broken. The bend of the river extends as far down as Dunglass Castle, about two miles and a-half, and is varied all the way in the most beautiful manner. After passing the village, the house of Glenarbuck is seen imbedded in trees, giving the idea of all that is peaceful and sheltered, and retired ; and then not far ofi* at the river's edge, is Bowling Bay, at the mouth of the Forth and Clyde Canal, with its basin and docks, and all the bustle of merchandize and ship- building. Beyond this, rise in great beauty the hills and the woods of Auchentorlie. To complete the view, there is often a multi- tude of vessels in sight ; the ferry-boat crossing with its load of carts or carriages, and live-stock of all kinds, — the gay steamer with decks cruwded, flags flying, and band of music playing, the powerful Tug with her steam and smoke, dragging her half dozen of vessels, with yard and sail, some of which have probably come from the most distant parts of the world ; and sailing vessels of all descriptions, making their way up or down, as wind and tide will serve their purpose. On the public road, there are two views which have been long celebrated, — the one from Dalnotter Hill, and the other from the OLD KILPATRICK. J? Chapel Hill, — the one a quarter of a mile before entering Old Kilpatrick village, and the other a quarter of a mile after leaving iu But to leave the public road, and ascend the hills, adds greatly to the magnificence of the sight Within five minutes' walk from the Tillage, and with no great exertion in the ascent, the whole length and breadth of Renfrewshire is spread before you. As- cending higher still, the prospect extends, and opens Up to view a large part of Lanarkshire, with Tintock as a termination. Again, if we proceed across the braes, about four or five miles from the Clyde, we come to a round hill named Duncomb, from which, owing to a low part on the ridge of the Kilpatrick hills, a mag- nificent scene is seen to the south, and east and west ; while, to the north, Benlomond and his brother mountains are fiill in view, and Lochlomond with its islands is spread before us. This is a >iew which is not much known, but may be ranked among the fine views of Scotland. From one part of the Kilpatrick braes, Ailsa Craig may be seen. It may also be remarked, that the abrupt and rocky hill Dumbuck, makes a beautiful termination to the range at the western extremit}'. Hydrography. — The parish abounds with excellent springs of water. There are two lochs in the high part, behind the ridge of the Kilpatrick braes, which supply the principal stream in the parish, which passes Faifley* and Duntocher, and falls into the Clyde at Dalmuir. This stream, from the many falls in its course, and excellent situations for dams, might move machinery to any extent ; but, owing to differences of opinion among the proprietors, it has never been made available to the extent of its power. Most of the work of this kind on its banks is done by the power of the steam-engine. There is no other stream in the parish which is of much consequence in this way. Geology. — The geology of this parish is the same in its general features as that of New Kilpatrick. The whole is of the coal forma- tion, and the hills, which rise through or are superimposed, afj'J which so beautify the district, are of the trap formation. The rocks are principally greenstone, amygdaloid, trap-tuffa, wacke, and basalt Although there are no basaltic pillars to equal those of Staffa, or the Giants' Causeway, yet there are some so regular and perpen- dicular, as to give a pleasing variety to the scene. In the Auch- eiitorlie and Glenarbuck grounds, there are rocks of this descrip- tion, which form precipices so abrupt and high, as to require the DUMBARTON. B 18 DUMBARTONSHIRE. practised eye of the mountaineer, or of the enthusiastic geologist, to overlook the brink without a shudderl It is these which form the deep chasms in the hills, which give their romantic character to these beautiful spots, and which cause the Kilpatrick braes to impress the most untaught in the beauties of nature with feelings of admiration. Any organic remains which have been discovered are principally of the vegetable kind. There are also strata of clay and iron-ore. It may be here mentioned, that lately, at Dalmuir, a bed of shells was discovered in a section of the sand deposit, which is to be found in many places in this district of country. This disco- very was made in consequence of making some alteration in the course of the Dalmuir Burn. A full account of the whole matter is published in Vol. i. page 131, of the Records of General Sci- ence. The communication is made by Mr Thomas Thomson, son of Dr Thomson of Glasgow. He says, ** The locality in which the fossils are exposed is situated on the banks of the Dalmuir Burn, about 100 yards above the bridge, by which the road from Glasgow to Dumbarton crosses it, and about a mile from the Clyde. The current of the stream is not very rapid, so that the bed of shells is probably not more than 20 feet above the level of the Clyde, which at that place is sensibly salt at high water. The breadth of the channel of the stream is about 14 feet, and the depth of the banks about 2^ feet. The sandy de- posit appears to extend on both sides of the stream upwards and downwards, without alteration, but the fossils are con6ned to a circular, or rather elliptical space, the breadth of which (across the stream) is about 25 feet, while its length is only about 15 feet The deposit extends from each bank only about 6 feet, so that more than one-half of the whole mass has been cut away during the change of the course of the rivulet. The whole depth of the bed, as it exists at present, is about 2^ feet ; but I am in- formed by the overseer upon the estate, who superintended the workmen during their operations, that after the soil had been re- moved, 10 or 12 feet of earth full of sand was carried away, so that the depth of the bed in its original state, must have been 12 or 14 feet" " The number of species which have been already collected amount to about 30." The names are given in the Journal. Mr Thomson again says, " The shells which have been found d OLD KILPATKICK. 19 in the Dalmuir sand liave in general lost all colour^ and become of a dull yellowish white, but otherwise, though brittle, they are in a state of beautiful preservation. They appear to be all na- tives of the British seas, with the exception of the F. lamellosus^ which has only been observed about the Straits of Magellan, and Nautica glaucvwides^ which is a crag fossil." And again, ** The shells which have been assembled in this confined s|)ot, and bu- ried in sand in this extraordinary manner, appear to have been collected from very diflerent situations. The Nucula minutOj and the f^elutina^ inhabit deep water ; the Buccina and the Astarte fre- quent the sands about low water, in which the My a truncata and the Cardium edule bury themselves; while the Mytilus and the Modiola attach themselves to rocks in deep water, and the LittO' rina (and probably the Natica) frequent those rocks which are alternately covered and laid bare by the ebbing and flowing of the tide.''' And again, ^' It is remarkable, and is a circumstance which adds to the extraordinary nature of this deposit, that the sand in the immediate neighbourhood of the fossils is quite destitute of any traces of shells. Few of the shells which it contains have been previously found fossil, and therefore it appears probable, that, if not considered as belonging to the recent period, it must be referred to a very late tertiary era, at a time when all the low- lands on the banks of the Clyde, at least as far up as Glasgow, have been covered by an arm of the sea." Mineralogy. — The mineralogy, as well as the geology of this parish, is full of interest. A great variety of zeolites have been found. The different species are, Prchnite, Stilbite, Heulandite, Thomsonite, Laumonite, Cross-stone, both single and crossed ; Analcime and Mesotype. Of these, beautiful specimens have been collected. The Hunterian Museum has been enriched with a splendid collection of these treasures of the rock, which were pre- sented by Dr William Couper, Professor of Natural History in Glasgow College. The Doctor continues to make an annual per- ambulation of these hills with his geological pupils, as affording the most interesting field of observation in the neighbourhood of Glasgow. There are two quarries of whinstone, which are wrought for providing metal for the roads, out of which these different species of minerals are still obtained from time to time. The one is about half a mile behind the village of Old Kilpatrick, and the other is on the side of the public road from Glasgow to Dumbar- ton, about a quarter of a mile below Bowling Inn. 20 DUMBARTONSHIRE. Soil — The soil consists of diluvial deposit, in general dry with a gravelly bottom ; but in some places on the banks of the Clyde, especially at the part farthest down the river, it is fine deep loam with clay bottom. The rising grounds are so situated as to show that the deluge which caused their formation must have been from north-west to south-east Mines. — There are mines of coal and lime in the neighbourhood of Dun tocher. The shafts are from 120 to 200 feet deep. These mines contain ironstone, limestone, coal, and pyrites. The ironstone varies in thickness. The limestone and coal are regular; the coal is about 4^ to 5 feet thick, and the limestone, which lies immediate- ly above it, is about the same. It is expected that seams of coal will be found lower down, but no search has been hitherto made for them. I'he coal, in burning, cakes like the Newcastle coal Zoology » — The game in the parish are hares, pheasants, par- tridges, red grouse and black grouse. Besides these, there are roe-deer in Lord Blantyre^s woods on the hills. There are foxes, too, which sometimes do considerable damage on the sheep farms. The parish is not remarkable for breeding any species of cattle. Botany, — There are no rare plants. The soil is congenial to all sorts of forest and fruit trees. Oaks, ashes, elms, beeches, planes, limes, and fir-trees, of various kinds are growing, both in the upper and lower parts, with great luxuriance. Many of them are of a great size, and must be of a great age, and are still fresh and vigorous. Fruit trees also grow well. They have not been much cultivated, but, from the appearance of those which have been planted, there seems to be nothing in the soil or subsoil to prevent them from growing to any size, and bearing fruit to any age, to which fruit trees in this country can attain. II. — Civil History. Antiquities. — It is well known that the Roman wall between the Forth and Clyde terminated in this parish. It was begun by Agri- cola, and completed by Antoninus Pius, and is generally called Graham's dike, from a tradition that a Scottish warrior of this name first broke over it. All vestiges of the wall within the parish have disappeared ; but the fossa which ran parallel to it may still be traced in several places, particularly on the farm of Carleith, and in a field near the Cleddin burn. The very accurate survey made by General Roy in 1755, and published by the Antiquarian Society in 1793 ; and the earlier but careful remarks of Gordon, Stukely, Horsley, and Maitland, enable the antiquary to trace the OLD KILPATRICK. 21 line with tolerable accuracy. The progress of agricultural im- provement, and, as a consequence, the obliterating of such remains of antiquity, within the last fifty or sixty years, have been so great, that without the assistance afforded by the works of these zealous investigators, it would be impossible to trace this mark of Roman conquest. Nor is it wonderful that a bulwark of turf should have disappeared after the lapse of seventeen centuries. The termination of the wall was at one time understood to have been at Dunglass, bujt it is now generally agreed to have been at the Chapel Hill, a short distance from the parish church. Two sculptural stones with the usual inscription, containing the number of the legion, and the amount of labour performed in the construc- tion of the wall, were found there, and presented by Hamilton of Orbiston (to whom this property and the neighbouring estate of Erskine belonged) in 1695 to the College of Glasgow ; and another also discovered there, was presented soon after by the Marquis of Montrose to the same learned body. The workmen employed in digging the canal in 1790, which passes at the bottom of the Chapel Hill, found, in a subterraneous recess, vases and Roman coins ; and there is little doubt, that more careful research might bring to light more of these interesting monuments. At Duntocher there is a bridge called Roman, but it is consi- dered by some of the best antiquarians,* to have no greater claim to such high antiquity, than that the materials may have been af- forded by the neighbouring fort. Others, however, are inclined to support the antiquity of the bridge. Its appearance is much in favour of an ancient datie. Beside it, there is a stone with an inscription, bearing that the bridge was repaired in 1772 by Lord Blantyre, and also stating that it was built in the reign of Hadrian, which proves what was the current opinion at the time of erecting the stone. The lines of the Roman fort at Duntocher can now with difficulty be traced. A stone similar to those found at the Chapel hill, but more elegant in design and execution, was discovered here. It stood in Gordon's time on the gate of Cochno, but was soon after given by the proprietor, Mr Hamilton of Barnes, to the Glas-* gow College. Engravings of these stones will be found in Gordon's Itinerarium. The Collie of Glasgow engraved a series of similar monuments found along this line of frontier, but for their own use exclusively. * Roy*s Military Antiquities page 158. 22 DUMBARTONSHIUB. A subterraneous buildiug, supposed by some to have been a #u« dorium, or hot-bath, and by others a place for holding grain, was accidentally discovered in 1775, in the same hill on which the fort was situated. The cavity had two circular chambers, sur- rounded with a wall of hewn stone. The whole was covered over with tiles to support about two feet depth of earth above. Some husks of grain were found in the place. Now, there is nothing to mark the excavation, but a small sinking in the surface above where the cavity was situated. A Roman altar without any inscription was found in a field in the neighbourhood ; and now ornaments the gable of the miller's house at Duntocher mill. Roman querns have often been found in the adjacent places. One was found in digging the foundation of a new church in connection with the Establishment, which is now erecting on the side of this hill, where the Roman invaders of our country had their fort and reared their altars to their idol gods. A Roman vase was found in one of the fields of Auchintoshan estate, the property of John Cross Buchanan, Esq. About a furlong to the north of Duntocher, on the property of James Hamilton, Esq. of Barnes, there are two artificial tumuli^ described by Horsley (Britannica Romana, page 164.) There are distinct vestiges of hill-forts on several of the neigh- bouring heights, particularly on one called the Round Hill, and another in the grounds of Auchentorlie. Dunglass Castle, on the edge of the Clyde, was the messuage of the barony of Colquhoun. The writer of the former Statistical Account of this parish, misled by Pennant, confounds this Dun- glass with another more important place of the same name, in Ber- wickshire, where Lord Haddington and many gentlemen of qua- lity were blown up in 1640. This obvious mistake has been transferred by Chalmers to the pages of his Caledonia, Vol. iii. p. 865. In the church-yard, there is a monumental stone, to which tra- dition has affixed the name of Saint Patrick. It is, however, the sculptured effigy of an armed knight, and, from the style of execu- tion, of the fourteenth century. It has no inscription, but it may be very plausibly assigned to some one of the knightly race of Col- quhoun. In the garden at Mount Blow, the residence of William Dunn, Esq. there is a monumental cross. It is of the style so prevalent OLD KILPATRICK. 23 in the west of Scotland, especially in Cantyre and the Hebrides, and of the twelfth century. But as this cross (as mentioned in the former Statistical Account) was then used for a foot bridge, one side is completely dis6gured, and the other very much injured. There has been an inscription, but two side figures and a running ornament are all that now can be perceived. There is a similar cross at Barrochan, in the parish of Kilallan, which has been en- graved in Hamilton of Wishaw's description of Renfrewshire. Land'Ovmers, — The chief land-owners are, Lord Blantyre; Wil- liam Dunn, Esq. of Duntocher ; James Hamilton, Esq. of Barnes ; Andrew Buchanan, Esq. of Auchentorlie ; Colonel Geils of Dum- buck ; W. C. Stirling, Esq. of Edinbarnet ; John Cross Buchan<- an, Esq. of Auchintoshan ; Alexander Campbell, Esq. of Barn- hill ; Robert Glasgow, Esq. of Glenarbuck. Parochial Registers, — The parochial registers for marriages and baptisms begin at 1688, and are regularly kept ; but, from decay, are imperfect till 1 740. The registry of baptisms does not, how- ever, shew the number of births, as the Dissenters do not register their childrens' names. Kilpatrickf a Burgh cf Barony. — Why the use of the privileges of being a burgh of barony should have ceased, it is difficult to say, as there is as much need as ever for bailies and their officers to restrain the bad, and encourage the good. The jail is still standing with its iron bars on the windows, and its door well stud- ded with nails, but it is now used as a private dwelling. A bur- gess-ticket, dated 13th day of October 1760, states that Kilpa- trick is a burgh of barony, in virtue of a charter under the Great Seal, dated 27th January 1679; It declares that the village of Kilpatrick is to be the head burgh of barony, with power to name bailies, to create and admit burgesses, in and to all the freedoms, liberties, and immunities allowed by law, and known to appertain to any sick burgh within the kingdom. III. — Population. In 1755, the parish is said to have contained 1281 souls. At the tlHte of the last Statistical Account, 2452 In 1811, 1595 males and 1833 females, in all 34:28 In 1821, 2007 moles and 1685 females, in all 3092 In 1831, 2820 males and 3059 females, in all 5879 The cause of so vast an increase is the erection of so many pub- lic works, especially the cotton spinning and power-loom weaving factories at Duntocher and Faifley. Most of the chief heritors are resident, with the exception of 24 DUMBARTONSHIRE. Lord Blantyre, whose seat in this neighbourhood is in the adjoin- ing parish of Erskine. Habits of the People. — The habits of the people in food ami dress are like those of the rest of the west of Scotland. Oatmeal and potatoes^ with a portion of butcher-meat, is the staple of those employed in out-door work. A good deal of wheaten bread is also used ; but the workers in the factories having hard labour within doors, and having better wages, both require and obtain a diet more approaching to the luxuries of life, than that of those whose lot it is to enjoy fresh air, and to be able to use and' enjoy a coarser food. Tea is a universal beverage with all classes. IV. — Industry. Agriculture. — The exact number of acres in the parish has not been ascertained ; but the following statement may be considered as an approximation sufficiently near the truth, for the purposes of a work of this kind : Anibley - 5915 acres. Pasture, - 4940 Wood, - 572 Total, 11427 imperial measure. The valued rental is L. 4441, Ids. 8d. The real rental may be estimated at about L. 12,500. Rent of Land. — The rent of arable land is in some cases as high as L. 3 per acre, and in others as low as L. 1. The average may be considered about L. 1, 15s. per imperial acre. The average rent of grazing for a milk cow per season is about L. 5, and of a sheep about 7s. The rate of common country labour is from Is. lOd. to 2s. per day. The rate for labour which requires more expertness, such as thrashing or mowing, is about 2s. 6d. The wages of all kinds of tradesmen are about the same as in Glasgow. The price of all country produce, and of provisions of all kinds, is as high as in the Glasgow market. Every article of foreign produce is higher ; as in all cases the expense of carriage must be added, and an additional profit to the retailer, who deals on a small- er scale than retailers in town. Cattle. — The draught horses are good, and of the active strong make of those which are now generaHy used in the west of Scot- land. Few are bred in the parish, but from their appearance they may be considered to be of the Lanarkshire breed. There are but few saddle-horses. The black-cattle, which are fattened in the grazing part of the OLD KILPATRICK. 23 parish, are mostly of the Highland breed, and are bought at the large fairs or trysts in the country round. The milch cows, of which there are a great number, are of the Ayrshire breed. Little cheese is made, as the farmers find it more profitable to supply the villages of the parish, or the neighbouring towns, with milk and butter. Part of the milch cows are reared in the parish, but a great many are brought from neighbouring pa- rishes. Some of the farmers have been remarkably successful in bringing their stock to the greatest perfection, both as regards the symmetry of the form of the animal, and the quantity and the qua- lity of the produce* The butter of one of the dairy farms is so well known in the Glasgow market for its excellent quality, that it brings regularly ten per cent, more than the ordinary price. The sheep which are reared and fed in the moor parts of the parish, are nearly all of the black- faced kind. The leases of land are in general for nineteen years. The Average gross amount of Raw Produce. — This cannot be stated very accurately, as a number of farms have been unlet, and have been under a course of improvement by their proprietors. Some of the lands have been thrown into pasture which were cul- tivated before, and may soon come to be cultivated again. Some others have not been under a regular rotation of crops. But the following statement may be considered an approximation : 985 acres oats, at 1.. 4, 1 6s. . . L. 4728 721 do. potatoes, at L. 12, - - 8652 264 do. turnips, nt L. 8, - - 2112 822 do. wheat, at L 6, 10s., - 5343 165 do. barley, at L. 5, - . 825 985 do. hay. at L. 4, . . - - 8940 1973 do. arable pasture, at L. 1, 158. . 3452 15 5512 do. pasture and wood, at 68^ - 1653 12 11427 Total, - - L. 30706 7 Quarries and Mines. — Besides the mines of coal and limestone, mentioned under the head of Mineralogy, there is abundance of freestone and whinstone, quarries of both of which are wrought in different parts of the parish. Fisheries. — There are two fishing stations on the Clyde, but these are not of much value, — the one never renting more than L. 2 or L. 3 a-year ; the other never more than L. 6 or L. 8. Manufactures. — The factories of William Dunn^ Esq. for spin- ning and weaving cotton. — These consist of four large mills : the Faifley mill, the Duntocher mill, the Milton mill, and the Hard- gate mill, all situated within less than a mile of each other. It was about the year 1808) that these works were commenced. 26 DUMBARTONSHIRE. About that time, Mr Dunn purchased the Duntocher mill, which had been used. for spinning wool and fiax and cotton yarn. The work was then unoccupied, and the village almost deserted. Id two or three years after, Mr Dunn purchased the Faifley mill from the Faifley Spinning Company. This had been used for spinning cotton, but on a small scale. He next purchased in 1813 the Dalnot- ter Iron- Works, from Messrs Richard and Robert Dennistoun, which had been occupied by them, as a mill for slitting and rolling iron, and manufacturing implements of husbandry, nails, &c. At the time Mr Dunn became proprietor of the works, the whole of the men and women employed at them did not exceed 150. The Duntocher and Faifley mills were first greatly enlarged. The Milton mill, which was begun in 1821, was built on the site of the Dalnotter Iron- Works, and after this a large addition was made to the Faifley mill. The Hardgate mill was begun in 1831. These four establishments are exclusively employed in spinning and weaving cotton. The machinery now in operation is as under : mule spindles, 66,820 ; throstle spindles, 7236 ; total spindles, 74,056 ; power- looms, 530. The quantity of cotton spun per annum is about 1,000,000 pounds weight ; and the yarn produced, which varies in fineness from No. 12 to No 130, may be stated to be about 875,000. The cloths manu- factured are of different fabrics from 9°*^ to 20°° reed, and vary in breadth from 26 to 72 inches. The number of yards produced an- nually, may be stated to be 2,000,000. The machinery till lately was driven by water power. There were six water wheels of various dimensions employed ; but there has been erected a powerful steam engine at Faifley, and other two are in progress at Milton and Duntocher, which will be in operation in the course of the present summer, 1835. The number of persons employed in the spinning and weaving departments, is upwards of 1400; 256 men, earning from 10s. to 30s. per week; 626 women from 6s. to 10s.; 120 boys, four- teen years and upwards, from 5s. to 8s.; 180 boys from 11 to 14, from 2s. 6d. to 5s. ; 235 girls, from 2s. 6d. to 5s. ; total number employed 1417. As part of the produce of these works, Mr Dunn has acquired land- ed property in the parish to the extent of about 2000 acres, nearly all arable, and much ofitasgood land as any on the banks of the Clyde. He possesses also about a fourth part of undivided moor, capable OLD KILPATRICK. 27 of grazing about 266 sheep. Of this estate Mr Dunn -famis about 1200 acres, himself. It is on his property, also, that the lime and coaUworks already mentioned are situated. The estate, although acquired at different times, lies all com- pactly together, extending along the banks of the Clyde for about two miles. It is intersected by the Glasgow and Dumbarton turnpike road for about two miles, nearly parallel to the Clyde, and in a diagonal direction by the Forth and Clyde Canal, for about two miles and a half. Besides his own works, there are on Mr Dunn's property the two important establishments of Dalmuir Paper- Works, and Dal- muir Shore Soda Works. There is a quay, also, at Dalmuir for loading and landing goods, which has been in existence beyond the memory of man. Besides the persons occupied in weaving and spinning, Mr Dunn employs about his works and on his lands, masons, wrights, coal and lime-workers, quarriers, brick-makers, farm-servants, and other labourers, to the number of 250. The total amount of wages which he pays in the parish is about L, 30,000 annually. In addition to the people employed by Mr Dunn within the parish, he employs in Glasgow, engineers, mechanics, iron and brass-founders, to the number of about 200, whose wages annually amount to about L. 9000. Much of the work done by these men is for the establishments in this parish, as they are employed in making spinning and weaving machinery, and steam-engines, partly for sale, and partly for the supply of Mr Dunn's own works. Mr Dunn is one of the most remarkable instances which the history of our country presents, of a person who has risen to great affluence, whose only patrimony at the first was the knowledge of a trade, united with great sagacity, great industry, and great per- severance. Manufactures. — Dalmuir Paper ^Works^ possessed by Edward Collins, Esq. All kinds of paper are manufactured here. There are employed at these works, 5 men, at L. 1, 2s. a- week ; 58 at lis. ; 91 women, at 6s. 2d. ; 17 boys, at 5s. ; 5 girls, at 4s. 6d* The value oF the paper manufactured annually, is about K 30,000. The duty paid to Government is about L. 10,000 a-year. In this manufacture there has been great improvement. By the introduction of machinery, a much greater quantity is made by fewer hands. 28 DUMBARTONSHIUE. Soda works, at Dalmuir Shore, possessed by Messrs Charles Todd and Co. — Tlie soda works were first established here by the father of the present Lord Dundas, under the superintendence of the late Earl of Dundonald, who, much to his own honour and his country's advantage, passed a considerable time at this place in scientific pursuits. His Lordship was the first who introduced the making of soda on a large scale, by using soap-makers' leys, which formerly used to be run off as waste. At the same time, the extended demand interested the scientific world, and induced the adoption of other modes for the production of this article. At these works, are made weekly about 30 tons sulphuric acid, which is wholly employed in decomposing common salt towards the manufacture of bleaching powder, or the chloride of lime. The residuum of the operation is converted into the well known soda of commerce, used in great quantities for domestic purposes, and by soap-makers, bleachers, dyers, potters, &c« The number of hands employed is from 80 to 100, all male adults, who work from six o'clock till six o'clock, and, as the ope* rations go on night and day, one part relieves the other. The average wages are about 1 Is. per week. As the works have not been established a sufficient length of time, it is impossible to speak decisively of the effects on the health or longevity of the workmen employed. Bleaching and Calico- Printing Works at Milton Field, possessed by Patrick Mitchell, Esq. — The number of hands employed, when the works are in full operation, is fronii 400 to 500. They work six days in the week, 10 hours a-day, with the exception of Saturday. On that day, all the children and mechanics, which include more than three-fourths of the whole, work only eight hours. The re- maining fourth continue the usual time. The men, when fully employed, can earn from L. 1, 5s. to L. 1, 10s. a- week; the women about 6s.; and the girls and boys from ds. 6d. to 5s. 6d. Dye-works at Cockney Field, possessed by Messrs Macdonald and Mackay. — The manufacture carried on here is dyeing Turkey red on cotton cloth, and printing the cloth which has been dyed. The hands employed are about 70; say 32 men, 18 women, 8 girls from twelve to sixteen years of age, and 12 boys about the same age. Hours of work from six in the morning till seven in the evening, allowing an hour for breakfast, and an hour for dinner. OLD KILPATRICK. 29 The men make about 12s. to 13s. a-week; the women 6s. to 7s. ; and the boys and girls from ds. 6d. to 4s. Ship^building yard^ at Bowling j possessed by Mr David M*Gill. — This yard has been long in existence. The vessels built are sloops up to 170 tons, and vessels for the canal navigation. The number of hands are, 10 journeymen at L. 1, Is. a-week, and 6 apprentices at 6s. a-week. Ship-building yard at Little MiUy possessed by Messrs Mills and Wood. — This yard has been established only since the month of May 1834. The kind of vessels built hitherto has been steam-vessels of a large class. The hands employed at present, April 1836, are, 31 journeymen, at L. 1, Is. a-week; 41 appren- tices, at 7s. ; 10 sawyers, at L. 1, Is. ; 2 labourers, at 10s. ; 4 smiths, from 15s. to L. 1, Is. ; 6 joiners, from 15s. to 18s. Distilleries. — Of these there is one at Little Mill, possessed by Mrs McGregor. The amount of gallons yearly is about 48,21 1, the duty on which is L. 8035, 3s. 4d. The amount of malt con- sumed is 11,180 bushels, the duty on which is L. 1643, 7s. 9d. making a total of duty annually of L. 9678, lis. Id. There is another at Auchintoshan, possessed by Messrs Filshie. The total amount of duty is L. 3150, 10s. 8d. for last year. Forge at Faifleyj possessed by Mr James Marr. — The manu- facture here is spades and shovels. The number of hands is 27, of whom a few are boys. The men, when in full work, can earn L. 1, Is. a weeL Works on a Smaller Scale, — Besides the large manufacturing establishments, there are a few on a small scale. There is a dye- work at Hardgate, and several nail*works on a small scale. There are a few weavers employed by Glasgow and Paisley houses, and a good many females who work at embroidering muslin, also em- ployed by Paisley and Glasgow manufacturers. Indeed, this is the employment of most of the females who have spare time, besides managing thq domestic arrangements of the family. V. — Parochial Economy. Market^Town. — The nearest market-town is Dumbarton, which is about a mile from one extremity of the parish, and about five miles from the church and manse. Villages. — The villages are Old Kilpatrick, Bowling, Little Mill, Milton, Dumbuck, Dalmuir, Dalmuir Shore, Yoker, Dun- tocher, Faifley, and Hardgate. Means of Communication. — There are carriers passing every 30 DUMBAUTONSHIRE. day from Glasgow to Dumbarton, and the villages to the west. There is a stage-coach daily from Duntocher to Glasgow. But the chief means of travelling are the steam-boats on the Clyde, which pass up and down almost every hour of the day. Tbereare four stations for taking on board and landing passengers by means of small boats ; one at the Brick-house, one at Erskine Ferry, one at Bowling, and one at Dunglass. The length of the turn- pike roads is twelve miles, and of the statute labour roads sixteen miles, all in excellent repair. The Forth and Clyde canal inter- sects the parish for about five miles, from which the chief advan- tage is the bringing of coals and manure. Letters are conveyed by a branch of the Glasgow post-office. There is an arrival, morning and evening, from Glasgow, and one every evening from Dumbarton. There is a departure every evening for Glasgow, and every morning for Dumbarton. Ecclesiastical State, — The parish church is conveniently situat- ed, being about four miles from each extremity of the parish, lengthwise, and there are not above two houses five miles distant. The church was built in 1812, and is in good repair. According to the plan, it was to contain 790, but, in fact, there is not seat- room for more than 750 or 760, at eighteen inches a sitter. All the sittings are allocated to the heritors. The manse was built near- ly forty years ago, and repaired in 1829. The glebe contains about 8 Scotch acres, besides the garden, and may be valued at L. 32 per annum. The stipend was decreed at last augmentation (which was in 1833) to be 18 chalders, half meal and half barley. But the teinds were exhausted before obtaining the stipend de- creed. The present allocation bears 200 bolls, 5 stones, 2 lbs. meal, and 55 quarters, 4 bushels, 3 pecks, 1 gallon, and 1 quart barley, and L. 7, 1 9s. Sjd. money. This was farther reduced by an error discovered in one of the allocations. A surrender of the teinds was made in this instance, and now it stands 7 bolls, 2 stones, 9 ^% lbs. meal, and 1 quarter, 6 bushels, 3 pecks, 1 gallon, I4 quarts, barley, and 5s. 7^d. money, instead of 20 bolls, 2 stones, 2/5 lbs. meal, and 5 quarters, 3 bushels barley, and 6s. 4d. money. The allocation was decreed final on 26th January and 16th February 1833, during a vacancy in the parish. If this mat- ter be stirred again, it is to be remarked that no allowance was made in the modification for the difierence between the Old Dum- bartonshire measure, in which the valuation was made, and the new measure, in which the modification was made. Thb difference OLD KILPATRICK. 31 is one-eighth on every boll of meal Besides, somewhat more in the case of some of the farms would have been produced by a sim- ple surrender of the teinds than has been by the calculations which have been made. The stipend in 1835, as the allocation now stands, was L. 226, 9s. 5d., without any allowance for communion elements. Owing to the crowded sUite of the parish church, which is al- together too small for the population, a parish missionary has been employed for about two years, who regularly preaches on Sabbath, visits the sick, and has classes for religious instruction during the week. His preaching station is at Faifley. The place holds from 200 to 250 hearers, and is generally crowded to the door. His salary is L. 50, and has been paid by a private individual. There is an additional church now building by subscription at Duntocher, which is to contain 800 sittings. The principal heritors, with few exceptions, came forward in the most liberal manner in aid of this undertaking. Mr Hamilton of Barnes began the subscription with L. 100; and it is but justice to say, that he and the ladies of the family are ready to promote every good work. Mr Buchanan of Auchintoshan subscribed L. 100, and made offer of ground for the building. A site offered by Mr Dunn was preferred, who sub- scribed Lf. 200 ; Mr Buchanan of Auchentorlie also subscribed L. 100. Many others contributed liberally, both heritors and other inhabitants. In all, about L. 900 has been subscribed, and it is hoped that, as much additional will be contributed as, with the aid of the Church Extension Fund of the General Assembly, will leave the church, when completed, free of debt.* * It must now be added, that the new church at Duntocher is finished. The cost of the erection, after deducting the drawback on wood and glass, was L. 1459, Is. 2d. The amount of contributions to meet this expenditure, including L. 300 from the General Assembly's Church Extension Fund, was L. 1299, 12s. 5d., leaving a defi- ciency of L. 159, 8s. 9d. But as it was desirable that the new church should begin without any incumbrance, the treasurer, who was the minister of the original parish, gave up his claims for the balance, so that the managers undertook their charge free of debt. The church was opened on Sabbath the 25th September 1836, and the Rev. John Pollock, who had been labouring in the district for more than two years as parish mis- sionary, was ordained the minister on the 6th of October. Mr Pollock was translated to Balder nock parish on the 29th of March 1838, and the Rev. V^illiam Alexander, who is now minister of Duntocher, was ordained to the charge in October 1898. The parish of Duntocher was di^oined quoad sacra from the parish of Old Kilpa. trick by the Assembly of 1836, The inhabited part of the parish is about a mile and a half in length and three quarters of a mile in breadth, and its nearest extremity is nearly two miles from the original parish church. From a census taken by the late minister, the parish was found to contain 3336 inhabitants, of whom 1604 professed to belong to the Established Church. With the exception of three heritors'^families, and three or four other families, all the population may be said to belong to die work* 32 DUMBARTONSHIRE. There are three Dissenting churches. One of these is of the Original Burgher Associate Synod, capable of containing about 550. The minister's stipend is L. 90, with a house, and about five or six acres of glebe land. One is of the Relief, capable of containing about 600. The minister's stipend is L. 120, with a house and garden. And one of the United Secession, capable of containing about 670. . The minister's stipend is L. 130, with a house, or an allowance of L. 20. The stipends are paid from seat-rents and collections. The names of the present incumbents, in the order in which the denominations have been stated, are Mr James Gardiner, Mr Hugh Crichton, Mr J. Russell, and all of them are respectable and good men. The number of communicants at the parish church is about 700. The relative number of those who profess to belong to the Es- tablishment, and of those who profess to belong to other denomi- nations, according to a census taken in spring 1836, is as under ; Establishment, 3349 ; Relief, 865 ; Secession, 785 ; Original Burgher, 272 ; Roman Catholic, 764 ; Episcopalian, 53 ; Baptist, l4; Methodist, 1 ; Reformed Presbyterian, 1 ; Unitarian, 1 ; In- dependent, 1 ; no persuasion, 17; total 6123. Total under twelve years of age, 1742 ; under seven years of age, 1139; total in the parish, 1163 families, 6123 individuals. It may be remarked, in order to give a full view of the church ing classes, The number of sittings in the church is 776, of which 712 arc let With the exception of about 40 all are let to parishioners, The seat rents are at very low rates, varying froni 28. to 45., with the exception of 62 in the front of the gaJlery, which are let at 10s. each. There is reason to bless God, that this new erection has prospered exceedingly. • It is difficult to say how many per»^ons who attended no church have been reclaimed. But from the fact of the original parish church having been gradually increasing in the numbers attending, and being now respectably filled, although a void was made in its attendance of 300 to 400 hearers, it is quite^ivithin the mark to say, that 200 at the least are now regular in their attendance at church, who were very seldom if ever in the house of God, This can be tlie more confidently affirmed, as neither the congre- gation in the new church, nor the increase in the old, have been lirawn from the Dis* senting congregations in the parish. One great advantage of increased accommoda- tion and low priced sittings, has been, that a much larger number of young people and children have been brought to both churches than before. One of the greatest evils of hi^h seat rents over all the country has been, that the number of seats taken, and the number of communicants on the roll, were nearly equal, so that no allowance was made for young people and children — a system fearfully calculated to increase the habit of forsaking the assembling in the house of God in tlie rising generation. Since the opening of the church 102 new members have been added to the roll of com* municants. Two weekly classes for religious instruction were conducted by the late minister, and although confined to those above 14 years of age, the one was attended by about 120, and the other by 70 young jpersons. The present minister is equally industrious in his classes, and equally successful with his predecessor. It may be added, that a number of families now maintain family worship, in which this duty was entirely neglected before the opening of the new cluirclf. — (Feb. 1839.) OLD KILPATRICK. 33 accommodation, that families belonging to the Establishment in the village of Yoker, amounting in all to about 28 souls, attend in Renfrew church ; the number of whose sittings may be about 12; that families in Miltoo and the neighbourhood belonging to the Establishment, amounting in all to about 80 souls, and fami- lies belonging to Dissenters, amounting to about 120 souls, attend in Dumbarton ; the sittings taken by both may be about 85. The sittings taken by all the Dissenters residing in the parish, although this has not been so accurately ascertained as could be wished, yet cannot amount to more at the utmost than 900. This, however, does not give a full view of the congregations of the Dissenters, as each of them have members from other parishes. The amount of the church-going population will then appear as follows : sittings in the parish church, counting them all occupied, 750 ; attending at preaching station, 200 ; sittings at Renfrew about 12 ; sittings in Dumbarton parish church about 34 ; sittings taken by Dissenters both in the parish and at Dumbarton, about 900 ; say that, of the Roman Catholics there is a church attendanceon the average of 150, which is a large allowance ; total of sittings, 2046. If we double the above, this gives, according to the usual mode of calculation, the number of souls belonging to the families who attend a place of worship, which is 4092; and this leaves 2031 as the total number of souls belonging to families who attend no place of worship. This is a fearful state of things in a jcountry parish. If we consider the manner in which the Sabbath is spent by men in general, who do not attend a place of worship, and also the amount of the influence of their example on those who do, in leading them, even on a Sabbath day, to conduct themselves in a way inconsistent with the services in which they have been engaged, it is impossible to enumerate all the evils of such a state of things, both for time and for eternity, both for the body .and for the soul. On this subject one remark is obvious. If it had not been for the exertions of Dissenters in such a parish as this, in supplying the lack of the Establishment, matters would have been much worse. For all that they have done in stemming the torrent of heathenism,' they deserve the approbation of every man who is a lover of the Lord Jesus Christ Education — Schools. — The parish school is at Old Kilpatrick village. The endowed salary is L. 34, 4s. 4d., and the wages for reading are 2s. per quarter, and for reading, writing, and arith- metic, 2s. 6d. The wages may amount to L. 15 per annum, and the emoluments of the teacher, as session-clerk and treasurer to the DUMBxVRTON. C 34 DUMBARTONSHIRE. poor's fund, to L. 20 or L. 25 per annum. There are ten unendowed schools ; one at Moss Wallach ; one at Faifiey ; two at Duntocher ; two at Old Kilpatrick ; one at Dalmuir ; one at Little-mill : one at Milton ; and one at Kilbovne. Besides these, there are a few scholars taught to read by females at Duntocher and Faifley, who also teach them needle^work. The average number who attend the whole may be estimated at about 480 day-scholars, and 230 evening-scholars, making a total of 510. Most of the teachers can teach Latin and English grammar, practical geometry, and book-keeping ; but there are few applications for more than the usual elementary branches. The average fee is about ds. 6d. per quarter for read- ing ; ds. 6d; for reading and writing ; and 4s. for reading, writing, and arithmetic. There are six Sabbath schools, but these are for religious instruction alone. Literature. — There is a village library at Duntocher, of 430 volumes, and two Sabbath school libraries, one of 110 volumes, and another of 230 volumes. There is a village library at Faifley of 233 volumes, and one of the Sabbath school of 293 volumes. There is also a Sabbath class library at Old Kilpatrickof 150volumes. Friendly Society. — There is a friendly society at Duntocher and Faifley. The members are 208, who contribute 13s. a-year each. The allowance for a member who is sick, but not confined to bed, is 4s. 6d. a-week, and for one bedfast is 8s. After the first year, if the disease continue, and the man be unable to work, the allow- ance is 4s. 6d. a-week for life. Poor and Parochial Funds. — The number of persons on the roll at present, with the aliment of ea^h, is as under : 1 at 2s. per month L. 2 2 - 28. 6d., •- 1 - 3s., - ' - 1 . 4s. 6d., 14 - 5s. 1 - 5s. 6d.} 15-69., 1 . 6s. 6d., 1-78., 1 1 - os., - S . 10s., 2 . lis., - - 1 - 12s., 1 - 168., - - I - 17s. 4d , 1 - 408., 65 L.22 10 10 27 12 of the above are widows, who have 27 chll* — dren in all. Total, 92 5 8 1 12 4 6 3 10 5 6 4 10 6 6 7 4 8 1 10 1 2 12 16 17 4 2 OLD KILPATRICK. 35 The three who have the highest allowances are persons derange- ed in intellect : one of them in the Glasgow Lunatic Asylum. To meet the above expenditure, and other occasional expenses, such as coflSns for paupers, &C there is an assessment, which varies from L. 250 to L.dOO a-year, one-half of which is laid on the heritors, and the other half on tenants and householders. There is also between L. 30 and L. 40 collected at the church door, which, after some necessary expenses being deducted, is paid into the poor's fund. Houses Licensed to Retail Spirits. — There are 31 in the pa- rish. Three of these are toll-houses, which is contrary to ex- press act of Parliament, and 12 of them are in Old Kilpatrick vil- lage alone. Fuel. — Coal is the prevailing fuel. It is chiefly brought from the neighbourhood of Glasgow by the canal, and for the last three years has been sold in the parish at 5s. per 12 cwt. Besides this, a good deal of Mr Dunn's coal is used, which is sold at 3s. for a measure, which would weigh about 14 cwt. Peats are used mere- ly for kindling. Miscellaneous Observations. The changes since the former Statistical Account are very great. The rental then is called L. 5000. The rental now is upwards of L. 12,000. Indeed, there was a period during the war when it must have been considerably more. The total number employed at manufactures, was then 1043 : the number now is about 2400. The total population then was 2452 : the population now is up- wards of 6000. The smith and ir^n foundery, which employed 278 hands, has wholly disappeared, and in place of one of its factories, there is one of Mr Dunn's cotton-mills, — while of another of its branches at Old Kilpatrick village, there are no remains. The wool mill, which finished 1000 yards a-day, is superseded by a mill for cotton. The statute labour was then L. 63, Gs. 8d : it is now on an average L. IQO. There was then one Dissenting church : there are now three. Inoculation for small pox was then generally practised : now it has been totally displaced by vaccination. Still there are a few cases now and then of natural small-pox, but gene- rally mild. Drawn up in 1836 ; Revised in February 1839, PARISH OF NEW OR EAST KILPATRICK. PRESBYTERY OF DUMBARTON, SYNOD OF GLASGOW AND AYR* THE REV. ANDREW SYM, D. D. MINISTER. L — Topography and Natural History. Namcj Itc^-The two parishes of New or East, and Old or West Kilpatrick, occupy a large portion of that district of Scot- land formerly called Lennox or Levenach — the field of the Le^eii. The etymology of Kilpatrick is plainly the Gaelic ct7, a church or religious house, prefixed to the name of the patron saint of Ireland, to whom the church of Kilpatrick was originally dedicated* The tradition which points out the tombstone of this saint in the church-yard of Old Kilpatrick is rejected by antiquaries; but there is good reason to believe that he was bom in that parish, near the Roman fort of Duntocher, which not improbably is the Nemthor of the early legends of St Patrick. ♦ Extent and Beundarie^. — The greatest length of New Kilpatrick parish is 7^ imperial miles ; the mean length, 6 miles ; the great- est breadth is 5^, and the mean breadth S^ miles ; giving a su- perficial extent of 21 square miles, or 13^440 imperial acres. These measurements are taken from Wood's map of Dumbarton- shire ; but, according to the plans of the several estates, the ex- tent is only 12,049 imperial acres. It is bounded on the north, by the parishes of Strathblane and Killearn ; on the west, by Old Kilpatrick; on th& south, by Renfrew and Go van; and on the east, by the Barony of Glasgow, Cadder, and Baldernock. Topograpiiical Appearances. — The Kilpatrick hills or braes, disjoined from the Campsie Fells by a gap of three or four miles in width, making way for the Blane with its beautiful strath, and for the black-watered Allander, lie partly in the parish. These hills range from east to west, terminating abruptly with Dum- buck, near Dumbarton. Their greatest height is about 1200 feet above the level of the sea ; and from them the parish slopes on one band with a southern exposure towards the Clyde, and on another " Transactions of ik>ciety of Scottish Antiquaries, Vol. ii. Part i. p. 213. NEW KILPATRICK. 37 towards the valley of the Allander and Kelvin in the south-east, the descent being broken by a succession of undulations, which di- minish in elevation as they approach the rivers. This undulating surface gives to the landscape a variegated and interesting charac- ter. It is thickly set with swelling knolls, generally accessible to the plough, and actually under cultivation, but many of them so steep, as to render ploughing difficult. If more of these knolls were wooded, it would contribute much to ornament, at no ultimate loss to the proprietors. Meteorology.-^^o register of the weather has been kept in the parish for many years, so that we have few meteorological obser- vations to record. A singular phenomenon occurred in the sum- mer of 1832, which was carefully investigated at the time, and the fact fully ascertained. On the Idth June of that year, there fell near Castlehill, a shower o{ Jish^ consisting chiefly of herring-fry. Some of them were described as being of the size of large min- nows ; but the largest that I saw were about two inches in length. Upwards of 100 were found huddled together by a road side ; others were probably washed away by the stream that was speedily formed ; and some were seen scattered over the neighbouring field. Three days after the occurrence I pickqd up a few. By this time they were much disfigured; but still it was not difficult to discover what they were ; and some which I saw preserved in spirits left no doubt of their being herring. Castlehill is three or four miles distant from the Clyde, from which they had probably been caught up by a whirlwind, and carried hither through the air. They fell amidst a very heavy shower of rain, accompanied with a peculiar rushing noise, which was heard at a considerable distance. Hydrography. — Dugalstone loch is a considerable sheet of wa- ter, of artificial collection. It lies within Dugalstone pleasure- grounds, and contributes much to the beauty of that once highly ornate, but now neglected seat. It covers 23 Scots acres. The pleasure grounds of Kilmardinny likewise contain a small loch, surrounded by trees and ornamental shrubbery ; and abounding in pike, eel, and perch. It contains about 8 Scots acres. St German's loch is somewhat larger. It is a good locality for the botanist, containing several nt'ater-plants not everywhere to be found. Germanus was the companion of St Patrick in his mission to Ireland ; and from him it probably is that this loch derives its name. * * Traosaettons of Society of Scottish Antifiuaries, ui tujtra^ 38 DUMBARTONSHIRE. The Kelvin is hardly of size enough to be dignified by the nam6 of a river, but in Scottish dialect comes under the description of a toater. It rises in the parish of Kilsyth ; and after a south- westerly course of about 16 miles, falls into the Clyde at Partick, two miles below Glasgow. Through the greater part of its course it b a sluggish, uninteresting stream ; but on reaching Garscube it changes character. The current is now rapid ; the banks are richly wooded ; below Garscube House they are bold and preci- pitous ; and there are in the Lowlands few finer rivers than the Kelvin, as it winds through these beautiful grounds. The AUander is a smaller stream, but not less useful. It is the feeder by which the Kelvin receives the waters of the reser- voirs on which the great flour-mills at Partick and Garscube de- pend during the dry season of the year ; and before joining the Kelvin, it supplies the extensive machinery at Clober Bleachfield, and various other works. Geology, — Of the great coal-basin, near the centre of which Glasgow is situated, the Kilpatricks occupy a large part of the north-western quadrant ; the arch, or outer border being overlaid with trap, of which the hills consist. At Garscube, in the south- eastern corner of this pitrish, where coal is at present wrought, the same beds are found as at Glasgow, dipping to the south-east at an angle of 8°. In digging for it, the strata met with are the usual alternations of blaize, sandstone, clay iron ore, and grey- plies. A great way beneath this lies another coal bed ; the dip of which being in the same direction, at an angle of 14^, it ap- proaches the surface towards the north and north-west, and is wrought at Lawmuir and Castlehill, where it is found at a depth of about 30 fathoms. The strata met with here are successive alternations of blaize and ironstone, the latter from 3 to 6 inches in thickness ; and immediately over the coal is a valuable bed of limestone 3 feet thick. Farther to the north, rocks of sandstone and conglomerate appear ; and still farther in the same direction are the hills, consisting of greenstone, amygdaloid, trap-tufl^ wacke, and basalt, the latter of which occurs near Craigtou in a very perfect prismatic form. The Diluvial deposits are chiefly a stiflFred and bluish clay, sand and gravel, broken up into elongated swells. The range of these swells is generally from north-west to south-east; and it may be observed, that very frequently the north-western acclivity is abrupt, while in the opposite direction, it is more lengthened and gentle. NEW KILPATRICK. 39 In the clay, numerous boulders occur, varying from the size of a pigeon's egg to many tons in weight- These boulders consist chiefly of the different kinds of trap ; but many, even of the largest, ue of granite, gneiss, and mica-slate rocks, which are not found in 9tuBi distances of less, some of them than 25 and others 70 miles, in a Dorth-westerly direction. Blocks of limestone occur in like manner, the surfiice of which frequently presents a considerable degree of polish, with occasional deep irregular scratches, as if a heavy body had been forcibly moved over it. The €rgaiHe remainsy though almost exclusively confined to the Tq;etable kingdom, are numerous and interesting. They consist chiefly of plants, which are now found only in insular situations, and in climates approaching to tropical heat ; such as tree-ferns, gigan- tic equiseta, catamites and palmaceae. Various strata of clay-iron ore occur, alternating with sand- stone and blaize. One of these, which crops out on the banks of the Kelvin atGkirscube, was wrought some years ago, for the purpose of anelting : but the ore was not found in sufficient quantity, or suffi- ciendy rich to render the working of it profitable. Mineralogy. — The Kilpatrick hills present a fertile field for the researches of the mineralogist, containing a great variety of the zeolite fiunily. A splendid collection of these minerals has been presented to the Hunterian Museum by Dr Couper, Professor of Natural History in the University of Glasgow. They consist of prehnite, stilbite, Heulanite, Thomsonite, Laumonite ; cross-stone both single and crossed ; analcime, mesotype, and Eddingtonite. The student will nowhere find a more favourable opportunity of becoming acquainted with this beautiful family of minerals, than this collection presents. Many years ago, a vein of sulphate of barytes was wrought in these hills, in the expectation that lead might be extracted from it ; and a mine had been driven 30 yards into the hill-side, before those engaged in the undertaking were con- ^ced of its futility. Sail — The prevailing soil is clay, over a bottom of hard and impracticable till. The stratum of fertile clay is generally no deeper than the plough goes ; and the retentive subsoil, prevent- ing the escape of the surface water, renders the land wet and clag- gy. Along the course of the Kelvin, the Allander, and some other streams, there are several hundred acres of deep rich loam ; and some knolls of sand and gravel are covered with a light dry soiL 40 DUMBARTONSHIRE. Oil the high grounds there is a good deal of moor, bog, apdpeat^ moss. Botany. — In his Flora Glottiaua, Mr Hopkirk frequently refers to places in this parish as producing rare, or not very common plants ; among ^^hich may be noticed Achillea tamentoia ; Hiera" cium aurantiacum^ though probably not native ; and Ciadcuvirosay said to be rare in Scotland, but abundant here. To these may be added Pyrola seeunda, which has escaped Mr Hopkirk's obser- vation, but is found on the Kilpatrick hills. Of Forest trees the beech seems most congenial to the soil, and attains the greatest size. At Balvie there is an avenue of tall and handsome beeches, none of them remarkable for size, taken sii^- ly, but worthy of notice for the uniformity of height and girth of so great a number. A much larger than any of these grows at Dugalstone. At three feet from the ground, it measures 16 feet in circumference ; and its branches cover a space of 22 yards dia- meter. Other forest trees are found of considerable size, and the soil seems favourable to the fir tribe. A Scotch fir was recently cut at Garscube, which measured upwards of nine feet in girth at three feet from the ground, and contained 155 solid feet of tim- ber : and two more growing at Balvie are of nearly as large a size* At Dugalstone thereare man^ large and beautiful spruce and silver firs.* Ashes, elms imd sycamores, thrive well ; but the oak is preferred for new plantations, though we have none of great size or age. A walnut tree at Mains measures 1 1^ feet in girth* Zoology. — In this department we have here most of those ani- mals which are common to the Lowlands of Scotland, together with some which belong to mountainous regions. Game is abun- dant, yet not so much so as to injure the farmer. We are occa- sionally visited by the roe-deer, breaking away from his haunts in the woods of Buchanan. Black-game and grouse are numerous in the muirland parts of the parish, partridges in the fields, and pheasants in the plantations. The woodcock too is found, but more rarely. Of water-fowl we have the wild-goose and wild- duck, the sheldrake, widgeon, teal, and various divers. Besides these, under the head of game, for we do not pretend to any scien- tific arrangement, we have the golden and the grey plover, the cur- lew, land-rail and water-rail, the snipe and the heron. Of birds of prey we have the kite, or salmon-tailed glede, the common buz- zard, the white hawk, large gray hawk, the snipe and sparrow hawks, and what is here called the hunting-hawk. Of birds of NEW KILPATRICK. 41 passage we have the common varieties of the swallow kind ; the king-fisher, the goatsucker, the fieldfare, and redwing. The missel-thrush has of late years taken up his abode with us ; the starling and water-ouzel are found, though not numerous* The goldfinch and goldeurcrested wren, the least and most beautiful of our Scottish birds, shall end our enumeration of the feathery race, for we need not notice those species that are everywhere to be found. There are foxes in the upper part of the parish ; but the fewer, that we have no fox-hunter. Of the weasel tribe we have the polecat, the otter, the stoat, and the common weaseL The pine-martin has been shot in the woods of Balvie ; and the brown squirrel has been seen at Garscube ; but each of them only in a single instance. The black-rat, as elsewhere throughout Scot- land, has disappeared before the large brown rat of Norway. II.—- Civil History. Date of Erection. — As a separate parish. New ICilpatrick is of comparatively modem date, having been disjoined from Old Kii- patrick in 1649. The disjunction is quoad omnia. - Registers. — The parochial registers are imperfect, part of them having been destroyed in 1797, at the first Itollotting for militia. On that occasion a considerable mob assembled, which was not dispersed till tro<^ arrived froin ""Glasgow, by whom several pri- soners were made.* Some of the mob having entered the school- master's house, seized on the register^f baptisms, and tore out a number of the leaves, that they might not be evidence against them of their liability to serve. The date of the earliest entry is 6th January 1691 ; and from the 8th December 1755 the series is complete. There are two volumes of records besides those now in progress. Ministers. — The first minister of the parish, Mr Walter RoUock, was inducted in December 1650, and died only a month after. He was succeeded by Mr Robert Law, who is known as the author of ** Memorialls, or the memorable things that fell out within this island of Brittain from 1638 to 1684." Of these memorable things 'the chief, in Mr Law's estimation, seem to have been deeds of witchcraft, portentous appearances, and prophetic warnings ; with the narration of which a great part of his volume is occupied. It appears from the records of the presbytery of Dumbarton, that Mr Law was called to be minister of the parish in 1652 ; but was refused induction by the presbytery, on the ground of his not being * Tliis affair is known by the name of the Battle of Garscube. 42 ' DUMBARTONSHIRE. qualified for the ministry. He seems to have served the cure not* withstanding ; and in May 1654, he was, without further trials, or any deed of induction, received into fraternity as a member of Presbytery ; and his name is found in the sederttnts down to 4th September 1660. After the restoration he was outed for non- conformity ; but Mr Sharpe, his editor, in the short account of his life prefixed to the ** Memorialls," states that, though he did not subscribe the indulgence, yet he returned to his charge on the passing of that act ; and he quotes a minute of council, from which it appears that, in 1679, on the petition of Andrew Colquhoun of Garscadden, and Hugh Crawfurd of Cloberhill, in name of the people of Easter Kilpatrick, Mr Law was continued minister of the parish. We know not how to reconcile this statement with the evidence of the Presbytery records, which show that Mr William Duncan, a conformist, was minister of this parish from the year 1666 to the date of the Revolution. The ministers in succession to him have been — Mr John Dougal, admitted 31st December 1690, died 2dd December 1712 ; Mr John Logan, admitted 15th September 1715, died 18th January 1730; Mr Andrew Gray, admitted 18th March 1731, died 10th February 1776; Mr James Carrick, admitted dlst October 1776, died 2dth February 1787 ; Mr George Sym, admitted 20th December 1 787, died 29th May 1835. The present incumbent was ordained assistant and succes- sor to his father, 27th September 1821. Principal Families, — At an early period the family of Galbraith had extensive possessions in Lennox, and William Galbraith of Gartconnel is noticed as a person ^' of good account" in the time of David IL about the middle of the fourteenth century.* Gart- connel is now known only as a farm belonging to Mr Gordon of Dugalstone ; but the site of an ancient castle or keep is still mark- ed out by the surrounding fosse. Douglas of Mains, — Janet Galbraith, daughter and co-heiress of James, or perhaps rather of the above William Galbraith of Gartconnel, married in 1373 Nicholas Douglas, fourth son of James, first Lord of Dalkeith, (grandson of William, Lord of Douglas, the companion in arms of Wallace.) By this marriage he acquired the estate of Mains, and other considerable posses- sions in Lennox ; and from him the present proprietor is descended in the fifteenth generation. Malcolm Douglas of Mains, the eighth in descent from Nicholas, is known in the History of Scotland as • Crawford, Peerage, p. 159, natc. NEW KILPATUICK. 43 the associate of Crawford of Jordanhill in the taking of Dumbarton Castle in 1571 ;* and likewise as having been implicated, by the doubtful evidence of Edmonstone of Duntreath, in the raid of Ruthven, and other transactions connected with that affair; in consequence of which he was beheaded at Edinburgh in 1584, along with his father-in law, Cunningham of Drumwhassil. -f* This seems to be the person whom Buchanan, (Hist Lib. xx.) erroneously calls Robert Douglas. ColquhounqfGarscadden and Killermont. — This family, to whom nearly a third of the parish now belongs, is descended from John Colquhoun, second son of Robert, sixth laird of Camstradden. He is said to have distinguished himself in the battle of Pinkie, 1547. His great-grandson, William Colquhoun, writer in Glasgow, ac- quired the lands of Garscadden by purchase in 1655, and was succeeded by his eldest son Andrew, an eminent merchant in Glas- gow. Lawrence, second son of Andrew, purchased the estate of Killermont in 1746 ; and left an only child Agnes, who married John Campbell of Clathic in Perthshire. Their son Archibald, who assumed the name of Colquhoun on becoming presumptive heir to Garscadden, was educated for the Scottish Bar ; and rose to distinction in his profession, having been many years Lord Ad- vocate, and afterwards Lord Register of Scotland. His son, the present John Campbell Colquhoun, Member of Parliament for the Kilmarnock burghs, on the death of Miss Jean Colquhoun in 1821, succeeded to the estate of Garscadden, and the representa- tion of the elder branch of the family. The Campbells ofSuccoth are believed to be cadets of the Ard- kinlas branch of the house of Argyle. They were settled in Dumbarton before the Union of the Crowns; and in 1616, Ro- bert Campbell purchased Succoth, in the parish of Cardross. In the reign of Charles XL John Campbell of Succoth, Director Depute of Chancery, acquired the estate of Garscube; since which time, the family have added to their possessions the estate of Craigton, in this parish, and various other lands in the counties * This was not the first time that the Castle of Dumbarton was taken by a Kil. Patrick laird. The lands of Balvie were formerly possessed by a family of the name of Logan ; and in the Privy-Seal Record, 16th July 1526, we meet with the following entry, which has been obligingly furnished us by John Riddell, Esq. Advocate. <^ Res. pette to John Logan of Balvey, Walter Galbrathe*' and others, *^ for yaire tressona. ble asiicging, takmg and wytholding of the King's castle and fortalice of Dumbartane, frae his servandis kepairs yerof^ and for uyeirs crimes, tresone, lese majesti, slachtris,** &c. f For this and some of the following genealogical notices, wc are indebted to James Dennistoune of Dennistoune, Esq. Advocate. 44 DUMBARTONSHIRE. of Lanark and Argyle. This John was the law agent of Archi* bald, ninth Earl of Argyle, whom he attended on the scaffold at his execution, and received from him a silver kylevine pen-case, which is preserved as an heir-loom in the £unily. * His great- grandson, the late Sir Islay Campbell, Bart Lord President of the Court of Session, has left a high name among the law au- thorities of Scotland, and the virtues of his private life will not soon be forgotten. He is thus noticed by Mr Brunton in his Account of the Senators of the College of Justice : <* Sir Islay Campbell of Succoth, Baronet, Lord President, eldest son of Archibald Campbell of Succoth, one of the Principal Clerks of Session, by Helen Wallace, heiress of Ellerslie, was admitted ad« vocate 11th January 1757. He obtained very extensive practice at the Bar, there being scarcely any cause of importance in which he was not engaged or consulted; and many of his written plead- ings are still held as perfect models of brevity, force, and elegance. He was nominated Solicitor- General in 1783, and was the follow- ing year constituted Lord Advocate, and soon after chosen repre- sentative for the Glasgow district of burghs to Parliament, where he took an active share in all the important transactions of the times. The University of Glasgow conferred upon him the de- gree of Doctor of Laws, and he held also for some time the office of Lord Rector. He was promoted to be President of the Court of Session, 14th November 1789, in the room of Sir Thomas Miller. He was placed at the head of the commission of Oyer and Terminer, issued in the year 1794, for the trial of those ac- cused of high treason in Scotland, at that disturbed period, and was highly commended by the English lawyers for the manner in which he acquitted himself in that capacity. He held the office of Lord President for upwards of nineteen years, and re- signed in 1808, after having discharged its arduous duties with the utmost ability, integrity, and zeal ; and on the 1 7th of Septem- ber, the same year, was created a Baronet. Being then in the full enjoyment of all his mental faculties, he was afterwards chosen to preside over two different commissions, appointed to inquire into the state of the Courts of Law in Scotland, which he con- ducted with his accustomed industry and talent. After his re- tirement from the Bench, he resided principally at his estate of Garscube, where he kept his active mind continually engaged in * This could not, therefore, be the kylevine pen-case which the Earl's descendant made use of at his interview with Jeanic Deans.— Heart of Mid- Lothian. NEW KILPATRICK. 45 various pursuits connected with literature and agriculture, and in receiving visits from his extensive acquaintance both in England and Scotland. His Lordship died on the 28th of March 1823, in the eighty -ninth year of his age." He was succeeded in his estates by his son, the present Sir Archibald Campbell, Bart, who sat for many years as a Judge of the Courts of Session and Justiciary by the title of Lord Succoth, which offices he resigned in 1825. Glassford of Dugahtone. — The lands of Dugalstone were for- merly possessed by a family of the name of Graham, of the Knockdollan branch of the Montrose family, from whose heirs they were ^purchased in 1767, by John Glassford, Esq. one of the most eminent and respected merchants of his time. His mercan- tile enterprise is thus noticed by Smollett in his popular work Humphry Clinker, in which, under his assumed character, he says, " I conversed also with Mr G — ssf— d, whom I take to be one of the greatest merchants in Europe. In the last war, he is said to have had at one time five-and twenty ships, with their cargoes, his own property, and to have traded for above half a million Ster- ling a-year.*' Mr Glassford was a gentleman of enlightened un- derstanding and liberal mind ; of prompt judgment and active ha- bits, which enabled him to conduct with ease a great variety of affairs ; a generous patron of the arts, and a principal promoter of all undertakings which had the advantage of the community in view. He died in 1783, and was succeeded by his eldest son Henry, who inherited, along with the possessions, much of the character of his father. He represented the county of Dumbar- ton in part of two Parliaments ; and during the troublesome times that followed the first French Revolution, contributed greatly to the exciting and maintaining a spirit of loyalty and patriotism in this district. * On his death in 1819, the estate of Dugalstone devolved on his brother- consanguinean, the present James Glass- ford, Esq. Advocate, who is favourably known as author of a Trea- tise on the Law of Evidence, and other literary productions ; and more widely as one of the most efficient members of the late Irish Education Commission, in which capacity he distinguished him- self by his consistent advocacy of Protestant principles. Mr Glass- ford has lately transferred his right to the estate of Dugalstone to hb nephew and heir-apparent, Henry G. Gordon, Esq. * As an instance of his n^unificence, we may mention, that for many years he was in the habit of giving annually 150 carts of ooal to the poor of this parish, with a- like benefiuTtion to the parish of Baldernock. 46 DUMBARTONSHIRE* Sprewl Craufurd ofCowdonhill. — The Craufurds are believed to have been from a very remote period in possession of the estate of Cloberhill ; but we have not been able to trace their history farther back than the beginning of last century, when it was con- veyed by Hugh Craufurd to John Sprewl of Cowdon» in Ren- frewshire, who had married his only child Isabel. This John Sprewl, in the year 1716, made a new deed of entail, by which he destined the lands of Cloberhill and Drumchapel to the heirs-male, and failing them, the heirs whatsomever of this marriage, binding them to assume the name and designation of Sprewl Craufurd of Cowdonhill. On his death without heirs-male, the estate de- volved on the issue of the marriage of his eighth daughter Agnes with Hunter, Esq., whose grandson, Andrew Hunter Sprewl Craufurd, is the present proprietor; and as he has hitherto no male issue, the presumptive heir is the late Chief Baron of the English Exchequer, Sir William Alexander, Knight, grandson of the eldest daughter of the entailer.* Within these few years, there was in the possession of this family a curious heir-loom — a silver spoon, the circular mouth-piece of which is not less than three inches in diameter. Inscribed on it are the terms of its tenure, according to which the title of the present holder cannot be dis- puted. ** This spoon I leave Id legacy. To the maist mouthed Craufurd after me. 1480.** Of a later date are the following lines. ** This spoon, you see, Is left in legacy ; If ony pawn't or sell*t, Cursed let him be.** The Duke of Montrose has a valuable estate in the parish, part of the ancient barony of Mugdock ; and the Earl of Glasgow, as heir-at-law to the Crawford estates, to which, however, his title is at present under dispute, has lately succeeded to the lands of Knightswood ; but it would be out of place to attempt any ac- count of these Noble families. Kilpatrick Lairds, — A century or more ago, the Kilpatrick lairds were noted for their convivial habits, and many anecdotes of their reckless revelry are current in local tradition. Their so- cial meetings were often prolonged for days together, with little intermission from hard drinking. On one of these occasions, the laird of Qarscadden was observed to sit very quiet for some time, and his countenance at length to undergo a change ; of which one * Sir William succeeded to the estate on the death of .Mr Crawford in 1837. 3 NEW KILPATRICK^: 47 of the company took notice, saying, <* Is na Garscadden- looking unca gash." — " And so he may, said another, for he has beea with his Maker this half hour : but I did na like to disturb the conviviality of the company by saying ony thing about it." This anecdote has been introduced by Mr Gait into one of his tales, and is not unworthy of preservation as indicating the manners of the age. In latter times, the gentry of the parish have acquired a more honourable distinction in the profession of the law, and as representatives of the county. We have already noticed Sir Islay Campbell of Succoth, Bart and his son, Sir Archibald Camp- bell, as Senators of the College of Justice, and Archibald Colquhoun of Killermont, Esq. as Lord Advocate of Scotland. And as Mem- ber of Parliament we have had Henry Glassford of Dugalstone ; Lord Advocate Colquhoun ; the late John Campbell, younger of Succoth, whose early death deprived usof a much respected and very promising country gentleman ; and John Campbell Colquhoun of Garscadden and Killermont, an accomplished scholar, and an elo- quent advocate of education and religion. By these gentlemen the county of Dumbarton has been represented during more than twenty of the years of the present century. Antiquities, — To the antiquary, the parish presents little that is interesting, except what arises from the Wall of Antoninus^ which crossed it, at its widest part, from east to west. The description given of this wall by Gordon in his Itinerarium Septentrianale is in a great measure applicable to its present state. The ^^ forts at Castlehill and New Kilpatrick," the " ditch running up the -hill at Ferguston," and the " causeway at New Kilpatrick'' are still nearly in the condition he describes. Two stones dug from the ruins of these forts, and noticed by Gordon, the one as the largest^ and the other as the noblest Roman stones ever found in Scot- land, are preserved in the Hunterian Museum of the University of Glasgow. A few years ago, another stone was dug up near Castlehill, and presented by Mr Glassford, the proprietor, to the same institution. It is a votive tablet, dedicated to the rural gods, which may fairly be interpreted, the fairies of Britain. The height is 3^ feet ; the breadth of the base 16 inches ; and the thickness 10 inches* It is in excellent preservation, and the inscription, which we subjoin, is distinctly legible. — campestribvs et brtanni q P SBTIVS IVSTVS PREF COH IIII GAL V. 8LL. M. ^ On the farm of Dasholm, near Grarscube, a barrow or tu- mulus has recently been discovered, and in part opened up. 48 DUMBARTONSHIRB. Hitherto this mound, though sufficiently conspicuous and evi- dently artificial, had attracted little obser^tion, the curiosity of any chance inquirer being satisfied by the traditionary in« formation of its being a court-hill, one of those eminences on which courts of justice were held in the days of feudal juris* diction. But, a short time ago, the farmer, partly with the view of clearing his field of an incumbrance, and partly of obtain- ing soil to top-dress other fields, set about removing the mound^ and had not proceeded far in his operations when he came upon a narrow flight of steps leading upwards from the level of the field, not to the centre of the tumulus, but towards a point in the radi- us, distant about one-third of its length from the outer extremity. This stair being followed six or seven paces inward, was found to terminate in a flag-stone, on which some ashes or cinders lay, and which emitted a hollow sound on being struck with the tools* of the workmen. It was removed, and beneath it there was discover- ed a narrow oblong trough or cell, walled with stone on every side. In this, several fragments of armour were found, among which were apparently the visor of a helmet, the head of a spear, and the blade of a sword, the first being of copper, and the two last of iron. Besides these, there were what may have been a spade or shovel, much turned up at the edges, two picks of a small size, and se- veral other articles, the purpose of which has not been guessed — all of iron. The whole of them are in the possession of the farmer. There were no bones discovered, and the stone-work seemed to extend no farther than has been described. The re- moval of the tumulus, however, has not been continued, and pro- bably other remains of antiquity may yet be found, as very little progress has hitherto been made in opening it up. Ruins at Drumry, — At Drumry, near Garscadden, are some ruins, said to be those of a chapel, which there undoubtedly was at that place ; but which have every appearance of being part of a keep or peel ; what now remains being a patched tower, over- hanging a steep bank. At a period considerably remote, the lands of Drumry belonged to a branch of the Callendar family ; and Pits- cottie notices a Sir Robert Livingston of Drumry, Lord Trea- surer of Scotland, as having been beheaded at Edinburgh in 1447, in consequence of his being implicated in the Charges against Sir Alexander Livingston of Callendar, Governor of James IL during his minority. Another Sir Robert Livingston, of Easter Wemyssand Drumry, was killed in the battle of Flodden, 1513. His daughter. NEW KILPATRICK. 49 Margaret, married Sir James Hamilton of Fymiart, who received from James V. a grant of the lands of Drumry, which had probably escheated to the Crown in default of heirs-male. Sir James ex« changed them in 1528 with Lawrence Crawford, for the lands of Crawford-John in Lanarkshire, by which means they came into possession of the Kilbirney family, who took from them the title of Barons of Drumry. This Lawrence Crawford is said by Chalmers,* somewhat inaccurately, to have founded a chapel here, dedicated to the Virgin Mary. He was not the founder of the chapel ; for there is mention of it in the deed of conveyance by which he be- came possessed of the estate ; and a notice of the chapel-lands of Drumry is met with in 1476. Crawford says f more correctly, that Lawrence Crawford founded a Chaplainry in the little church of Drumry, of his own patronage ; it being a usual practice with men of wealth to dedicate private altars in churches to their fa- vourite saints, and to provide for their service by liberal endow- ments. This chaplainry at Drumry was endowed with the lands of Drumchapel, and other considerable possessions, among which were the lands of Jordanhill in Renfrewshire. Lurg.^ — At Lurg, on the estate of Mains, there was another small chapel, of which few memorials now remain. The place where it stood is pointed out by the name Chapel Couch; and in the tradition of the neighbourhood the auld kirk is still spoken of. There was a cemetery attached to it, and till within these thirty years several tombstones remained. These are now all removed, with the exception of one, which is covered with a few inches of soil, and is passed over by the plough. It is a rude unpolished stone, without date or inscription. Modem Buildings. — Of modern buildings the most worthy of notice is Garscube House, the seat of Sir Archibald Campbell of Succoth, Bart. It is in the old EiTglish manor style, and is a very elegant building, highly creditable to the architect, Mr Burn of Edinburgh. It was built in 1826-27. — Another handsome house, in the same style, has lately been erected at Clober for Alex- ander Dunlop, Esq. Advocate, planned by Mr Baird of Glasgow. — Killermont House, the seat of Mr Colquhoun, M. P., is large and commodious. The modern part of it, forming the south front, was built about the year 1805. — At Garscadden ; at Balvie, the seat of James Macnair, Esq. ; and at Kilmardinny, lately purchased • ('al«donia Vol iii. p. 904, note. t Peerage, p. 160. DUMBARTONT. D 50 DUMBARTONSHIUE. by William Brown, Esq. merchant in Glasgow, there are good substantial bouses. Garscadden-gate was formerly much tisited by idlers from Glasgow and Paisley ; but it is now divested of the &ntastic ornaments which constituted a great part of its attraction. It is, however, still worthy of a visit, being an elegant Gothico- castellated structure. The church is a neat and commodious place of worship, with little attempt at ornament. The material em- ployed in all of these buildings is freestone, which is abundant in the neighbourhood. HI. — Population. In the records of the Presbytery of Dumbarton of the year 1653, there is a statement of the number of persons on the examination rolls of the several parishes within its bounds. In this parish the number was 750 ; which, supposing the rule to hold good that two- thirds of the examinable persons are equal to half the population, gives 1000 as the number of inhabitants at that date. According to Dr Webster^s tables it amounted in the year 1755 to 1990 By the Government census of 1801 it was . . 2312 1811, 2608 1821, 2530 1831, . . 30£0 Of the latter number 1610 were males, and 1480 females; 1675 resided in the Dumbartonshire part of the parish, and 1415 in Stirlingshire. The increase has taken place chiefly in the village of Milngavie (written, as it is pronounced, Millguy, in the former Statistical Account,) and has been caused by the establishment of a cotton-factory and a calico print- work. It ha5 not, however, been confined to this village, but has been general over the pa- rish ; and is to be attributed to the prosperous state of trade and, till lately, of agriculture. Of the inhabitants of the parish, 1 162 * reside in Milngavie, and the remaining 1928 in the country, or in small hamlets. Birthsy Sfc. — The yearly average of registered births for the three years preceding 1835 is 53; and of proclamations for marriage, 25.6. Neither of these numbers, however, can be relied on for statistical purposes. The number of proclamations does not quite corre- spond with the number of marriages ; for sometimes the banns are published without being followed by marriage ; and more fre- quently marriage takes place without publication of banns. The • Thi« applies to the year 1831, since which time tlie population of Milngavie if believed to have ir.creased hy 150 souls ; and that of the parish to alx)ut 3250 in all. NEW KILPATRICK. 51 Dumber of births is stiU less to be relied on, for very few of the Dissenters are at the pains to register. We can therefore obtain only an approximation from the proportion of Dissenters to the adherents of the Established Church ; the latter being required to register before obtaining baptism for their children. This pro- portion gives 89,3 as the yearly average of births for the last three years. We have no public register of deaths ; but a private list kept by the grave-digger gives 71, as the average number of burials during the same period. This, however, is considerably above the average of deaths within the parish ; for, owing to the neighbourhood of Glasgow and other circumstances, more funerals come from other parishes than leave this. For instance, of the 97 burials in 1834, 22 * were from other parishes, while only four persons are known to have been carried elsewhere for burial. The average of these years is likewise increased by there having been 8 buriak in consequence of cholera in 1832, and 6 in 1834. Making allowance for these circumstances, the yearly average of deaths will be found to be about 60, or in the proportion of one to 52.8 inhabitant$. f Table of burials in the years 1832, 1833, and 1834. Years of ase. 1832. 1833. 1834. Under 1, 7 12 17 23 From 1 to 2, 1 6 12 2 10, 5 3 16- 10 20, 3 5- . 3 20 30, 5 6 6 30 40, o 2 6 40 50, 3 3 8 30 60, 3 7 60 70, 8 7 70 80, 5 2 ^ o 80 90, 3 5 90 97, 2 • Totol, 55 61 97 'Classification of Ages. — Of the inhabitants of the village of Miln- gavie, there are. Under 15 years of age, 460 Betwixt 15 and 30, i^A) 30 50, 238 50 70, .111 Above 70, .'JS Total, 1162 The nuAiber of unmarried men, bachelors, and widowers, above 50 years of a^^e, is 6 women, spinsters and widows, above 45, 52 We have not the means of extending these particulars to the other parts of the parish. • This again is much above the average, which may be above twcive. f On a medium populatiou of 3170. 52 DUMBARTONSHIUE. The number of families, giving an BTcrage of 5.27 persons to each family, is 5(j7 inhabited houses, . . ... • 442 uninhabited houses, .... .9 In the parish, or belonging to it, there are 4 persons insane ; 4 fatuous; 2 blind; I deaf; and 1 deaf and dumb. There are 17 proprietors of land of the yearly value of h. 50 or upwards ; and 1 beneath that value. We have 6 or 7 resident families of inde- pendent fortune. Habits^ Circumstancesy Sfc, — The habits of the people are no way peculiar. There is a growing taste for neatness and cleanli- ness in personal appearance and domestic arrangements. The comforts and advantages of society are enjoyed in a very conside- rable degree ; and, were it not for the depressed state of agricul- ture, all classes would have reason to be satisfied with their con- dition. Oatmeal, both in the form of porridge and of cakes, po- tatoes, niilk, and cheese, barley-broth with butcher-meat, or her- ring, are the ordinary food of the peasantry. Wheaten bread, butter, tea, and coffee, are in more common use with the villagers. The circumstances of the latter class, employed chiefly in cotton- spinning and calico printing, have been very prosperous for some years past; but contentment does not always accompany pros- perity; and during the year 1834 we had very serious distur- bances at Milngavie and Dasholm, in consequence of a general strike by the united printers. This attempt at dictating to their masters, as uniformly happens where the latter have resolution enough to resist the demands of the Unionists, has entirely failed of success, and has been the occasion of a great number of the printers being deprived of their employment, by the introduction of hand-loom weavers and other operatives into their places. Character of Inhabitants. — The inhabitants are intelligent and shrewd in the ordinary affairs of life, and many of them possess no small share of acquired knowledge. The ancient religious character of the Scottish peasantry is scarcely maintained among us ; and, of our villagers especially, there are numbers by whom religious ordinances are much neglected. In general, however, religion has a hold of the minds of the people ; many of them arc well read in their Bibles ; and from not a few houses the morning and evening sacrifice of family worship is still offered up.* The chief stain on their moral character arises from the vice of intem- perance. Till the reduction of the duty on whisky, smuggling was carried on to a considerable extent, but is now unknown NEW KILPATRtCK. 53 among us ; an improvement nhich is fully counterbalanced by the increase of drunienneta from the cheapness of ardent spirits. IV. — Indlstry. The following Table is constructed from the Government census of 1831. Division of Fari-h. tmplojtd ill RgrieaUate. 11 "Is: l| ii 71 MO |l II 8 12 31 i 141 ;« 17H 3 1 Numlwi oT 11 if Too 147 I 141 IliiirlHrlDniliire. Stirtingthlrc. 35 le II) \-i [4 12 11.1 T.rtil. Agriculture and Rural Economy. — The extent of arable land, either regularly or occasionally in tillage, is calculated to be 6000 Scots acresj and about 2300 Scots acres remain constantly ivaste, or in pasture. Of these, 800 acres may be capable of cultiva- tion ; but it is very questionable whether the application of capital to their improvement would be profitable. None of the parish is in a state of undivided common. There are 600 Scots acres un- der wood, of which not more than to the extent of 3 or 4 acres is natural. Fir, beech, and in recent plantations, oak, are the most common of our cultivated trees. Till of late, little attention was paid to forest management, the trees being allowed to grow up aa they might, without pruning or thinning, 'i'he proprietors are now more sensible of the importance of this branch of rural eco- nomy, and begin to plant more extensively, and (o bestow more care on the young plantations. Rent of Land. — I'he average rent of arable land is h. I, i4s. 6d. per Scots acre ; but this includes a deal of inferior land in the liigher parts of the parisli. In the lower parts, from L. 2 to L. 2, 10s. is a common rent, and some is as high as L. 3 per Scots acre. On pasture farms, the average rate of grazing is reckoned to be L. 3 per ox or cow ; and Ss. per ewe or full-grown sheep. On low pastures, where milch cows are taken in to graze, it i^ usual to receive L. 5 per cew for the season. * The toUl number of ikrms In (he pariah i< 70 ; but uf Ibne, HTcra] arc occupied by femila ; ' some bj the proprictiin ; sorDe uramoll uie *re laboured by (he furuieri tbemielTe*; and nme ore occupied by itenoiii engaged in alhar cmploymeuu : none f Of tb«e, 97 are employed in coal-mines. 54 DUMBARTONSHIRE. Rate of Wages. — The usual wage of an able-bodied labourer w '2s. a-day in summer, and Is. 8d. in winter, without victuals. When constant employment is given, the wage is 10s. a- week throughout the year. Women get from Is. to Is. 6d. a-day. Our farmers, however, are not much in the habit of employing day-labourers, except for harvest-work; and that is now most frequently done by the piece, at the rate of 14s. for wheat, and lis. for oats or barley, per Scots acre. Potatoes are usually dug at the rate of from 8d. to lOd. per boll of 6 cwt The ordinary work of the farm is done by hired servants, who have their bed and board in the farmer's house, and form part of his family. The common wage of a good ploughman is about L. 9, 9s. per half- year ; of an inferior ploughman, L. 8. I'he wage of an experi- enced dairy-maid is from L. 5, 5s. to L. 6 per half-year, and of other female servants from L. 3 to L. 4, lOs. Masons^ wages are 16s. or 17s. a- week ; and carpenters' Is. more. Prices of Raw Produce and Country Manufacture. — The prices of different articles of raw produce and country manufacture, re- quired for the purposes of rural and domestic economy, are nearly as follows : — Lime, per chaldron of 64 Winchester bushels, 14s. ; dung, per ton, 5s. to 6s. ; coals, per cart of 12 cwt, according to quality, 3s. or 4s.; beef, per stone of 16 lbs., (22^ oz. in the lb.) 8s. ; mutton, per ditto, 7s. ; pork, per ditto, 5s. 6d. ; wheat, per imperial quarter, * L. 2, 10s. lOd. ; barley, per ditto, * L. 1, 10s. 6d. ; oats, per ditto, * 19s. 7d. ; beans, per ditto, * L. 1, 12s. 5d. ; potatoes, per ton, (10s. 8d. per boll of 6 cwt) L. 1, 15s. e^d. ; a close-bodied one-horse cart, without wheels, L. 4, 5s. to L. 4, 10s. ; pair of cart-wheels and axle, L. 6 to L. 7 ; a wooden plough, L.3; an iron ditto, L. 4, 15s.; a pair of heavy harrows with 44 teeth, L. 2, 17s. 6d. ; a pair of light ditto with 33 teeth, L. 1, IBs.; a double iron roller, L. 14 ; a corn-fanner, L. 6 to L. 8 ; mason-work, per rood of 2 feet thick, L. 2, 2s. to L. 2, 5s.; ditto, the mason providing materials, L. 7, 10s. to L. 8; carpenter work, — roofing, per rood, L. 5 ; ditto, flooring, per yard, 3s. 6d. ; smith-work, screwed, per lb., 6d. ; ditto, plain, per lb., 4d. ; a set of horse shoes, 4s. Sheep and Cattle. — The common breed of sheep is the black- faced ; of cattle for the butcher, the West Highland ; and of dairy * These are the average prices of the Dumbartonshire Aars for the three years pre- ceding 1834. NEW KILPATHICK. 55 cows, the Ayrshire. Much attention has been paid for some years past to the improvement of the latter, to which the Strath- Endrick and Dumbartonshire Agricultural Clubs have greatly contributed by the liberal premiums offered for good bulls. Few of the sheep or black-cattle are bred in the parish, being bought in at the great fairs in the neighbourhood. Husbandry. — The general character of the system of husbandry pursued is, green-cropping with a six years' shift. The usual ro- tation is, I . oats ; 2. potatoes, with a small portion of turnip ; 3. wheat, with rye-grass and clover; 4. hay ; 5. and 6. pasture. There are some farms, however, on which no regular rotation is observed, and two white crops in succession are still occasionally taken : but this occurs chiefly on lands which are held on uncertain leases; and the consequence is, that these lands are sadly scourged. Po- tato-husbandry is carried to great perfection, and the management of this crop is looked upon in a great measure as the test of a farm- er's activity and enterprise. The soil is not in general favourable for turnips, and still less so for turning in sheep to eat them off the ^ound ; and seldom more than to the extent of an acre or two are grown on each farm, to supply the dairv-cows. Summer- fallowing suits the soil better, and is partially practised ; but the neighbourhood of Glasgow occasions a great demand for potatoes, and affords an abundant supply of dung, which is brought out by the return carts at a diminished expense. It is usual to apply to the potato crop from 30 to 40 tons of dung per Scots acre ; and it is found, that the more liberal the allowance, the greater is the profit. Thirty bolls of potatoes per Scots acre, equal to 9 tons in weight, are reckoned an average crop ; but 50 bolls are fre- quently gathered ; and in favourable soils and seasons, 60, or even 70 are sometimes boasted of. The failure of the seed, which has been so generally matter of complaint for the last* two seasons, has been partially experienced here. Some fields were planted anew, and others sown with turnips ; but the loss has proved much smal- ler than was feared at first; many fields which in spring seemed to have failed, having afterwards recovered and borne abundant crops. The opinion begins to prevail, that the failure, where it has occurred, and the tardiness of growth in other cases, were owing chiefly to the over-dry state of the ground at the time of planting; a circumstance of which we have not often reason to complain in this district. The potato crop is uniformly followed* ♦ Written in 1835. 55 DUMBARTONSHIRE. by wheat, for which it makes a good preparation. As soon as the potatoes are dug, the ground is ploughed anew, and the wheat sown. This can seldom be accomplished before the middle of October ; and from that period till Martinmas is the usual season of wheat-sowing; but fallow ground is sown in the end of Sep- tember. Four imperial quarters per Scots acre are reckoned an average return ; but we have known double that quantity reaped after summer fallowing. Of oats, the average return may be five, and of barley, four and a half quarters. The Dairy. — The dairy is an important, and the most profitable branch of our husbandry. A farm of 100 Scots acres will gene- rally have 12 milch cows, yielding on an average 8 Scots pints of milk, and 1 lb. avoirdupois of butter per day, during seven months of the year. The whole of the milk, except what is used by the family, is churned, and the butter and butter-milk sent to Glas- gow, where they find a ready market. Butter fetches about 9d. per lb. ; and butter-milk Id. per Scots pint We shall thus have as the gross produce of each cow, 214 lbs. butter, at 9d. per lb. L. 8, Os. 6d. ; 1712 pints butter-milk, at Id. per pint^ L. 7, 2s. 8d. ; making L. 15, Ss. 2d. This system of dairy-husbandry seems well adapted to the neigh- bourhood of a large town, and is extending every year. Even from beyond the limits of this parish, a distance of eleven or twelve miles, butter-milk is regularly carried to Glasgow. Leases and Rents. — The general duration of leases is nineteen years. Rents, though reduced from the high war-rates, are still too high for the tenant. Money-rents alone are in use ; but in a few instances they are subject to a fixed increase or reduction ac- cording as the fiars price of wheat exceeds or falls below L. 8 per quarter. It seems not yet to be understood that it would be better for both parties that the landlord should take the payment of all public burdens on himself. Minister's stipend and school- master's salary, conversion labour money, and land-tax, are still very generally charged against the tenants ; though on some es- tates they are relieved from the first two. Farm-buildings, — Several of the farm-steadings have been re- built of late years, and in general they are substantial, and suited to the size of the farms ; but there are some not very creditable exceptions, which we have a prospect of soon seeing removed. The dwelling-house is usually of one story, containing a kitchen, a parlour, and a small middle apartment below, with two sleep- NEW KtLPATRICK. 51 iog rooms above. On the lands of the Duke of Montrose, and on several of the farms on the Garscube and Dugalstone estates, there are good two-storied houses, with other ample buildings. Size of FarmSf Inclomres^ S^c. — The extent of the arable farms varies from 30 to 300 Scots acres — the most common size be- ing about 80 acres. The whole of the arable part of the parish is inclosed and subdivided into fields, varying from oneio fifteen acres in extent. The hill-pastures are likewise inclosed with ring fences. Thorn-hedges are in most common use ; but dry stone dikes are frequent. More attention has been paid of late than formerly to the management of quick fences ; but still many of them are far from being in good condition. Obstacles to Improvement, — The chief obstacles to further im- provement arise from the want of capital, and the high rate of rents compared with prices. Most of those tenants who bad re- alized some money in the war-times have now lost it ; and many have been obliged to quit their farms^ There is no want of en- terprise among them, and were the landlords disposed to be at the expense of furrow-draining their lands, we doubt not that the tenants would willingly pay a fair per ccntage on the cost A great part of the largest estate in the parish is, or was till very recently, held in liferent by Dowagers, on whose lives the leases are contingent On these lands no expensive improvements can be undertaken ; and even the ordinary outlay necessary to keep the ground in heart cannot be made without ^isk, and in fact is not made. Freestone Quarry, — At Netherton of Garscube there is a valu- able freestone quarry of considerable celebrity. The stone is of a warm cream colour, easily chiselled as it comes from the quarry, but hardening by exposure. Roseneath House, Blythswood House, the Custom-House at Greenock, and Garscube House, present favourable specimens of this stone. At one time it was largely exported to Ireland and the West Indies, and proved a source of great wealth to the tacksman. The average out-put of rock is about 20,000 cubic yards per annum, and it gives employment to 68 persons. Produce. — The average gross amouut and value of raw produce raised in the parish, may be estimated as follow : 2488 Imperial quarters of wheat, at L. 2, 10s.l OJ. per quarter, L. 6923 13 4 5675 do. oats, at 198. 7d. - do. . 5556 15 5 315 do. barley, at L. 1, lOs. 6d. do, - 480 7 6 110 do. beans, at L. I, 12s. 5d. do. - 178 5 10 58 DUMBARTONSHIRE. 4545 tons potatoes, at L. 1, 15s. 6d. per ton, - - L. 8067 7 6 1872 do. turnip, at 17s. do. - - 1591 4 26,550 do. hny, at Ss. do. - - 3882 10 18,660 do. wheat-straw, at Is. 3d. do. - 1166 5 31.780 do. oatstraw, at ls.8d. do. - . 2648 6 8 1960 do barley-straw, at Is. 3d. do. - - 122 10 Land in pasture, grazing 700 milch-cows, at L. 5 each, - 3500 do. do. 328 black-cattle, at L. 3 - - 984 . do. do. 160 young cattle, at L. 1, 10s. - 240 do. do. 850 sheep, at 8s. .... . 340 Gardens and orchards ("conjectured ), . - - - . - 300 Thinnings of woods, (do.) - - . - - 300 8187 carts of coal of 12 cwt., at 2s. 9d. per cart, . • 1125 14 3 4500 do. do. at 4s. per do. - - 900 1695 chaldrons of lime, at 148. per chaldron, ... 1186 10 20,000 cubic yards freestone, at 4s. 6d. per yard, • • 4500 Gross produce, - - • - - •L.43,393 9 6 Manvfuctures and Arts, — The chief branches of manufacture and art, are calico-printing, cotton-spinning, and bleaching of cot- tons and linens. We have now ( 1835) three printfields, which em- ploy 623 hands, and throw off annually 167,800 pieces of 24 yards each. It is chiefly block-printing that is carried on ; but some machinery has recently been erected, and more is about to be in- troduced into the works at Milngavie. The cotton-fectory em- ploys 130 persons, and is now being enlarged to double its former extent. Two bleachflelds employ 82 persons ; at the Clober field 3,169,814 yards of cloth are bleached annually, of which 146,746 yards are linen. A paper-mill, conducted till lately on the old sys- tem, employed 22 men and several females, and produced twenty reams of paper actober. 49.90 55.50 44.00 66.6 30.450 49.75 5.60 Nov. 44.37 40.93 40.18 644 30.4 IS 44.05 5.00 Dec. 43.33 46.96 38.51 644 30.748 42.73 4.82 Meana of 51.34 56.816 44.17 65.8 30.423 50.49 4.258 the ve-r- Ureetest heigbt of the barometer, 31.314 ioches, December 15th. Mean annual height of barometer, 30.420. Least height of barometer, 29.21 inches, November 89th. Mean maximum of thermometer during the year, 56°.816. Mean aQnnal temperature at 9} a. h. 51°.34. Mean minimum of thermometer during tbe year, 44°.I7. Least height of thermometer, 26°, January 29tb. Greatest height of thermometer, 63°.5, July 3lBt. \nulysis ,1' K<^mHrk» ma.lL. o D the Weatber Analysis of Remarks on the in Days for tS.14. Winds for 1M+. s ^ S >« 1 11 Ia u 1 W ^ 1 U » 1 N' 1 lauuary. a ?fi 3 15 If) .1 V fl ] fl ? Feb. 14 14 V .'• li 2 M ?■ 4 :< 3 ft 1 March, la 19 H 2 4i 10 7 41 4 S ST 4 April, «« 4 4 7 11 « o 2 » i fl 11 ft «ay. 1+ 17 a a 12 1 3 (1 li II 14 1? IH i» 1 1 luly. IM Ui J2 Tli in 2 2 7 7 ;i ft 9 August, 1-7 ti V 1 + .1 If 4 n f 141 14 4 + 18 4 I 1 10 V 10 Jctober, 10 21 2 « 1 9 it (1 (1 fl n n Sov. U 16 li 3 li t li fi Dec 16 li ^ 12 7 7 ll 6 3 * 8 8 Mean of 172 tft.'l !■•*■ 4:^ 133 54 7? 7 lie 5« ?fi 3!) .i'^ la-^ 6 ■he j.-,.r ' This parish is but rarely visited with thunder storms ; but for the last two winters there has beeo a coosiderable quantity of sheet 70 DUMBARTONSHIRE. lightning, and the sky, in the earlier part of the winter particularly, is very frequently illuminated by vivid and beautiful streaks of variously-coloured aurora borealis. Hydrography. — There is no stream that deserves the name of a river in the parish of Row. Indeed, with the exception of the small stream Fruin, which runs through the glen of that name, and &lls into Loch Lomond, about 7 miles from its source, there are only a few brooks from the hills, which ^re almost all nearly dry in summer. The Clyde, however, skirts its southern boundary, and the Gareloch and l^och-Long lie along its western extremity. The Gareloch is 6 miles long, and at an average somewhat less than a mile in breadth. Its greatest depth is said to be about 23 fathoms, and its bottom is in general covered with a very fine stiff bluish clay, affording excellent anchorage for vessels. The extreme beauty of its banks, rather than the virtue of its salt water, has long had sufficient attraction to draw many visitors for sea- bathing, and of late its shore has become studded with many beau^ tiful villas, the property in general of the respectable families who come to make them their summer residence. And assuredlv, few places can boast of so much to attract and fascinate with its beau- tiful scenery. Loch-Long is very much deeper than the Gareloch ; it is also considerably broader in that part of it which bounds this parish, and, as its name imports, it is much longer, the Gareloch having probably received its name of Gare or " short" Loch from its being so much shorter than Loch Long. If the Gareloch may be vain of the beauty of its banks, Loch Long may be proud of its deep black waters, and the majesty of its high and rugged mountains. Although there are many springs along the sides of the hillsi there are none of any consequence, or with any mineral virtues that have been turned to any use. The temperature of one or two of these has been found to be about 45° both in summer and winter. Mineralogy. — In the northern or hilly part of the parish, the rocks consist of greywacke, clay slate, and transition limestone. Towards the south, are beds of red sandstone, and coarse con- glomerate. The connection of these rocks with the coal forma- tion has not been well made out. From the circumstance of their resting upon the greywacke series, they have generally been sup- posed to belong to the old red sandstone. Dr Thomson, however, is disposed to consider them as belonging to the new red sandstone. Attempts have been made in two places to find coal, but unsuccess- ROW. 71 fully, although a bore was made to the depth of 50 fathoms. The ODly appearance of coal was a stratum of crow coal of about an inch thick. Gypsum and thin beds of limestone are associated with the sandstone, which rises to the height of 334 feet behind the town of Helensburgh, and is covered by till or diluvium of a whitish constratified clay full of water. There is a blue limestone on the top of the slate in Ardenconnel moor and in Glenfruin, in which masses of pyrites are fbund. There are also worn boulders, either from the rocks of the neighbourhood or from others which lie in the north. Greenstone and mica slate abound. In the lower part of the parish, resting upon this deposit, are alluvial beds of gravel, sand, and clay containing marine shells, indicating a change in the relative levels of the sea and land, posterior to the^deposition of the diluvium. The shells in general agree with those of the adjoining seas. There are, however, amongst them, soma which are not known to be identical with any existing species. Zoology. — Among the animals which have now become less com- mon in many places, there are occasionally found the roe, the fox, the badger, the wild-cat, martin, and the squirrel. The following list of birds was made up by a very accurate observer, George Camp- bell, Esq. Ardincaple: Sparrow-hawk, peregrine falcon, kestrel, mer- lin, common buzzard, hen-harrier, kite, short-eared owl, barn-owl, tawny-owl, goat-sucker, chimney -swallow, martin, sand-martin, com- mon swift, spotted fly-catcher, missel-thrush, fieldfare, song-thrush, red-wing, blackbird, moor blackbird, European-dipper, redbreast, redstart) black-cap warbler, whitethroat, wood-wren, golden- crested wren, great titmouse, blue titmouse, cole titmouse, long- tailed titmouse, hedge sparrow, pied wagtail, grey wagtail, yellow wagtail, shore-pyet, sky lark, yellow-bunting, corn-bunting, house sparrow, chaffinch, mountain-finch, siskin, goldfinch, common brown linnet, green grossbeak, common bulfinch, cross-bill, com- mon starling, raven, carrion crow, hooded crow, rook, jackdaw, magpie, jay, common creeper, common wren, cuckoo, ringdove, common pheasant, black grouse, red grouse, partridge, heron, cur- lew, redshank, sandpiper, woodcock, common snipe, jack snipe, dunlin, corncrake, common gallinule, common coot, oyster-catcher, turnstone, water ouzel, green lapwing, golden plover, ringed plover, bernacle goose, sheldrake, wild duck, teal, common widgeon, scaup pochard, goosander, horned grebe, red-throated diver, bill auk, common gull, herring gull. Of these the rarest in the parish are the merlin, horned-owl, mountain finch, siskin, sheldrake, coca«vci>x 72 DUMBARTONSHIRE. teal, horned grebe, red-throated diver, water-rail, and cross-bill ; indeed this last bird has not been observed in the parish till last summer, and it is observable that the fir cones, its peculiar food, were particularly abundant last year. In the lochs, salmon and sea trout are common ; the herring visit them early in the season, and are often taken in great abundance, particularly in Loch- Long ; cod, whiting, haddock, and seth or coal-fish are also abundant, though not so much so as formerly. There are a few oysters in the Gareloch, but they are both more numerous and larger in Loch- Long. The bottle -nose whale, por- poises, otters, and seals, are occasionally seen. About thirty years ago, a specimen of the opah or king-fish was taken on the shore near Helensburgh, and a few years since a tunny of the enormous length of 9 feet, probably the largest that has ever been taken in the British seas, was captured in the Gareloch. Both of these have been preserved in the Andersonian Museum, Glasgow. Botany. — There is a very considerable variety of plants found in the parish. Among those which are not very common in Scot- land, are : Veronica montana Dipsacus sylvestria Spiraea fUipendula Circsea alpina Plantago media Thalictrum flavum Blysmus rufus Solanum dulcamara Bartsia viscosa Eriophorum alpinum Verbascum nigrum Melampyrum sylvadcum — gracile Myrrhis odorata Geranium pratense Phalaris canariensis Coniiim maculatum Malva sylvestris Poa maritima Drosera longifolia Carduus mariaiius — nemoralis Rumex alpinus Habenaria viridis Festuca ovina Triglociiin maritimum trifolia bromoides Adoxa moschatellina Typha angustifolia Bromus giganteus Cerastium tetrandrum Curex laevigata Montia fontana Pnmus domestica Aspidium lobatum. It has been already observed, that the climate is particularly fa- vourable for the early appearance of the wild flowers. It spares also the garden flowers till late in the season, and last New Year's day there were both carnations and ten weeks stock in flower in the manse garden ; and in the neighbourhood the gooseberry has occasionally a second crop of blossom towards the end of the year. Many of the more tender green-house plants stand the winter out of doors, and the laurustinus and varieties of laurel thrive particularly well. II. — Civil History. Historical Notices. — The history of this parish has not been il- lustrated by any published account excepting the very meagre outline contained in Sir John Sinclair's Statistical work. Some 3 ROW. 73 particulars applicable to it will also be found in the Agricultural Survey of Dumbartonshire, published in 1811. The whole lands now contained within the parish constituted part of the original earldom of Lennox. Those which form the eastern coast of the Gareloch, extending into Glenfruin, were given by Al- wyn, second Karl of Lennox, to his younger son Amelec, in the twelfth century. This beautiful estate descended to Walter, son of Alan, the great-grandson of Amelec, who became the male represen- tative of his house, and who, marrying the heiress of the elder branch, continued the line of the family. The mansion or castle seems to have been at Faslane, where the mound may still be distinguished in the copsewood. Here, according to Blind Harry, Sir William Wallace was received and hospitably entertained by his gallant comrade Earl Malcolm, after he had sacked Dumbarton, and laid the Castle of Roseneath in ashes. We have no notice of Faslane Castle after the succession of the Faslane branch to the honours of Lennox, and the estate was by degrees feued out in small por- tions among a variety of vassals. Towards the northern end of it, several cadets of the neighbouring clan Macfarlane thus acquired lands on the shore of Loch-Long, while the Gareloch side and Glenfruin gradually became almost a colony of Colquhouns. A race of small proprietors settled in Glenfruin, and distinguished by the patronymic surname of Mac waiter, pretended to a direct descent from a younger son of Lennox ; but their illustrious blood does not appear ever to have emerged from obscurity. The only exception to this description of the bonnet lairds of Row, was the Macaulays of Ardincaple. Contemporary with the wars of suc- cession and of independence which followed the death of the maiden of Norway, were the Ardincaples of that ilk. About two centuries later, they assumed the patronymic surname of Macaulay, and, gradually extending and condensing their estate, acquired in some degree the importance of a clan. Nor was this an empty distinction in an age when armed men were the most prized pro- duce of the soil, when military service was the best payment of mail, and when the muster-roll occupied the place of the rent- roll. In few parts of Scotland was this more the case than in Dumbartonshire west of the river Leven. The three clans of Macfarlane, Macaulay, and Colquhoun, plundered each other, or combined to sweep the low country of its flocks and herds. Dur- ing the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, the annals of this district would present a perpetual recurrence of raid and foray, in wKlcK 74 DUMBARTONSHIRE. rapine and sword united to embroil and impoverish the neighbour- hood. In these scenes Sir Aulay Macaulay of Ardincaple bore a conspicuous part, and the traditions of the country still preserre his name with awe. Occasionally other bands of plunderers invaded this district, among whom the more remarkable were the Mac- gregors, Campbells, Camerons, and Buchanans. One of these murderous conflicts was of sufficient importance to merit a place in the history of the times, and was fought in Glenfruin in Fe- bruary 1603. The older accounts of this transaction bear such marks of partiality as to be little worthy of credit, and the tradi- tions of the district lead us into great confusion. The recent in- quiries of Mr Pitcairn have brought to light a mass of authentic information, which will be found in his Criminal Trials. It seems enough here to state generally, that Alexander Colquhoun of Liiss, having obtained a commission of lieutenancy against ^* thievis, sor- naris, and broken men," who infested the Lennox, arrived in his country just as it had been invaded by Alister Macgregor of Glen- strae at the head of 400 men. Colquhoun rousing his vassals, and being assisted by some of the neighbouring lairds, and a number of the Dumbarton burghers, came up with the marauders at the farm of Strone, near the head of Glenfruin. A desperate combat gave victory to the Macgregors. Of their opponents 140 men were slain, the laird of Luss narrowly escaping, and many of those that fell being, as Calderwood says, landed men of good rank. The plunder carried away by the Macgregors consisted of 600 head of cattle, 800 sheep and goats, and 280 horses. The story of some students from Dumbarton having been massacred in cold blood, does not seem to be borne out by the records. The arm of the law, too long suspended from motives of policy or partiality, now descended upon the unhappy Clangregor, more in vengeance than in justice. The whole race were proscribed, their name pro- hibited, their children exiled from their native land, and it was not until 1774 that the many penal enactments against them, which defaced the statute book, were finally repealed. After the battle of Glenfruin, the country became by degrees more settled. The Macgregors had ceased to exist as a clan. The Macaulavs and Buchanans were beginning to be less powerful, and the estate of the Macfarlanes, poor in every produce but men, was inadequate to maintain its lairds in wealth when they could no longer lay their neighbours under contribution. The lands of these chiefs have ROW. 75 now mostly passed to strangers, and even the representation of their several houses is in a great measure in abeyance. Meanwhile, the domain of Luss has extended itself on all sides, and, in addition to its having stretched itself over nearly the whole territories of Macfarlane and Macaulay, it has swallowed up the smaller possessions of a swarm of petty proprietors in the parishes of Row, Luss, and Arrochar. Sir James Colquhoun is now in pos- session of the whole of this parish, with the exception of the estate of Ardincaple, the property and beautiful residence of Lord John Campbell. Antiquities. — The only buildings of any antiquity of which any portion still remains, are a part of the present Castle of Ardincaple^ supposed to have been built about the twelfth century and the imperfect walls of a chapel at Faslane. The author of Caledonia says that this chapel was dedicated to St Michael. The date and occasion of its erection are unknown, but it is probable that it was built for the convenience of the Lennox, while they were either con* stant or occasional residents at their castle of Faslane. Attach- ed to the chapel is a burying-ground, which has now almost ceased to be used. Of Faslane Castle, only the mound raised by its foundation is distinguishable. Similar traces of another castle called Shandon, are discoverable on the hill side above the mo- dem house of Shandon. Its name, ^^ The Old Dun,** would lead to the supposition, that it was a still more ancient strong-hold than the castle of Faslane. But tradition has handed down no memo- rial regarding it to the present times, nor have any relics been found among its ruins to lead to any information concerning it. Besides the Chapel of Faslane, there were of old three other chapels within the bounds of the parish ; one of them in Glcn- fruin, either near the school-house there, or more probably on the farm of Balnock, on which there are still some remains of a burying-ground called Chapel Dermid. The other two were in the barony of Millig; the one of them on the farm of Kirk- michael, which has received its name from the saiot to whom the chapel was dedicated, and the other on the farm of Millig, called also after the same saint, and till of late presenting some ruins. Until a very few years ago, the only good houses in the parish were Ardincaple Castle, and the mansion house of Ardenconnel. Now, however, there are many very beautiful ones along the banks of the Gareloch, built on perpetual feu from the lands of Sir James Colquhoun. 76 DUMBARTONSHIRE, IIL — Population. In consequence of the very meagre and imperfect records of the parish, there are no means of ascertaining the population at remote and regular dates. In the former Statistical Account of the parish, it is said, that the number of inhabitants was 853 ; but it is not stated at what period this census was taken. About ninety years ago the number amounted to 1300, and about 6fty years before this present date, it appears to have fallen to 1000. There can be little doubt that this decrease of 300 was owing to the enlargement of the farms and the ousting of cottars. In the Glenfruin district alone, it is almost within the memory of indivi- duals still alive, that there were 45 families of farmers, besides a number of cottars ; now there are only 10 of farmers and 4 of cottars. In consequence, however, of the very rapid growth of the town of Helensburgh, the population doubled itself within the last forty years previous to 1831. It was in that year 2037. From 1831 till 1835, there was an additional increase of about 400, chiefly from the still greater growth of Helensburgh ; though partly also from the building of villas and cottages on the Gareloch. The present population may amount to about 2600. Of this num- ber the burgh of Helensburgh contains 1400 ; the remainder are scattered over the landward part of the parish, and can scarcely be said to be in any part of it, a village population, unless indeed the few houses in the neighbourhood of the church of Row, and the increasing clump of cottages at Gareloch-head, may be called vil- lages. The average number of births may be about, . . 50 The average of deaths, - - - between 40 and 50 The number of marriages, - - - - 24 In Helensburgh in the year 1835, there were under 5 years of age, - . Males, 95 Females, 94 From 5 to 15, 15 to 25, 25 to 35, - . - 85 to 45, - - - 45 to 55, 55 to 65, 65 to 75, 75 to 85, - - - . 85 and upwards, . . . Total; 672 717 Of the females above 45 there were unmarried, 22 ; widows, 45. Of the males above 50, there were 9 bacrhelors and 10 widowers. Though we have stated the resident population of the parish to be 2600, it is increased by more than a half, probably two-thirds 173 157 114 134 103 119 81 97 54 51 23 34 14 21 11 9 4 1 ROW. 77 of this number during about five months in the year, from the number of families who come for summer quarters and sea-bath- ing. The only nobleman in the parish is Lord John Campbell, who usually resides at his seat of Ardincaple. But there is a consider- able number of wealthy and independent families who have resi- dences in it, and remain either the whole or the half of the year. Language, — It would appear that, two centuries ago, or later, Gaelic must have been the language usually spoken. The first mi- nister of the parish was at that time appointed to the charge in con- sequence of his being able to preach in the Irish or Gaelic. At present, however, that language has rightly given way to English, and is not spoken except by a very few families, who have brought it with them from their birth-place in' the Highlands. Like most of the districts in the neighbourhood of the High- lands, smuggling seems to have prevailed some time ago to a con- siderable extent. But, for some years, this degrading and demora- lizing habit has been rapidly decreasing, and now it has almost ceased to be practised. It is much to be wished that the same thing may be said of poaching. IV. — Industry. Agriculture. — With the exception of Glenfruin, which is capa- ble of being cultivated much more extensively than it is, the great- er part of the land capable of bearing crops to any advantage, is either constantly or occasionally under cultivation. This, liow- ever, bears a very inconsiderable proportion to the whole extent of the parish. Within the last thirty years, there has been a very great improvement in the character and extent of the husbandry ; chiefly from additional draining and fencing. But very much re- mains to be done in these respects, and the farmers both feel the evil, and look to the proprietor for more encouragement than they have hitherto had. Of late, considerable and increasing attention has been paid to the breeding of cattle, both for the dairy and for feeding. Those for the dairy were, till within the last fifty years, mostly of the High- land breed. But now, with the exception of some of the moor- land farms, they are almost all of the Ayrshire, though not very pure. The cattle fed for the market are of the West Highland stock, and both kinds promise to be still further improved, in con- sequence of the late formation of an agricultural association of the parish of Row, Luss, and Arrochar. 78 DUMBARTONSHIRE. Bent — The average rent of arable land per acre may be stated at L. I, 5s, the highest at L. 3. Average rent to the farmer of grazing a full-grown ox or milk-cow is about L. 6 ; of black cat- tle, not housed in winter, L. 3, 10s. The sheep are almost all of the black-faced breed. There are, however, a few Cheviots. The average rate of grazing a full-grown one to the farmer is about 5s. Male farm-servants who live with the farmer, receive at an average L. 8 in the half-year, and female farm- servants receive L. 4. Masons, carpenters, and other artisans are usually paid ds. 6d. per day. Leases run for the term of nine- teen years, and hitherto they have not been understood to have been very unfavourable to the tenant, A few of the farm-build- ings may be considered as tolerably good. But the greater num- ber of them are very much otherwise. It can scarcely be said that there are any unconquerable obstacles in the way of a much great- er improvement of the land. With the facility of obtaining ma- nure from Greenock, and lime in the parish, and from Ireland by sea, willing tenants, and an encouraging landlord, might consider- ably change the face of the fields to the better. But both land- lord and tenant must move together. Quarries. — Lime is occasionally wrought, but in consequence of the superior quality of the Irish lime, and the facility and cheap- ness of its carriage by water, the lime quarries in the parish are neither constantly nor extensively worked. Slate also has been occasionally wrought, but it, too, is inferior in quality^ and therefore little called for. In the southern part of the parish^ there is a coarse freestone, occasionally quarried for building. All attempts to obtain coal have failed. Fisheries. — The fisheries in the Gareloch and Loch-Long are not very profitable, nor much attended to, except for a short time during the spring and early part of the summer. Neither the quarries nor the fisheries, therefore, add much to the produce ofthe parish. Nor does it grow more grain, with the exception, perhaps, of a little barley, than is sufficient for the consumption of the in- habitants, and the use ofthe farmer's establishments. There may be about L. 1000 worth of potatoes sent out of the parish yearly, and L. 500 worth of hay. These sums, with the addition of some- what more than L. 100 from the timber and copse-wood cut, may probably be conceived as the whole produce of the parish, not con- sumed or used in itself. The rental of the parish may amount to between L. 4000 and L. 5000, nine-tenths of which is drawn by ROW. 79 Sir James Colquhoun — who probably receives upwards of L. 1 500 additional arising from the feus in Helensburgh and the landward part of the parish. There are no manufactures or public works in the parish, and consequently a great want of employment for the many individu- als in Helensburgh, whose labours are but partially required in the neighbourhood. There are a few coasting and coal vessels, but these are inconsiderable in number. V. — Parochial Economy. The only town in the parish is Helensburgh, a rapidly increas- ing watering-place. It was founded by the first Sir James Col- quhoun, and was named in honour of his wife Lady Helen Suther- land. It was created a burgh of barony by charter in the year 1802, and has a provost, two bailies, and four councillors. It has the privilege of holding a weekly market and four annual fairs. There is a small and incommodious pier, principally used by the steam-boats, of which several sail daily to Glasgow. There is also a daily post from Dumbarton and Greenock. The turnpike road from Dumbarton to Arrochar traverses the parish for about sixteen miles. A new line of road from Helensburgh across the hill to Luss and Balloch ferry, affords an easy communication with these places. Ecclesiastical State. — The greater part of this parish was at one time included in the older parish of Roseneath, and an appendage of the Abbey of Paisley. The remainder of it was an annexation from the old parish of Cardross, which formerly stretched along Glenfruin, and crossed at the top of the glen to the shore of the upper part of Gareloch, and also to a part of the coast of Loch- Long. Before the formation of this parish, the Presbytery of Dumbarton, the General Assembly, and the Commissioners for planting of Kirks, took various plans into consideration from the year 1639 and following years, for the purpose, not only of reme- dying the inconveniences arising from the extent and anomalous boundaries of Roseneath and Cardross, but also for making the new parish of Row from a part of both. In 1643, Cardross received lands from Roseneath towards the west as far as its present boundary, and gave up in exchange Glenfruin and the lands on the shores of Lochs Long and Gare. And in 1648 the boundaries of the new parish of Row were finally settled, and a deed of erection for the church was procured and immediately acted upon. In this year also Mr Archibald McLean, the first minibter, was translated to 80 DUMBABTONSHIRE. it from the parish of Kingarth. It appears that the formation of this parish was mainly or rather wholly owing to the laird of Ar- diucaple, who generously built the church at his own expense, be- sides giving land for it and for the glebe. Whether the situation of the church was ever a convenient one for the inhabitants is more than questionable, from its position on the western skirts of the parish, and its being twelve miles from its northern termination. Now, however, that the burgh of Helensburgh and its immediate neighbourhood have a population of about 1600, and those at the distance of between two and three miles from the church, there can be no doubt as to its present inconvenient locality. The present church was built in 17Gd, and an addition made to it in 1827. There are nearly 700 sittings, the larger portion of which are common. The present manse was built in 1829. The glebe contains about 10 acres, and is worth L. 20 per annum. The amount of stipend is 98 bolls of meal, and L. 55, including com- munion elements. Its average for the last six years has been L.136, 5s. lid. Last summer a church in connection with the Establishment was built at Gareloch -head, about six miles from the parish church. It must, however, continue for some time merely a preaching sta- tion, in consequence of a want of on endowment, and the difficulty of obtaining a bond for the stipend of an ordained minister. It is, however, an essential blessing to that district of the parish, and is a gratifying memorial of the liberality of many of the generous feuars in the parish, by whose large subscriptions it was chiefly built. There is one place of worship in Helensburgh in connection with the Old Light Burghers, and another in connection with the Independents. The stipend of both of the ministers arises from the seat-rents and collections on Sabbaths. That of the first amounts to L. 100, and of the second to L. 70. The number of communicants in the Established Church amounts to 600 ; that of the Old Light Burghers from this and the neighbouring parishes of Cardross and Roseneath, amounts to 115; those of the Inde- pendents to 32. Education. — There are at present 8 schools in the parish. Of these, one is the parochial school, situated near the church of Row. The salary of the teacher amounts to L. 36; and the school fees average about L. 30. Two of the remaining ones are endowed each with L. 10 annually, arising from a piece of land in Glen- ROW. 81 fruin, mortified for this purposeaboutseventy years ago by Mr Glen of Portincaple. Three others are assisted with yearly donations, and in one of them sewing and knitting alone are taught The re- maining two are wholly unassisted, and one of them is iii a great measure a boarding establishment There is no part of the pa- rish so far from some one of the schools as to feel any serious in- convenience from its distance from the means of education, and the consequence is that there is not perhaps a single individual born in the parish and upwards of ten years of age, who cannot read. There are, however, a few grown persons, that have come to reside in the parish who cannot read. There is a public library in Helensburgh of considerable extent, and a congVegational one connected with the Established Church, formed about three years ago. Savings Bank. — A savings bank has been established for some years in Helensburgh. Poor and Parochial Funds. — At present, there are 26 individuals upon the regular poor's roll. Of these, 4 are orphans and one insane. But there are almost alwayl^ several individuals or families who receive occasional aid to a considerable extent The regu- lar poor receive from 6s. to L. 1 a quarter, according as their cir- cumstances and merits may require. The sum given annually to the regular and occasional poor, for some years, averages nearly L. 120. This amount is obtained without any assessment The ordinary Sabbath day collections yield about L. 80. The remainder is got from the rent of a few sittings let in behalf of the poor, from marriage and mortcloth dues, and from the interest arising from a small fund belonging to the poor. The expenditure, however, is now threatening to exceed the inconie, and must ere long do so, unless some means are taken to arrest the increase of the grow- ing number of paupers; and by far the most effectual means would be to introduce some public works, and curtail both the facilities and the places for dram -drinking. There is still a disposition on the part of the poor of a respectable character to refrain from ask- ing parochial aid, except under strong necessity. But with those of idle and intemperate habits there is scarcely a shadow of such delicacy either here or any where else. The dram-drinker has usually drowned every good feeling in his progress to poverty. There is a lock-up house in the parish. But there is no regu* lar jail, although there is frequent occasion for it for the visitors of the public houses, particularly for the drunken vagrants who visit DUMBARTON. F 82 DUMDARTONSIIIRE, and linger about the parish in great numbers during the summer months, and are now also becoming very numerous at all seasons. Did those who are melted by their squalid wretchedne<(s, when they come to their doors, see how much of their charity is spent in whisky, it is probable that they would limit their benevolence of this kind, and bestow it upon the more deserving poor among themselves. Innsj Sfc. — There are about 30 public-houses in the parish, a far greater number than ought to have been licensed among a |k>- pulation of so inconsiderable an amount. Nine of them are on the Garelochside, where one or at most two would have been abun- dantly sufficient. Considering the rapidity with which habits of drunkenness are increasing everywhere, it is much to be wished that some efTectual means could be resorted to for checking this fearfully ruinous vice. Surely our courts of Justices have few things brought before them more worthy of their serious consideration than the licensing of public houses, many of which are unquestion- ably public nuisances, as well as scenes of great degradation. It would be a bitter insult to many neighbourhoods to allege that they require as many tippling-houses as are actually thrust in among them, and that too with the concurrence of a court of grave deliberators, who have both law and conscience on their side in restricting the number of these pest-houses. Fuel. — In several of the farm-houses peats are still burnt, but coal is now becoming more common even in them, and it is the only fuel burnt in Helensburgh and the numerous villas along the Loch side. The coal is usually brought from the neighbourhood of Glasgow, though occasionally a little of it is brought from the Ayrshire coast. Miscellaneous Observations. This parish has undergone very considerable changes since the last Statistical account was written. The extent of land under wood has been a good deal increased, especially on the estate of Ardincaple. The extent of cultivation is greatly enlarged. The system of husbandry is much improved, and the fertility of the soil much increased. Helensburgh, from being a village with 100 in- habitants, is now a town with many excellent houses, and a popu- lation of 1400 people. The Garelochside, instead of having x)nly a few farm and cot-houses along it, is now studded with many taste- ful villas, and ornamented shrubberies and gardens. The eight heri- tors among whom the parish was divided are now dwindled down to CARDROSS. 83 two, the possessions of the other six having been added to the large and beautiful estates of Luss. The two schools, on the contrary, have been increased to eight, and the population of the parish had been multiplied from 1000 to about 2600. 1 he Gaelic is less spoken than it then was ; but the inns and tippling-houses have been increased from 1 1 to about 30. In consequence of the fre- quent daily communications by steam, and the many respectable and well educated families that now reside here during the summer months, especially, the manners and habits of the parishioners must have undergone a considerable change ; but it may be a question whether the more simple, and in some respects, at least, the more religious habits of the olden mce, have received any adequate equi- valent from those of a more modern growth. January 1839. PARISH OF CARDROSS. PRESBYTERY OF DUMBARTON, SYNOD OF GLASGOW AND AYR. THE REV. WILLIAM DUNN, MINISTER.* I. — Topography and Natural IIistoky. Name. — The parish of Cardross derives its name from the ancient site of its church, on the point formed by the rivers Leven and Clyde. Ross, " the point,** Car^ " of the muirish ridge,** is a purely Celtic etymology? probably not inappropriate to the ori- ginal aspect of the place, and borne out by the analogy of other names in the vicinity. Extenty Sfc, — Bounded on the south by the Clyde, its modern extent stretches westward from that point along the shores of the Clyde, until it joins the parish of Row, near Helensburgh. On the north, its boundary with Luss and Bonhill parishes follows the ridge of hills in an easterly direction, till above Kenton it descends upon the Leven, which river forms its eastern limit. Its greatest length is 8 miles, and its breadth varies from 1^ to 3 miles, giving a surface of about 16 square miles. • The Rev. Archibald Wilson, the late Incumbent, having been in infirm health, the foUowing account of the parish of Cardross was drawn up, at his request, by James Dennistoun of Dennistoun, Esq. 84 DUMBARTONSHIUE. Surface. — The superficial character of the ground does not ad- mit of much variety, rising on either hand from the Clyde and the Leven by a gradual ascent The ridge thus formed does not present much irregularity, and is not intersected by any valleys of importance, nor by any considerable streams or lakes. Its greatest elevation, at the summits of the Kiliter and Carman, is 943 feet. In tracing the shores of the Clyde, we find extensive banks of blue adhesive clayj stretching more than half across the bed of the river, which is from one to two miles wide. They are covered with a few inches of sand interspersed with shingly stones, and are over- flowed at high water. By judicious embankments a large portion of this unprofitable surface might be gained and improved. The only remarkable feature on this coast is Ardmore, "the great pro- montory," which forms a conspicuous object in the Frith. Ori- , ginally an insulated rock in the river, the gradually receding waters have left it surrounded by a considerable flat, and united to the mainland by a narrow isthmus. The rock is nearly circular, rising precipitously about 40 feet, and afibrding on the top a table of good soil. It is a muddy red breccia or puddingstone, imbedding rounded pebbles chiefly of quartz, being the same formation'with the nearest point of the Kiliter range, from which it is distant about half a-mile. This head-land may be considered the limit of the river Clyde on the northern shore, as the Frith here suddenly doubles in breadth, and assumes the character of an arm of the sea Geology. — The geological character of this parish belongs to the secondary formation. The predominating rock is freestone, which towards the east end is of a reddish colour and friable quality. At Keppoch it occurs of a bluish gray colour and better description, in contact with the breccia of the Kiliter, which we have already described. It is remarkable that both of these run in parallel lines or dikes to the north- eastward ; the former appearing at TulH- chewan, Balloch, and Buchanan, while the latter can easily be traced from Ardmore, by the Kiliter and Inchmurrin, to Balmaha. On the north-western side of the Kiliter, we find a considerable dike of jasper, of a coarse hard quality, interposed between the breccia and the sandstone, the latter of which again appears on the estate of CamisEskan, containing veins of limestone. This last occurs in the glens, and has occasionally been worked; but its ad- mixture with sand and magnesian earth renders it better for the pur- poses of building than for manure. Soil — The soil is generally of a light gravelly description. CARDROBS. 85 sparingly covered with vegetable mould. This is particularly the case towards the shores of the Clyde, where, in some instances, it is thinly strewn upon the rock. On the higher land ii becomes deeper, and often rests upon till. The hills present a surface of elevated moor, rarely interrupted by moss or rock, a considerable part of which might be rendered arable. The vale of Leven con- sists of a channelly alluvial soil, of snificient depth and fertile qua- lity. Climate, — The climate is healthy, and free from predisposing tendency to any particular diseases. It partakes of the same ge. neral character which is observable over the soulli-west coast of Scotland, being mild arid humid, with frequent showers rather than heavy rains. Frost is seldom severe or long-continued, and heavy falls of snow are almost unknown. The annexed table, constructed from careful observntion by Mr Dunlop of Keppoch, will afford a view of the weather for the seven years from 1826 to i832.» BimmiMr I'herm umi-wr. WiiiJs. U«.Ih«- Yan. 1 1 ! 2 2 2 z 2 e '3 k ■/= 1826 a is ■17 78 l.ltl 111 ■m nu 19S m 1827 wm 77 19 ■•i'i HR i,>.1 ii-1 MH IN7 124 .VI 1828 28,Ws Rl •23 *l Hf l"7 HT 19 l<>4 117 ,=■^1 IflSO »S 76 ai a 29tWi 7G m IS3I 7!) as !in I.W (iH rfi l»2 [lli ^7 1832 *v3 •^^ 76 ■it m 02 1(>J 4^) V ItW 11. — Civil History. No general history of this parish has been given t^t the public. There have, however, been compiled two sbitistical accounts of Dumbartonsbire,-from which much information applicable to Car- dross, may be collected. The former of these was drawn up bv Mr David Ure for the Board of Agriculture in 1794; the other was. published in 1611, and was the Joint production of the Re- verend Andrew White, minister of Kilmarnock, and the Very llo- verend Principal Macfarlan of the University of Glasgow. The localities of the parish may also be illustrated from the map of the county as surveyed by Mr John Wood in 1818. Situated at a distance from the capital, and from all the usual royal residences, as well as from the ceaseless wars that ravaged * Mr DuiilupN tabic siiicf 1832 iirewnts very aimilar tctuIIs, and reed nut Ins added. 86 DUMBARTONSHIRF. the border counties, Dumbartonshire was seldom agitated by the events that belong to the page of national history. To the parish of Cardross this want of historic interest belongs in a remarkable degree, as it rarely was the scene even of those petty struggles, by which rival chiefs of robber clans occasionally disturbed the peace of the neighbourhood. Its peasantry were not unfrequently visited by these mountain marauders, at the expense of their cattle and stock of all sorts, but their pacific habits prevented them alike from defence and retaliation upon their lawless visitors. It is, therefore, from family records and private incidents that the course of events in this parish during past ages must be traced; and among these the genealogist will find enough to reward his re- searches. Eminent Men, — The families particularly worthy of notice are those of Dennistoun of Dennistoun, Spreul of Dalquhum, Napier of Kllmahew, Bontine of Ardoch, Noble of Ardardan, and Smol- lett of Bonhill.* The last has been illustrated by Sir James Smollett, a commissioner for the union in 1707^ and a politician of considerable adroitness; and still more by his grandson, Dr Tobias Smollett, one of the greatest names in Scottish literature. A Tuscan column connects his memory with his native vale, and an authentic memoir, prefixed to Dr Anderson's edition of his works, will supply to his admirers those particulars of his life, which want of space compels us here to omit* No portrait of either of these distinguished men is found in the possession of their representative, and unfortunately the family papers contain very few remains of the author of Roderick Random. The family of Mr Dunlop of Keppoch, although recently settled in Dumbar- tonshire, has given to the Church and universities of Scotland, a perhaps unexampled succession of distinguished ornaments. Prin- cipal Carstairs was nearly related to them by marriage, and Mr Dunlop possesses many of his original papers, which are not no- ticed in the published selection. He also has at Keppoch an ori- ginal portrait of Carstairs, and the thumbikins by which he was tortured.f Antiquities. — Did our limits permit us to enter at large upon • The families of Dennistoun, and Spreul, and Napier have now left the parish ; and to this list maybe added Campbell of ('amis Eskan, Geils of Geilstoun, and Buchanan of Drumhead. t From the correspondence of Principal Dunlop, the curious fact appears, thut in the name of the Darien Company, he bargained with the surrounding proprietors to retain Keppoch Bay as the harbour for their shipping. CARDIIOSS. 87 the history of landed property, and the genealogies of its proprie- tors, we might collect much to interest the lovers of such details : but in the absence of other striking objects of antiquity, we shall notice only the hunting-seat of King Robert Bruce, at which he spent the close of his glorious life, and where he died of leprosy in 1329. The wooded knoll, at the first milestone from Dum- barton along the Cardross road, bears the name of Castlehill, al- though there have not been any ruins visible in the memory of persons now alive. Retiring from the cares of government, this chivalrous monarch here sought the relaxation of the chase, va- ried by excursions on the water, for both of which the spot was well adapted, while it was protected by the neighbouring fort of Dumbarton. The interest which attaches to the favourite resi- dence of the Bruce is enhanced by the preservation, in the ac- counts of the high chamberlain, of many notices exhibiting the domestic arrangements of a royal abode in 1328. These have been given to the public in their original form, in the appendixes to Tytler's History of Scotland, Vol. ii. and to Pinkerton's History Vol. ii. The following specimens will be intelligible to the gene- ral reader : — To green olive oil for painting the royal chamber, 10s. ; to chalk for painting it, 6d. ; to a chalder of lime for white- washing it, 8s. ; to tin nails and glass for the windows, 3s. 4d. ; to seeds for the orchard, Is. 6d. ; to a house for the falcons, 2s. ; to a net for fish, 40s. ; to bringing the King's great ship from Tarbat, 28s. ; to two masts for the ships, 8s. ; to conveying Peter the fool to Tarbart, Is. 6d. * Modern Buildings, — The mansion-houses in the parish of Car- dross do not present any remarkable features ; those of Ardoch and Kilmahew, now abandoned, are indifferent specimens of the old Scottish country house ; that of Camis Eskan has grown, by fre- quent additions, into a commodious residence ; those of Keppoch and Ardmore are modern and comfortable buildings. Bloomhill House, recently built, the seat of Alexander Ferrier, Esq. is per- haps the most beautiful villa on the Clyde. Parochial Registers. — The only parochial registers are those of births and marriages, which have been preserved since 1687. III. — Population. The increase of population from 1821 to 1831, as exhibited by • It is almost unnecessary to remark, that these sums arc in Scottish money, being in value one-twelfth part of the corresponding sums in the Sterling coin. The Tarbart here meant is on Lochfyne. 88 DUMBAUTONSHIRE. the government census, is 491. It has taken place chiefly in the villages of Ronton and Bridgend ; but the hamlet of Cardross has, during the same period, received considerable accessions. The return of 1831 may be thus classified : Houses. Families. Moles. Females. Totol persons. Renton, Bridffend, Landward, 185 35 154 349 134 190 896 286 555 902 349 546 I860 635 1101 Total, 374 673 1739 1857 3SC6 From 1824 to 1831 inclusive, the yearly average of registered births was 64? ; of marriages, 25?. No register of deaths is kept The following table exhibits the only return of ages and occupa- tions, taken up in 1831. Number of illegitimate births in the parish during the three years preceding 1839, 26. Occopations of families. Males Superan. Female above 20. males. servants. Renton, 403 29 21 Bridgend, 124 12 14 Landward, 283 22 78 Agricul- ture. 53" 7 95 Trade. 174 63 30 Other occu- pations. 15 64 65 Total, 810 63 113 155 267 251 No peers are landholders in this parish ; the landed proprietors are 13» and most of them resident. All their rentals are above L. 50 a- year. Character of the People^ §*c. — No Gaelic has been spoken in the parish for some generations past The people generally are m circumstances of comfort ; and the influx of strangers to the sea coast, and to the works on the Leven, has introduced a taste for dress not known in the more remote parts of Scotland. On the whole, they are contented and respectable, and it is hoped their character is improving. In particular, illicit distillation, for- merly the bane of the district, has entirely ceased. IV. — Industry. Agriculture. — Number of acres imperial, either cultivated or occasionally in tillage, about . 6500 constantly waste or in pasture, about that might be cultivateid with profit, about under wood, about ..... The progress of agricultural improvement throughout this parish wa^, until lately, somewhat tardy. It is true that near Dumbarton were some small properties, belonging for several centuries to substantial burghers of that town, who, while they 4000 2000 300 CARDB0S8. 89 spent upoD these the time they could spare from the pursuits of trade, brought aloog with them a share of its profits to aid in ** subduing the soil." But, generally speaking, land was owned by lairds, whose scanty rentals gave them little opportunity for speculative ameliorations, and was occupied, in minute subdivisions, by a race of wretched cottars, whose utmost hope was to scourge out of their crofts a bare pittance for the support of their nume- rous families, after paying in kind the stipulated maiL In the absence of all demand for labour, nothing flourished but indolence and idleness ; and as the few necessaries of life were obtained chiefly by barter, the circulation of money was scarcely known. A slight change for the better succeeded the rebellion of 1745; but until the end of last century, the outlay of proprietors scarcely extended beyond the mains or home- farm ; and the system of small possessions was rarely disturbed. During the last forty years, how- ever, improvement has advanced with rapid strides. Several of the ancient landholders have increased their wealth from incidental sources, while others have sold their estates to persons possessing the means of turning them to better account The money which they have thus been enabled to spend on roads, inclosures, build- ings, and agriculture, has not only augmented the actual value of the soil, but has, by circulating through the district, laid the foun- dation of capital, which, rapidly accumulating from the annual re- turns of produce, has given to the tenantry the means of co-ope- rating with their landlords. Large tracts of waste land have thus been brought into tillage, while that which was formerly cultivated has been rendered infinitely more productive by draining, level- ling, and manuring.* The cottaries have been converted into farms ; the crofts into convenient fields : the use of drift sea-weed has either been superseded by lime and dung, produced in the farm-yards or imported from Greenock, or, where it is continued, it is purified by being rotted into composts. The ancient occu- piers, in order to make way for substantial tenants, have, from starving on their pendicles, been converted into day-labourers or artisans, and so enabled to earn a comfortable subsistence. Sub- stantial steadings have replaced the dry-stone hovels of this class, and begin to engraft upon the proverbial filth of Scotland habits of neatness and comfort. In these, as well as in many other re- • Draining, on the improved system, has been lately carried on to a large extent by Mr Campbell of Camis Eskan and other proprietors, and is now in very general ufe in the parish. I 90 DUMBARTONSHIRE. spects which cannot here be particularized, a great change has been progressively effected, and continues in each year to advance, on ever}' estate where either the high moorlands, or the neglected shores, present opportunity for extending the operations of the plough. In a few places, however, the inconvenience of small possessions, and occupiers destitute of capital and spirit, continues to be felt ; and in others, short leases, in which no order of culti- vation is enjoined, still permit the abuses of the old system. But most of the new tacks are drawn for nineteen years, and stipulate for the most approved rotation of crops, and in almost every in- stance for a fixed money- rent Live-Stock. — Although a considerable extent of the parish con- sists of moorland pasture, it is employed in grazing cattle or sheep purchased from the Western Highlands, rather than in breeding them. The low country is in many respects well adapted for dairy husbandry, although in very dry summers the grass on the light soils occasionally gives way. It has not, however, been much al- lotted to this object, although most of the tenants, to a certain extent, combine this branch of rural economy with their method of agriculture \ and more attention has lately been paid to it, by introducing animals of the finest breed from Ayrshire and other dairy districts, and by cultivating the most approved bulbous roots and green crops. The indigenous horses were of a small size, between the cart-horse and the Highland poney, and combining the faults of both. The race has been improved by a cross with the Clydesdale stock ; and those now bred in the district are of a serviceable quality, although, in so hilly a district, the judicious introduction of " a dash of blood'" might probably be of advantage. Stock of all sorts is improving, under the auspices of an agricul- tural association recently formed in the county, in connection with the Highland Society of Scotland. Woods. — The district of Dumbartonshire west of Leven is re- markably adapted for the growth of wood, particularly of oak, copse, and the evidence of various ancient charters attests that here were situated the principal forests of the Lennox. In Car- dross, however, the extent of natural wood is now not great, and until lately it has been too much neglected. The most thriving woods are on the estates of Dalquhurn and Camis Eskan, the lat- ter of which have been considerably extended by plantations chiefly of larch and fir, but into which oak has now been introduced. Some land has also been planted of late on the estates of Mildovan, CARDROSS. 91 Kilmakewy Ardoch, and Kipperminsbock, but upon tbe whole planting bas not as yet been sufficiently attended to. Fisheries. — Tbe salmon-fisbings of tbe Leven were formerly of considerable value, but are now mucb fallen off. Tbey belong to tbe corporation of Dumbarton, and to Sir James Colquhoun of Luss, but tbey scarcely fall witbin this parish. The practice of fishing by stake-nets on the shores of the river was some years ago suppressed by a judgment of tbe Supreme Court ; but bag- nets have very lately been introduced in the open Frith below Ardmore, and promise to render very valuable salmon-fishings which have hitherto not been available to the proprietors. Of the yairs mentioned in the former Statistical Account of this parish, those of Ardmore and Colgrain are kept up, but they are no longer of any value beyond the casual supply of a few salmon or trouts. Manufactures. — The only manufactures of Cardross are those of Renton on the Leven, and consist of calico-printing and bleach- ing. These branches are carried on to a great extent along this river, whose pure water and powerful stream are'peculiarly adapted for them ; but as most of the works are situated in Bonhill, refer- ence is made to tbe notice of them contained in the account of that parish. V. — Parochial Economy. Market-Towns. — The only market-town in this district is Dum- barton, adjacent to the eastern extremity of this parish ; but there is a good deal of communication with those of Greenock and Port- Glasgow, on the other side of the Clyde, and a ready consump- tion is found for the produce of the western portion of the parish at the thriving watering village of Helensburgh. The villages are Renton, already mentioned as the site of a manufacturing popu- lation (which was founded in 1782 by Mrs Smollett of Bonhill, and named after her daughter-in-law Miss Renton of Lammerton,) and Bridgend, a suburb of Dumbarton. The turnpike roads are those leading from Dumbarton to Ren- ton, two and a-half miles, and to Helensburgh seven and a-balf miles. Along the former of these, coaches run in summer to Loch- lomond, but the only public communication towards the west is by the steam-boats on the Clyde. There are daily posts along both of these roads, the post-town being Dumbarton. The chief sta- tute labour roads lead from Cardross to Renton, and from Ardmore ferry to Balloch ferry, both of which are undergoing considerable improvements. 92 DUMBARTONSHIRE. Ecclesiastical State. — The parish of Cardross did not originally extend along the Clyde, beyond the site of the modern church, but some detached lands in Glenfruin belonged to it. In 1643 a new arrangement, under the sanction of the Commissioners for the plantation of kirks, assigned to this parish its present bounds, and threw Glenfruin into that of Row. The church was at the same time moved from the point opposite Dumbarton to its pre- sent situation, which is the most central that could be found. It contained about 450 sitters, and, being found too small, was, in 1826, replaced by the present building, which was erected with considerable taste, and can accommodate above 800 persons. The average number of the congregation is from 750 to 800 ; of com- municants about 500. The Crown is patron, and the minister is titular of the teinds. The stipend amounts to 1 1^ chalders, besides an augmentation of three which was obtained in 1814, but which has never yet been followed up by a locality, chiefly on account of the difficulties arising out of the arrangement of the parish in 1643. The glebe contains 9^ acres of arable ground, and the manse is believed aboul; a century old. There is now a regular missionary connected with the Establishment, residing in Ronton. At Ronton is a chapel, in connection with the Associate Pres- bytery, with a congregation of about 400 in attendance on Divine worship: the minister has L. 120 a-year, with a manse and glebe. There is at Bridgend a congregation of the Relief body, of whom about 600 attend worship. The minister is understood to have a house and about L. 125 a-year. These salaries are paid by the respective congregations.* Societies. — The religious societies are, a Bible society, formerly drawing about L. 20 a-year, but which has not been in operation for the last two years ; and a Bible and Missionary Society at Ren- ton, the income of which is L. 30. There is now also a society connected with the four schemes of the General Assembly, and another for the promotion of Female Education in India. J5rfiica^io;i.— There is a parish school, of which the teacher draws about L. 34 of salary, and L. 24 of school fees, besides L. 15 as the average value of some ground; bear and money mor- tified in the seventeenth century by the Napiers of Kilmahew. His emoluments as clerk to the session, and to Mrs Moore's trust, * There are about 470 femilies nominally connected with the Established Church, and there arc about 270 families nominally connected with Dissenters and Seceders : these are almost entirely confined to the villages of Rcnton and Bridgend, which lie in the very confines of the parish, and upwards of three miles from the parish church. --(1839.) CARDROSS. 93 may amount to L. 25 more. There are five private schools, the emoluments of which are derived from fees, and vary from L. 15 to L. 70. The usual branches are taught, and at the parish school, the annual rate of fees is, for English reading, 10s. ; for writing, 12s. ; for arithmetic, 14s. ; and for Latin, 16s. There is, on the whole, a readiness to profit by these ample opportunities of education, and there are few persons who cannot read and write. Libraries, — Three libraries have been established : in Renton, a general subscription library, containing 1000 volumes, and a Sunday school library, consisting of 200 volumes ; at Geilstown, a general library for the landward district, lately established, and already possessing upwards of 400 volumes. Funds for Charity. — The poor of this parish have hitherto been supported without the aid of compulsory assessments. The weekly collections in the parish church amount on an average to from L. 100 to L. 120 a-year ; and there is received from proclamations of banns, mortcloth dues, and rent of church seats, a farther sum of about L. 15. The number of poor upon the session roll is about 70, who receive on an average about 6^d. a-week. When a deficiency of funds occurs, the heritors regularly come forward with voluntary contributions. In 1690, a legacy of L. 500 Ster- ling was bequeathed by Mrs Jane Moore, to be invested in land for behoof of the poor of that part of the parish of Cardross lying between Auchenfroe and Keppoch. It was applied to the purchase of Ballimenoch, the present yearly rent of which is L. 228; besides the dividend arising from about L. 1000 invested in the three per cent, consols, which was obtained a few years ago by the sale of the freehold superiority of the estate. The trustees are the mi- nister, heritors, and kirk-session. There are 28 paupers on the roll, among whom is divided L. 217. The ordinary expense of management is limited to the clerk's salary, of L. 7, 7s. In this parish there are no public charitable institutions, friendly societies, savings' banks, prisons, or fairs. Considerable exertions have been made to check the increase of public-houses, and, ex- cepting in Renton, the number is moderate. An ample supply of coals is brought down the Clyde, at a moderate expense of wa- ter carriage. On the whole, the parish of Cardross has made great advances in general improvement and prosperity since th6 former Statistical Account was drawn up, and may be reckoned one of the most beautiful on the Clyde. Revised FebruarT/ 1839. PARISH OF ARROCHAR. PRESBYTERY OF DUMBARTON, SYNOD OF GLASGOW AND AYR. THE REV. PETER PROUDFOOT, MINISTER. I. — Topography and Natural History. Name. — Adopting the statement given in the former Statis- tical Account, Arrochar, formerly written Arrocher and Arro- quhar, " signifies a high or hilly country ; it is generally pro- nounced in the Gaelic language Arrar, which is a contraction of ard thir ; — ard signifying high, and thir a country." The name is very descriptive of the general appearance of the parish, which is high and mountainous, and presents very little low or arable ground. Extent^ Sfc. — The parish is about 15 miles in length, exclusive of the farms of Ardleish and Doune, which lie on the east side of Loch Lomond, and commencing about two miles beyond its most northern point, extend down its eastern shore five or six miles, and form the boundaries of the properties of Sir James Colquhoun of Luss, Bart, and His Grace the Duke of Montrose, and also of the counties of Dumbarton and Stirling. The mean breadth of the parish may be computed at 3 miles : and it contains a surface of somewhat more than 48 square miles. It is bounded on the east by Loch Lomond, the farms excepted which stretch down its eastern shore, which are bounded by the counties of Perth and Stirling ; on the south, by the water of Douglass and part of the parish of Luss ; on the west, by Loch Long, and part of Argyle- shire ; and on the north, by the parish of Strath fillan in Perthshire. Topographical Appearances. — Its form is peculiar; towards the upper and lower ends of the parish ; there is a considerable extent of mountainous country, while from Tarbet on Loch Lomond side, to Arrochar on Loch Long side, there is only a small isthmus of not more than a mile and three quarters. Ben Vorlich is the highest mountain in the parish. It is distinguished for the richness of its pasture, its rare and varied botanical productions, and rises about 3000 feet above the level of the sea. The parish is so moun- tainous, that jhere is only a small proportion of arable ground, not more than from 300 to 400 acres. AllKOCHAR. 95 There are no caves that require any particular notice. Tradition says that there was one of considerable extent in Ben Vorlich, and another of smaller dimensions, on the farmofStuckindroin, thescene of some tragical event The extent of coast along Loch Lomond on the east is nearly 14 miles, and on the west along Loch Long about 3 miles. The shores of Loch Lomond are sandy, flat, and occasionally rocky, with many most beautiful headlands. There are small bays at Cam- busnaglass. Parkin, Tarbet, Inveruglass, Ardvorlich ; and there are three islands in Loch Lomond, which may be considered as belonging to Arrochar. The climate is generally mild, but variable. Frosts, though occa- sionally severe, are seldom of long continuance. Snow seldom lies above a few days upon the low grounds. Colds in winter and spring are sometimes general, and then they usually assume the character of influenza ; inflammatory attacks were more frequent some years ago than at present, 'i'yphus fever occurs occasion- ally, but has been confined almost always to one family, and never extended to more than two families in any one season, for upwards of twenty years. Loch Lomond, the eastern boundary of the parish, is 24 miles io length, and in some places seven miles broad. From Lower Inveruglass, where the parish of Arrochar commences, up to near its northern point, it is of considerable depth. Opposite the point of Farkin, about a mile and a-half from Inveruglass, it is Q^ fa- thoms, a little farther north 80 fathoms deep ; for about a mile south of Tarbet, it is about 86 fathoms deep ; but about 2 miles north from it, opposite Alt Gary, it is 100 fathoms, which probably is its greatest depth ; beyond that, its depth gradually diminishes to its northern end. It is almost unnecessary to add, that the scenery of Loch Lomond is singularly bold and beautiful, and for extent, variety, and magnificence, ia not perhaps equalled or surpassed by any Lake in Great Britain. Loch Long, which constitutes part of the western boundary, is from 20 to 22 miles in length, and at some parts may be about 2 miles in breadth. Its depth in the immediate neighbourhood of Arrochar may be stated from 15 to 20 fathoms. Its shores are occasionally sandy, but their general character is rocky. There are several magnificent points in Loch Long, the opening of Loch Goil, and the bold and splendid sce- nery towards the head of Loch Long, are objects of general attrac- tion and admiration. There are no rivers in the parish that require particular notice. 96 DUMBARTONSHIRE. The water of Falloch, which rises and falls into Loch Lomond at its head, — of Inveruglass, which runs into Loch Lomond at Up- per Inveruglass,— of Douglass, which enters the same at Lower Inveruglass, with the water of Linnhe that flows into the head of Loch Long, — are not remarkable for either lengthy depth, or breadth. There are several small but beautiful cascades in the parish. Geology and Mineralogy, — Except where in one or two places it is traversed by a whin dike, mica slate is the only rock formation of the parish, — extending from the sea level to the summit of the high- est hills; the schistose laminae are usually in parallel layers; but the section made by the new road along Loch Lomond to the foot of Glen Falloch presents them in every variety of contortion. Nor can there be any where a better field for studying the pecu- liarities of this primary rock so prevalent in the mountainous re- gions of our country. So far as we are able to judge, there are no indications of minerals, iron excepted ; and these are but few and not very distinctly marked. Zoology. — White hares and ptarmigan are to be met with on Ben Vorlich. Several of the farms rear sheep of excellent quali- ty. In Loch Lomond, salmon, salmon -trout, pike, perch, powans, usually called fresh-water herrings, and eels, are to be met with. In Loch Long, there are salmon, salmon-trout, cod, sethe, lythe, ling, whitings, skate, halibut, flounders, soles, with herrings in their seasons, and almost all the varieties of white fish. Muscles are found in great abundance towards the head of Loch Long, oysters but in small quantities, limpets, wilks, buckies, spout-fish ; but crab-fish or partans are seldom met with, in any degree of per- fection. Caterpillars are occasionally troublesome in gardens, and several years ago they attacked, in immense numbers, and with great vo- racity, the oak woods ; and in many places the foliage was utterly destroyed. Botany, — On Ben Vorlich, the following are among the more interesting plants : Stat ice armeria Sazifraga stellata Oxyria rcniformis Juncus biglumis _^_ oppositifolia Circa'a alpina, vars. « and ■ trif{rdinis hypnotdes, var. ft. Hook. trifidus • platypetala Lysiraachia vulgaris Luzula spicatu Hieracium alpinum Lobelia DortmanDa Vaccinium uliginosum Gnapbalium supinum Lythrum salicaria Epilobiutn alsiiiifolium Carex stricta Solidago virgaurea Draba incana Rhodiola rosea Hypericum Androsapmum Saxifraga nivalis Cnicus heterophyllus I'arnassia palustris » nizoides ARROCHAR« 97 II.— Civil History. Ijand-owners. — Sir James Colquhoun of Luss, Bart, is proprie- tor of almost the whole parish. The only other (and the onli/ re- sidmt proprietor) is John M*Murrich, Esq. of Stuckgoun, whose property, though not extensive, is one of singular beauty and value. Parochial Registers, — There are no parochial registers of a more remote date than 176]. They are not voluminous, and have not been particularly well kept Within these few years a number of houses have been erected for sea-bathing quarters; for which Arrochar presents excellent opportunities. III. — Population. The popuUition of Arrochar in 1755 amounted to 466 1791, . 379 1831, 334 males, 226 females. Total 560. The population has, of late, increased considerably. This arises from Arrochar having been of late years divided into smaller farms, and from the number of feus that have been taken. So lately as 1817, the land was almost all in the hands of one individual. The yearly average of births for seven years may be stated at 12, marriages 3. No register of deaths has been regularly kept. Number of persons under 15 years of age, as nearly as can be ascertained, 147 from 15 to 30, . .54 30 50, . . .143 50 70, . .50 70 and upwards, . . .14 There are 105 families ; 96 inhabited houses, and 6 uninhabited houses, at least for one part of the year ; but three of these are usually occupied during the summer season. There are no fatuous, deaf, blind, or dumb persons in the parish. English and Gaelic are generally understood ; but while there are no individuals that cannot speak and understand English, there is a considerable number that have no acquaintance with Gaelic. Within the last forty years, Gaelic has rapidly lost ground, and will, ere long, as in other pjirts of Dumbartonshire^ be known here only as a matter of history. The inhabitants are shrewd, moral, and professedly religious Poaching in game and salmon fisheries are now almost unknown. IV. — Industry. There are fourteen farmers. The servants are generally shep- herds, though they also assist in the ordinary work about the farm, and may amount to about 16. Cottars are occasionally but not permanently employed in farming occupations. There are no DUMBARTON. G 98 DUMBARTONSHIRE. manufactures. There are 3 grocers, 7 public-houses, 5 of which are worse than useless, and ought to be abolished ; but two are ne- cessary, — the inns at Tarbet and Arrochar. There are 3 tailors, 6 shoemakers, 3 smiths, one master wright with 2 men. 23 in- dividuals are employed in the herring-fishing. 4srncii//i£r^.— The parish consists of 31,011 English or 24,809 Scotch acres. There may be from 300 to 400 acres under constant or occasional cultivation. It does not appear that more ground could be cultivated with advantage. The number of acres under natural wood must be very considerable ; but the amount has not been ascertained. The oak woods are regularly thinned, and are in good order. Bent — The average rent of arable ground may be stated at L. 1, 10s. per acre. The average rent of grazing is L. 2 for an ox or cow ; ewe or full-grown sheep, 2s. 6d. to 3s. fVaffeSy Sfc. — Farm- servant's wages may be stated at L. 20 per annum. Labourer's wages vary from 9s. to 12s. per week; wrights and masons, 1 5s. and 16s. per week. The sheep are of the black- faced breed. Cattle are either reared upon the ground, or brought when young from Argyleshire. John M*Murrich of Stuckgoun has reclaimed about 50 acres. The general duration of leases is nine years. Farm buildings and enclosures are capable of considerable improvement. There are no mines ; but there are two small whinstone quarries, formed from the whinstone dike that stretches from Loch Lomond to Loch Long. Fisheries, — Herring fishing employs 23 hands, and is some- times pursued with great success. Herrings are usually in Loch Long towards the beginning of June, and are in great perfec- tion from the end of that month till the middle or end of July. When the fishing fails on Loch Long, the fishermen go to Loch- fine, and follow the occupation till the end of the season, in the neighbourhood of Tarbert, and from Tarbert they go onwards to the vicinity of Campbelton. Each boat upon an average will clear from L. 30 to L. 60. There are usually three hands in an ordi- nary sized wherry. Produce, — The annual thinning and felling of woods may yield about L. 300; of fisheries, L. 320. The amount of sown produce the writer has been unable to ascertain. Small quantities of kelp were manufactured some years ago; but, from not affording a remunerat- ing price, the manufacture has been abandoned. ARKOCIIAR. 99 Navigation. — No vessels of larger size beloDg to the inhabi- tants than small fishing-boats. A steam-boat regularly plies from Glasgow to Arrochar, during the summer months, and vessels with coals and lime from Glasgow and Ireland come to Loch Long Head ; and wool is frequently forwarded from this to the Liverpool market. V. — Parochial £conomy. Market-'Tcwns. — No market-town in the parish. The nearest market-towns are Helensburgh and Dumbarton, — the one seven- teen miles and a quarter, and the other twenty-two miles distant. There are two small villages or clachans. * Means of Communication. — There are a daily post, and two car- riers weekly. Steam -boats ply regularly, both on Loch Lomond and Loch Long during the summer months, commencing towards the middle of May, and ceasing about the middle or end of October. There are no mail or heavy coaches. But a coach runs for about three months in summer, every lawful day, from Inverary in the morning to Tarbet, and from Tarbet in the afternoon to Inver- ary. Chaises, gigs, and carts can at all seasons be readily pro- cured at Tarbet or Arrochar inns. The roads, with the exception of two miles on Loch Long side, are excellent The roads on Loch Lomond side are about fif- teen miles in length, and present singularly beautiful and splendid scenery. Bridges, with one exception, are in good repair. Ecclesiastical State, — The church is situated rather at a comer of the parish ; but the great body of the parishioners are at no great distance ; some families are at the distance, however, of ten or twelve miles. The church was built in 1733, and will soon require a general repair. It is seated for about 300. The sittings are all free. The manse was built in 1837, and is an excellent house. The glebe contains about nineteen acres; but, with the ex- ception of little more than three acres, is all hill ground, and of in- ferior quality. It is not worth more than L. 9 annually. The stipend is L. 231, with 12 bolls meal. This also includes com- munion elements. The teinds are exhausted. There are no go- vernment churches, no chapels of ease, no catechists, no Dissent- ing chapels, and no Dissenters within the parish. Divine service is exceedingly well attended. In summer, the church is generally crowded to overflowing, and is felt then to be much too small ; and, in the winter, when the weather is favour- able, it is filled. Probable average of communicants, 216. No 100 DUMBARTONSHIRE. religious societies; butcoUections are occasionally made for religious purposes, which have always been liberal. Education. — There are one parochial, one privately endowed school, and a charity sewing school, to the teacher of which the Society in Scotland for Propagating Christian Knowledge gives a salary of L. 4 annually. In the parochial school, the ordinary branches of education are taught. In the private, in addition to these, practical mathematics, geography, Latin, and Greek are taught The pa- rochial teacher enjoys the maximum salary, and also receives L. 5 or L. 6 out of the bishop's lands, Dunkeld. The school fees must for sAiumberof years have been very small. In the parochial school, the fees are, for reading, ds. per quarter ; reading and writing, 4s. ; reading, writing, and arithmetic, 5s. The teacher has the legal accommodations. The salary of the private teacher is L. 25 annually, which is paid by John M^Murrich, Esq. of Stuckgoun, a gentleman to whom the parish of Arrochar is under no common obligations. The fees in this school are, reading, 2s. 6d. ; reading and writing, ds. ; reading, writing, and arithmetic, ds. 6d. ; and Latin, 5s. per quarter. Fees may amount annually to betwixt L.15 and L.20. There are no persons in the parish between the ages of six and fifteen, that cannot read and write. There are three families to- wards the head of the parish, whose children can neither be bene- fited by the parochial nor private school. Literature. — There is a small parochial library. No Friendly Societies, and no Savings Banks. Poor and Parochial Funds. — Nine may be stated as the average number of the poor. The largest sum given, and that to a pauper, who is perfectly helpless, is L. 15 ; the lowest, L. 1. Collections for the poor average for several years, L. 30. These, with in- terest of money, L. 6, 6s., marriage and mortcloth dues of L. 2 per annum, have always proved sufficient for the support of the poor. For repairs upon houses allotted to the poor, funeral ex- penses, &c. the sum of L. 48, 6s. 2^d. was distributed last year ; considerably the highest sum that was ever in one year expended for the support of the poor. There have been some remarkable instances of reluctance on the part of the poor to receive paro- chial aid. The old church officer, who was for upwards of two years confined to bed, had the utmost horror of coming upon the poor^S'box ; and, from his salary being continued, from marriage dues, from the kindness of the benevolent, and from that disposi- ARROCHAR. 101 tion which was iDdicated by his own significant expression, ^^ Pro- vidence is large^ and I'll no come upon the poor's hox^' — he lived and died without receiving a farthing from the session, and he had safely husbanded, for many a long day, a guinea to pay for his coffin. It is to be feared that the feeling so remarkably exhibited by him is gradually^ if not rapidly^ diminishing. /iti», Sfc — There are two inns, one at Tarbet, which is too well known to require any favourable notice ; another at Arrochar, which has been lately built and opened, and is also under excel* lent management These are necessary for the accommodation of travellers, who come from all quarters to visit the splendid and beautiful scenery of Inverary, Glencroe, Loch Long, Lochlomond, and Loch Kettwrin. There are five other public-houses, which, from the facilities they present, have a most pernicious influence, inducing and maintaining habits of intemperance. It were well for the interests of the community that these were instantly and for ever put down. . FurL — Coal is the common fuel, — which is usually shipped at the Broomielaw. The average price, at present, may be stated at 86. 6d« the 12 cwt., carriage included. Miscellaneous Observations. Within the last twenty years, the population has considerably increased ; and if the system of feuing is continued, there is every probability that a few years only will elapse, when Arrochar will become much more extended as a watering-place than it is at pre- sent The' character of the people, during the same period, has also considerably improved. A better conducted system of edu* cation, based upon Scriptural principles, has been introduced : and the establishment of a Sabbath school, which has been in existence for upwards of twenty years, and the regular church-going habits of the people, have, it is hoped, been attended with the most bene- ficial consequences. March 1839. PARISH OF ROSENEATH. PRESBYTERY OF DUMBARTON, SYNOD OF GLASGOW AND AYR. THE REV. ROBERT STORY, MINISTER. L — Topography and Natural History. Name.'^'TuE name is found variously written in documents of different ages ; but latterly it is generally spelt Rosneath.* There can be no doubt as to the meaning of the first syllable Rosj con- fessedly a Celtic word, signifying a point, — a generic term simply, and not expressive of the elevation or depression, or of any parti- cular shape of the headland to which it refers. Respecting the adjunct, neath, however, etymologists widely differ. Some derive the name from Bhos-neth, the promontory or peninsula of the small dingle ; and such an origin is probable from the fact, that in the southern extremity, there is a dingle, which, to persons approach- ing it from the east or west, must always have presented a strik- ing feature in the aspect of the peninsula. Nothing could be more natural to the aboriginal Celts, emerging from the vast glens of the contiguous mountains of Cowal, than the exclamation, this is the little dingle! — and if tradition, tracing the route of the Cambuskenneth pilgrims to Icolmkill, be correct in representing Killcreggan, (in the immediate vicinity of the dell, and then the seat of a religious house) as one of their resting-places, they could not fail, in approaching it, to detect in the dingle a miniature resem- blance of the larger hollow of Glenfruin, which might lead them to repeat and sanction, if not to originate the name. Others con- sider it to be derived from Ros^neoth, the bare unwooded pro-' montory : such, however, in the judgment of Celtic scholars, are • In the twelfth century, it is found with its modern orthography, Rosneth, in the grant by Amelicy the brother of Maldoen, the Earl of Lennox, of all its temporali- ties to the monks of Paisley. Afterwards Rusneth — Kosneuth, nevet — ncgty obviously a contraction, and Nenet, probably from the mistake of a letter by the transcriber of the document. Then again Nevino persona deNeveth andGilmothe Alio sacristi de Ncvneth, Michael Gilmodyn persona de Nenet, are signatures to charters which identify the va- rious orthographies with the name of one place. Renyt is another variety, and equal- ly with the others differing from the Saxon or Celtic orthographies, assumed to be still more ancient. ROSENEATH. 103 Exceedingly plebeian in their etymological solutions, and exhibit no taste for romantic and interesting derivations. But, notwithstand- ing this impression, they may be correct in the present case; for it is certainly by no means improbable, that such an epithet would be suggested by the general aspect of the peninsula, before any art was employed in its cultivation or adornment A third class, however, reject both these derivation^ being confident that the modern or- thography is a corruption of Moss-na'choichf or the VirgirCg pro' mantory : these would thus have us believe that the name has DO connection with the natural appearance of the locality, but with a fact in its ecclesiastical history, — a church having at a very ear- ly period been dedicated to the blessed Virgin. It is of very little consequence which hypothesis be adopted : all seem to be equal- ly probable. It may be said, however, that with neither of the two last does the natural appearance or ecclesiastical condition of the place at present correspond : for it is now clothed with artifi- dal plantations of various ages, and singular beauty, while the ve- nerable cruciform church, so consecrated, no longer exists — that which in superstitious times seems to have extended no ordinary sanctity, if it did not give a name to its sequestered environs, hav- ing been superseded more than seventy years ago by a Presbyte- rian parallelogram of the plainest description. The name is thus of a very conjectural origin : and it may farther be stated, that there are strong reasons for supposing that it is not descriptive of the promontory at all, but of a large' district of country, comprising part of the lordship of Lennox, designated Nevyd ; and that the peninsula of Roseneath is just the Ros-de-Nevyd. So long, then, as the meaning of Nevyd h undetermined, we cannot fix the origin or import of the present name : but should it be equivalent to Snowy, which is very likely, then Roseneath might be translated the peninsula of the snowy district, which would be graphically appli- cable to its position in the gorge of the adjacent mountains, partly comprehended in that lordship: for in winter, especially after a snow storm, its aspect is very remarkable, extending its undulatingsurface darkly on the waters, while the snows are unmelted in the mountain- ous regions which surround it. But etymologies of the name seem quite exhaustless. Extent and Boundaries. — The length is about 8 miles, and the breadth varies from about l^ to 2 miles. It is bounded on the east by the Gareloch ; on the south, by the Clyde ; on the west, by Loch Long; and on the north, by the parish of Row ; being thus. 104 DUMBARTONSHIRE. with the exception of the isthmus connecting it with the mainland of Dumbartonshire, entirely surrounded by water. Its form may be described as somewhat resembling that of a boot ; in such a way at least, as to the eye glancing over the map of Europe, Italy has been supposed to do.* Topographical Appearances. — The parish consists mainly of one continuous ridge, rising gradually from the level at its southern extremity, to the Gallowhill, and thence extending in undulating lines of various elevation to the hill of Tamnahara, which is the highest point of the peninsula, about 800 feet above the sea-level, With the exception of the level grounds, where the castle and policies are situated, and the few alluvial fields of the Clachan farm, contiguous to the church, the cultivated parts consist of ac- clivities from the lochs on either side. The whole of the more ele- vated tracts, comprising the summit of the ridge, and forming a kind of table-land, are covered with heath and morass ; and from the edges of these, the enclosed and arable fields descend to the gravelly beach or rocky banks which skirt the shores. The aspect of the whole parish is interesting and beautiful ; to the south especially, where it is adorned with extensive plantations of various ages. The natural lines are of most delicate symme- try, and generally the plantations have been so felicitously ar- ranged, as to give every.advantage to that original and intrinsic beauty of the environs, — while the trees are so mingled, as to secure all variety of tint to the foliage in the transitions of spring and autumn. It is often visited on account of its attractive scenery, and cer- tainly nowhere in this or perhaps in any other country, does a lo- cality of such limited extent contain within itself or command the prospect of a greater variety of interesting objects. Proceeding by any of the roads which intersect it, there is a succession of magnificent landscapes, abounding with whatever elements of subli- mity and beauty the eyes delight to look upon ; and thus, from * Formerly the parish of Roseneath extended much beyond its present dimensions, and was designated in presbytery records and other documents of the time* *^ the pa- rochin without and within the isle." It is now limited to the isle alone, and that moiety without the isle forms now part of the parishes of Cardross and Row. The dis. junction was effected in 1635. Considerable difficulties had occurred in accomplish- ing the new erection of the parish of Row, but at last a presentee was inducted on the express proviso that he should sanction the measure when otherwise matured ; and, moreorer, that he should denude himself of a portion of the teinds, to secure a com- petent living to the incumbent : while, on the other hand, the laird of Ardeucaplc only consented to his admission, on the condition of his preaching alternately in the new kirk of Row, on the opposite side of the Gareloch, and therefore without the isle (except when the Marquis of A rgyle should be resident in Roseneath,) without pre- judioeto the course of the erection, &c. UOS£NEATH. 105 sucli poiDts as the Tower of the Castle — the Grallowhill or Tam- nahara, commanding the most panoramic views, may be seen in one direction perhaps dying away in remote distances, such soft and graceful lines of beauty as vulgarize the most exquisite crea«- tion even of such a pencil as Claude ; while at a glance of the eye elsewhere, sublimer forms rise to the contemplation than ever excited admiration around the bold and impetuous fancies of a Sal- ▼ator Rosa. Perhaps, in absence of more important materials of statistical record, an instance or two may be given of the effect of these re- markable scenes upon sensitive minds. A distinguished man, well known as an elegant religious author, and exhibiting in his works a peculiar delicacy of perception of natural beauty, sat and wept like a child, when he first looked down upon the Gareloch from Baremman, so singularly bounded by the Castle point, the pro- montory of Ardmor, the distant hills of Renfrewshire; the exqui- site harmonies of the landscape were too much for even his eye, so familiar with beauty. Another, scarcely less known, from a different point, thus affected with the contemplation of the same objects, one fine summer morning, the writer heard exclaiming, *' O ! this is too much, this is too much !" and then his feelings were relieved by bursting into tears. After a long silence, al)- sorbed in gazing from Tamnahara on the rugged forms of the mountains, rising abruptly from the waters of Loch Long and Lochgoil ; " Never" — did a certain graphic author thus exclaim, creating terms for what he so admiced, ^^ Never did I see such specimens of the statuary of nature.'' An English artist accom- panied the minister one day to a cottager, who was labouring un- der very acute disease. He betrayed no peculiar emotion as he heard the groans of the poor man, so expressive of his intense endurance. No sooner, however, had he crossed the threshold, than he exclaimed; — " O nature ! O man!" waving his hand to- wards the glories he looked upon. The contrast was indeed ir- resistible. How much of the primeval order and beauty seemed to adorn what surrounded the cottage — how much of the misery of man's primeval folly dwelt within it ! Meteorology^ §*c. — There has been no register kept with suffi- cient accuracy to afford any precise test of the comparative tem- perature and pressure of our atmosphere. It may be stated, how- ever, that the air is much milder here than at most other places in the same neighbourhood, and on the same line across the cown- 10(i DUMBARTONSHIRE. try. This is known to be the fact, and is indicated by various nataral appearances, such as the continuance of the foliage, and the length of time during which exotics of considerable delicacy may be exposed to the open air without injury. This mildness of climate is more observable towards the end of autumn and during the winter than in the season of spring ; and while the frosts of winter are less severe than in the interior of the country, the heats of summer are by no means so violent ; which may be accounted for by the peninsular situation of the parish, and its being sur- rounded and sheltered by higher grounds, which, though separated from it by the intervening wafers, are not more than a mile or two distant. The prevalent winds are from the south and south-west ; and to these the Loch Long side of the parish is particularly expos- ed, while the Gareloch side is enjoying shelter the most complete. The average rain is certainly not greater, but it is without doubt more frequent, than in the neighbouring districts of Renfrewshire and Argyleshire. The chief reason of this is to be found in the conflicting attractions of the higher grounds on opposite sides of the Frith. A large mass of dense vapour may frequently be seen driving up the estuary of the Clyde, as if ready to deluge the pe- ninsula in its progress. On reaching the narrow part of the chan- nel, between the Clock and Dunoon, it appears to pause for a while, as if considering in what direction to proceed : but whether it eventually verge toward the mountains of Cowal on the left, or toward the masses of Renfrew on the right, a portion of its watery burden descends on our intermediate shores, — and thus, whichever attraction prevail, we have invariably what is called the tail of the shower. This phenomenon is very striking, and may be very easily seen at certain seasons of the year ; and during the struggle of the opposing forces for the mastery, the scenery of the dark and stormy heavens oftentimes presents an aspect of bold and rugged sublimity. ♦ * Changes of weaUicr are preceded by such prognostics as arc common in other districts, — such, for example, as the low flight of the crow in the growing humidity of the air, — the landward flight and flocking together of the gulls before a gale. One or two may be specified as rather peculiar. In the calmest ni^rht the tide-stream at the ferry, although, as it passes, silent like the falling dew, will sometimes, before atmospheric changes, resound like a cataract. Let the sky be starry and cloudless, and otherwise studded all over with promises of a beautiful morning, the sun to a certainty will have much ado to escape from the clouds that shall crowd together to blindfold him. Between two peaks on the Arrochar range, to tlie cast of the *' Duke*s Bowling- green- Hill," should there appear a hazy ill-defined cloud in the afternoon, even iQ- though not a cloud should be elsewhere alwvc the horizon, many a dingy mass of va- pour will it have to l)ear by the morning. KOSENEATH. 107 The parish is, upon the whole, very healthy, as is iDdicated by the loi^Tity of a much greater proportion of the people than is obsenrable in ordinary cases, and by the great number of large families that reach maturity without the occurrence of a single death. The air is indeed moist, but it is, at the same time, par- ticularly pure, to which the tide-streams, running in all directons romad nine-tenths of its boundary, must in no small degree con- tribute. It is vitiated by no miasma : the beaches are generally gravelly and bold ; and though a considerable part of the surface of the parish consists of marshy grounds, these lie along the sum- mit of the ridge, and none of their exhalations at any season de- scend to the cultivated and inhabited districts. It is very seldom that any thing like foggy weather prevails ; and the haars of the east coast are entirely unknown. It ought to be mentioned, how- ever, that one part is certainly less healthy than the rest : that toward the south, which is much crowded by plantations, and where, during the last twenty years, the proportion of sickness and death has been much greater than in the Loch Long district, and on the upper shores of the Gareloch. The prevalent diseases are rheumatic and pulmonary affections, which may be accounted for by the humidity of the climate, the nature and situation of the dwellings. Fevers do not frequently occur, and when they do, are traceable in almost all cases to infection from without the isle^ as it is called, and are convey- ed sometimes under circumstances that reflect but little credit on the principles and feelings of the wealthier classes of our city The transmission of sound acrossthc Ferry is remarkably varied by the degree of hu- midity in the air ; but no state of the atmosphere for the last twenty years has enabled the writer to detect the celebrated echo of the district. It is, however, gravely stated •8 a fact in acoustic treatises, on the authority of Dr Bird, ** that, somewhere in the *• Ule»* when a person at a proper distance played eight or ten notes on a trumpet, they were correctly repeated, but a third lower ; atlcr a short silence another repetition was heard in a yet lower tone ; and after another short interval they were repeated a third time lower stiU.** That proper distance nobody has been able to discover, at least within the last twenty years. It is possible the reverberation may have been greatly modified by the growth of the plantations ; but it is not likely that these varying keys should have been altogether lost. It is a curious circumstance, that, many years ago, when hailing a steam^boAt at anchor in the contiguous bay from the point of Craigencroan, the words were repeated distinctly ; and finding, on trial, that we had caught an echo of nine syllables, the writer and his friend at first supposed it was the long lost echo re- stored to the vicinage. There was no such repetition, no pause, nor change of key ; but firom that day to this the echo none can rouse from her slumber. A most evaoeaeent creature she must have been, in all probability depending for her existence on the position of the steamer at the time annihilated by the first dash of her paddle. So much for the Rosencath echo. Philosophers, puzzling themselves to explain the mystery cf her being, may remind one of Charles the Second, with his fish and tub of water» among the fathers of the Royal Society. 4 108 DUMBAUTONSUIUE. population. The evil alluded to, and from which the parish occa- sionally suffers, is of the following kind : There are a great num ber of young women from this parish employed as domestic ser- vants in the contiguous towns, more especially in Glasgow. As may be expected, not a few of these are from time to time seized with fevers and other infectious disorders : and though they are well known to be both faithful and active domestics, yet, no sooner are they unfit for their labour, than they are often hurried away from the families in whose services they have caught the in- fection, without any attendant, sometimes without any arrange- ment for their safety or comfort having ever been attempted. In this diseased and distressed condition they are left to find their way home as they best can : though symptoms of their malady are thus highly aggravated by undue exertion and exposure ; and with a diminished likelihood of recovery to themselves, they are made the vehicles of conveying disease, in its most virulent forms, to the small, and damp, and often crowded cottages of their native parishes. Within the last twenty years, there have been several fatal cases both of palsy, scrofula, and cancer ; and during the late visitation of Asiatic cholera, there were two cases of the disease, both of which terminated fatally. Many remarkable forms of disease have appeared among us ; and not a few very peculiar cases of insanity. In regard to these no minute details can be given here ; but in closing this section, it may be stated, that two very singular recoveries from disease have occurred within the last fifteen years. The one was the case of an epileptic youth, whose mind and body were fast decaying under his severe malady. It so happened that his parents had on one occasion left within his reach more than a pint of ardent spirits, for which, unhappily, he had contracted a liking. On their return home they found the bottle empty, and their epileptic son stretched senseless on the floor. He slept continuously for upwards of forty hours, and awoke in comparative health both of body and mind. He lived for several years, and during all that period he had no return of his malady, and no desire for violent stimulants. The other was the case of a poor woman, the mother of a large family, who, for a considerable period, had been in a state of vio- lent and seemingly confirmed derangement Her husband was so arrested and exercised with her distressing situation, that at length his mind became unhinged also ; and one night, in a fit of impetu- ROSENKATH. 109 ous distrsctioD, he rushed from his cottage, and drowned himself in the Gareloch. So awful and sudden an event was not unblest to the poor widow : the result was her entire and almost immediate restoration to soundness of mind. Hydrography. — As might be expected from the nature of the parish, there are many small rivulets, or brooks, descending from the higher grounds. In rainy weather, these give an aspect of great liveliness to the scenery on both shores, increasing at times from brawling brooklets to impetuous torrents, and showing in the lower parts of their course many cascades of various and pictu«- resque beauty. During the piercing frosts of our severer winters, there may thus be seen an endless variety of columnar congella- tions, glancing through the leafless brushwood of the bolder rocky banks ; while during the intense heats of summer, the streams which should replace them entirely disappear. Of late years, there have been several waterspouts of unusual magnitude on the Grareloch side ; and, as these occurred at one locality, there must in all probability be something in the nature and form of the ground to occasion the coincidence. There is one small lake in the parish contiguous to Tamnahara. It is not deep, but its waters are very pure, and it affords what may be considered rather good perch fishing. A small stream from this lonely and elevated lake falls into Loch Long near the north-west extremity of the parish ; but this, like our other streams, is very inconsiderable during the warm summer months. There are but few perennial springs : one of these, near the old mansion-house at Clachan, is nearly of the same temperature at all seasons ; and in droughty summers has been occasionally re- sorted to from considerable distances. The other, in the Clachan glen, called the Minister's well, is slightly chalybeate, and, like the former, scarcely varies in its temperature. Although there are no fresh water rivers, there is a considerable stream in the tides of the Gareloch at Roseneath Ferry. These are very remarkable, as well for their rapidity as their varying di- rection, occasioned by the narrowing of the loch at the Row Point, and the various headlands or horns of the contiguous bays. The waters both in Loch Long and Loch Gare are generally clear, — their depth varies from 10 to 30 fathoms, and the saltness of nei- ther is materially diminished by the waters of the Clyde. In Loch Long, the current runs about two miles, and in the Gareloch three or four miles, an hour. no DUMBARTONSHIRE. The Gareloch affords excellent anchorage for vessels of all sizes ; the holding-ground is good, and the shelter is complete from all the more prevalent winds. This is especially true of the beautiful small bay of Campsaile, perhaps the best sheltered anchorage on the west coast of Scotland. Of late years, it has on this account been se- lected by many gentlemen of the Royal Yacht Club, and during the winter season is studded with their cutters, which ride there in perfect safety during the most violent gales. It appears that, at a very early period, it was used by the Kings of Scotland for a similar pur- pose, having been a frequent station of the royal navies : and with- in the memory of the present generation a 74 gun-ship lay for a considerable time at anchor, between the Row Ferry and the Castle- point : Indeed, the whole navy of Britain might ride securely on the bosom of the Gareloch, and enjoy all the comforts of an inland harbour. Geology and Mineralogy. — There is scarcely any thing worthy of notice in the geological structure of the parish. It may be men- tioned, however, that nearly the whole strata of this peninsula be- long to the primitive class of rocks. The prevailing formation is day-slate, which, at times, passes into chlorite slate, and, more rarely, into mica slate. One example of the chlorite slate has been furnished by quarries that have been opened on the face of the hill rising from the Gareloch, above the Row Ferry. The clay slate strata are inclined at an angle of about 60^ The di- rection appears to be pretty uniform, from north-west to south-east. On the shore of Loch Long, near the site of the old fort at Knockderry, a large mass of greenstone has been forced up be- tween the strata, and appears as a dike of from twenty to thirty feet thick, lying interposed between the strata, and not cutting them across. In the immediate vicinity of this dike, the rock approaches in its mineralogical character to chlorite slate ; but at no great distance, the clay-slate appears. Another much smaller greenstone dike, about three feet thick, and nearly half a mile farther south, on the same shore, is found similarly related to the adjoining stra- ta. The south-eastern extremity of the parish is occupied by a rock of the secondary class, conglomerate, or coarse sandstone, which occurs in beds of considerable thickness. This rock is recognized as a portion of the great sandstone formation which extends along the opposite shores of Renfrew and Ayrshire, and embraces the Cumbrae Islands and a large portion of the southern half of Bute. The sandstone must, no doubt, be regarded as one BOSBNEATH. 1 1 1 of the lowest membersof the carboniferous series, which pervades the great valley of the Scottish Lowlands, in which no organic remains have hitherto been found. The line of formation between the sandstone and primitive rock of the parish runs along the vale or dingle which stretches from Campsaile on the eastern shore to Port- kill on the south-west. Although seldom observable on the surfoce, k it easily known by the superior fertility of the fields lying on the sandstone. In the slate formation on the Loch Long shore, as well as in the quartz, iron pyrites is found in considerable abundance. In the slate, it is always crystallized, and in the quartz it appears in irregular masses of larger size. The colour of the slate varies very much, and obviously in proportion to the quantity of oxide of iron which pervades it. Boulders of granite are frequent on the western shore^ some of them of considerable size. Zooloffy, — There is nothing remarkable in the zoology of the pa- rish. No animals of any rarity seem to be indigenous. The zo<^* logical ornament of the parish is its herd of roe-bucks. These ele- gant creatures, although not so numerous as formerly, may still be seen in little groups, chiefly in their favourite haunts throughout the woods, or bounding across the open fields. They seem rather mi- gratory in their habits, which, independent of other causes, accounts for their diminished numbers. For it is a remarkable fact, that, although the plantations here afford the best possible retirements, and seldom any thing can occur to startle or annoy them, they have been seen occasionally swimming across Loch Long to the Cowal mountains, and throughout the Lennox different colonies are spring- ing up, whose common ancestors browsed in our quiet groves on this side the Gareloch. It is said that at one time the soil of the peninsula was so sove- reign a repellent of rats, that not one of the race would come near it. The Greenock skippers, to secure their vessels from such a nuisance, shipped ballast from the Roseneath shore for any of their longer voyages; audit seems there is no doubt a sagacious West India plant- er did veritably export some casks of our earth to Jamaica, in hopes of killing the rats that were gnawing his sugar canes. The alleged peculiar sanctity of the spot, may have originated such an impres- sion of the virtue of the soil of the beautiful isle. The fact of their being no rats in the parish, would aid the delusion. Now, indeed, different races of these pestilent vermin, under cover of our ag- ricultural improvement or from vessels with less sacred ballast touch* ing our shores, have effected a habitat here as in other districts. Not 112 DUMBARTONSHIRE. more than forty years ago, however, a rat seemed so rare and, strange a creature, that the children were let loose from the parish school for the express purpose of seeing the skeleton of one which had been found, to the surprise of the whole neighbourhood, at the demolition of the old ferry house. In the high grounds, grouse are still found in considerable num- bers, although gradually giving way to the more muscular black game. The partridge, coveys have multiplied with the cultivation of the fields below. Hares are not increasing in number. In their season, snipe and woodcock are abundant in certain localities : but pheasants, although all the ordinary arts have been employed to naturalize them in covers apparently most agreeable to their habits, ?— the soil has hitherto put forth no virtue sufficient to attract The surrounding waters periodically abound with herrings ; and salmon* are caught at different stations in considerable numbers ; but there is nothing peculiar in the mode of fishing either. In re- gard to the herrings, it may be stated that they appear in the Gareloch sooner than in any other of the western lochs, and are fully equal in quality to those of Loch Fine. Of late years, they have not been so numerous as formerly, owing, as many persons in lack of a more exact philosophy imagine, to the frequent passing and repassing of steam-vessels in all directions, and more especially where the waters of the Gareloch and Lochlong diverge from the estuary of the Clyde. The symptoms of the approach of the shoal for the season are familiar to the natives, and always excite interest around our shores. Nor does the flight of gulls and other aquatics, or the harlequin movements of the porpoises in the end of May or beginning of June, contribute more to the picturesque aspect of our secluded waters, than they excite agreeable sensations, as the well known heralds of God's bounty, on its way with each coming tide from the prolific depths of the more distant ocean. There is, besides, a great variety of fishes, more or less abun- dant, fit for the table, found in our contiguous waters, viz. sea-trout, haddock, common or rock-cod, ling, (20 lbs.) whiting, skate, mac- kerel, flounders of all varieties, sethe, lithe; but, from whatever cause, they are all less numerous than about ten or twenty years ago. In addition to these others, are occasionally found, such as the hali- • In the twelfth century, A melee, the Earl of Lennox, granted to the monks of Pais- ley a right to all the salmon fishing in the Gare'och, reserving to himself and heirs •verv fourth salmon. R08ENBATH. 113 buCy (60 lbs.) said to be a peculiar favourite with the Jews; mullet, q)erlins, John Dorys, one of the most elegant of the finny tribe, the gunuurd or crooner, so named, from its emitting a sound at the depth of several feet, similar to the grunting of a pig, the braise, of sin- gular beauty of colour, (2 lbs.) grim iris, the bones of which, when boiled, become quite green, and several years ago, a tunny, of about eight feet in length, was entangled in the salmon nets ; or rather was entrapped out of his depth at the head of the Gareloch. The shell fish of any value are few. Occasionally a crab or lobster is found on the Loch Long shore. Mussels are numerous, but seldom come to maturity ; there is a bed or two of oysters, also of excellent quality, but scantily inhabited. The following is a list of Roseneath shells, or shells on the Gareloch shore, two or three of which may be interesting to con- chologists. FiBtella Tulgarit Modiula vulgaris Venus gallina Turbo littoreus Mjrtilus edulis Venerupis pullastra Turbo nidis Csuttium edulc Venerupis Virginca Nerita littoralis Cardium echinatum Pholan dactylus TomateUa tomatilis Tellina tenuis Hiatella rugosa Bnceinum undatum Psammobia solidula Mya arenaria RofteUaria pes-pelecani Astarte Scotica Mya truncata. Peeten opercularb Astarte Gnnensis Pecten varius Cyprina Islandica Botany, — The soil .seems favourable for the growth of trees of all descriptions ; and evergreens, shy, or rather difiicult of culture, shoot up in the more sheltered spots with wonderful celerity and luxuriance. There are in the woods of Campsail, as well as in the policies contiguous to the Castle, and around the church, trees of great magnitude and beauty. But the botanic glory of the pa- rish, are the two silver firs near the site of the old mansion of the Campbells of Carrick. They are supposed to have been among the first specimens, and coeval with the introduction of that species of pine into this country. Their circumference, five feet from the ground, is about 19 feet, and their lofty stems support a profusion of mighty boughs, by the peculiar form and grouping of which, such an expression of power and majesty is conveyed, as to excite, even in the most insensible, sublime emotions. They singularly combine, by their relative position, to effect this. A distinguished artist greatly erred, when preparing his work on fo- rest trees ; he sketched only one of these magnificent forms. Would a section of York Minster do justice to that noble pile in a collec- tion of Gothic cathedrals ? DUMBARTON. H 114 DUMBARTONSHIRE. The following is a list of the more humble plants in the parish, some of which will be found of considerable rarity. Hypericum quadrangulum perforatum humifusum pulchrum cinerea » » «»»»« ■««»»>«»»«»'»i» cioqcs Salicomia berbacea Veronica aoiitellata anagallis montana M)#M»#0l«ltfW*«lf0>m0^-0'i0mm0i^m^m00>^^^ 0>m0>mmn^0>0mm^0<**0m^*i**0 Pinguicula vulguris Lyoopus EuropsBus Ciroaea lutettana alpina tfV<*MM»WW«M# m0'm0im000mf^mm0^0mm »»#»#»»^»0»»^»»rfl^»»#>#m0m0i0mm p^w^»***<^#*»<»»s » 0>^>mmg0<0'>0>0^m^0>0>fm MWtfMMW^* Lysimacbia vulgaris Erytliraea centaurium 8amoIus valerandi Lonicera periclymenum Glaux maritima Gentiana campestris Sanicula Europasa Cicuta virosa- SisoD verticillatum Carum carui Pimpjnella saxifraga GEnanthe fistulosa Daucus carota Salsola kali Viburnum opal us Parnassia palustris Droaera rotundlfolia Hyacintbus non-scriptus Narthecium ossifragum Vaccinium uHgniosum vitis idea oxycoccos Polygonum vlnparum Pyrola media Chrysosplenium opposi* tiiblium > w »»a «i»i»— m0i0i00*00m000tm000mm\m B\ IVclvavUIH Aster tripolium Solidago virgaurea Orcbis mascula ,,^,.».w« latifolia Gymnadenia conopses Habenaria viridii .^ albida •ifwiawtMM « bifolia Listera ovata W0*0mm0'000*000k COl CJH m Zostcra marina Myrica gale Juniperus communis Polypodium vulgare pbegopteris dryopteris Aspidium lobatum , oreopteris filix-mas dilatatum ^ filix fisemina Cistopteris fragilis Asplenium viride ruta-muraria adiantum nigrum iricbomanes Scolopendrium vulgare Blechnum boreale Hymenophyllum Wilsoni Botrychiuro lunaiia Lycopodium clavatum selago alpina selaginoidesy 0>l^0*0m0000»000t0>^00m0i0^ 0>^*0>m0»0'0>0'0>00>00*0 #^*P^* 90*0>0^0>0**>00>0^^^>000* ^ 000>0i00^00>m00<0>*0m0t 00m00l^00>00'0<00 W0^mm00t00^m000>^0*00t0>0'm^t0l0'*m 0^^0^*>mi*m0i0^'0^0t0l0t0mt00^^^00t0>0t00t0^0i wn»wMiM#w^viffM#«»tfM«wwt II. — Civil History. As has been already observed, the peninsula formed a portion of the district de Nevyd, granted at a very early period to the Len- nox family, and continuing in their possession till the close of the fifteenth century. In the year 1489, the Earl of Lennox seems to have been engaged in measures rather of a treasonable charac- ter, for which he had forfeited the royal favour. The records of the Scottish Parliament contain a declaration and ratification of his pardon ; but the forfeiture from all his property was not with- drawu; for, in that same year, the lands of Roseneath were a royal ROSENEATH, 115 gift to Colin, the first Earl of Argyle. It does not appear that the whole of the Roseneath district, or of the lands de Nevyd was bestowed upon Argj'le, for down to the beginning of the seven- teenth century, the property of that family, even in the* isle* was limited to its southern extremity. The new acquisition, however, was of importance in the history of that illustrious family, being its first territorial coimection with the western Lowlands, which thus extended its influence beyond its original limits, and great- ly facilitated, in later ages, its predominance for more than a century, amid the agitations and antipathies of a tramsition coun- try, so to speak, consummating the demolition of one, and con- struction of another system of religious opinions. The first pro- prietor of Roseneath was a man eminent for his wisdom in con- duct His integrity of principle, and his talent for public affairs, were evinced by the ofiices he filled, having been Lord High Chancellor of Scotland, and plenipotentiary at the celebrated Nor- thampton conference ; by his fidelity to the last to his sovereign, amid the rebellious nobles ; and by the confidence reposed in him, notwithstanding, by James IV. on his accession to the throne. The occasional presence or residence of the successive Earls of Argyle must have materially affected the civil and religious condition of this district, but especially when they abjured the Romanist su- perstitions. The fourth earl was the first nobleman of his country who embraced the Scripture faith of the Reformation ; and as he cherished in his household the teachers of the truth, his dependents and tenantry would unquestionably share the blessedness which he enjoyed himself, and which, in his celebrated letter to the furious and bigoted Primate, he evinces so strong a desire to secure for them. Subsequently, during the tyranny of the latter Stewarts, the Lowland Presbyterians often found shelter on this side the Gare- loch, as the names and traditional histories of several families, residing here for many generations, indicate. It is curious, indeed, to observe how tradition sometimes extends the line of its vague remembrance. An old woman of the name of Chalmers preferred a claim some years ago for sessional relief, grounding it on the al- leged fact, that her " mother's forbears had for fifteen, and her fa- ther's forbears for twenty-five generations been residenters in the parish." The truth of her story was not difficult to expiscate, al- though tradition had so rapidly elongated her genealogical tree, for there is little doubt but that Chalmers of Gadgirth, a leader of the 116 DUMBARTONSHIIIK. Covenanters, was the chief of her ancestors, who had found their way across the Frith of Clyde during the troubles of the western Lowlands, to enjoy the protection of the family of Argyle. Notwithstanding the accounts that are generally given that Bal- four of Burley, one of the assassins of Sharpe, passed over to Hol- land, and died in the service of the Prince of Orange, there are strong presumptions that he found an asylum in the same penin- sula, and that, having assumed the name of Salter, his descendants continued here for several generations. They were always consi- dered of more gentle kin than the tenantry around them; their family traditions, it is said, uniformly so identified their ancestor. The last of this race died about thirty years ago. The effect of this immigration and settlement from the Lowlands was traceable in the earlier disuse of the Gaelic language in this than in the contiguous parish ; of which this may be stated as con- clusive evidence, that there were Gaelic services at communions in the neighbouring church of Row, although not hal^ a mile across the Gareloch, for fifty years after they had been laid aside in Rose- neath. Antiquities^ Sfc, — There are no ruins or monuments to throw any light on the more remote history of the spfct, with the excep- tion of the debris of an old Danish or Norwegian fort at Knockderry, on the Loch Long shore. This must have been coeval at least with the battle of Largs, and is admirably situated for observation, commanding an extensive range of the frith and its shores in all di- rections. It is certain that the Danes sailed a,long the northern shore of the parish to Arrochar, and that, having conveyed their boats across the isthmus of Tarbet, they devastated the islands of Loch Lomond, and the contiguous district Thus, in the absence of more authentic information, we may gather from witnessing the ruins of the antique stronghold, fitted to protect them, either as they advanced or retired, that these now peaceful shores were once the scene of violence and bloodshed. It may be noticed in pas- sing, that though the term Loch Long, sufiBciently characterizes the form of the waters that bound the parish in the west, yet it does not primarily refer to their appearance at all, but to the ancient ex- pedition alluded to, and strictly means the lake of ships ; and no doubt the classical reader may see in this, not a very distant or in- distinct connexion with the longiB naves of the Romans. There is a precipitous rock of conglomerate on the north of the castle called Wallace's leap, which is traditionally monumental ROSENEATH. 117 of similar occurrences at a less distant period in the south of the peninsula. On one occasion, as the story goes, Wallace, having been hotly pursued by his enemies, galloped in the direction of this cliflT, and having no other way of escape, leaped his horse from its lofty brink. The poor steed was killed upon the spot, and its grave is still marked by a rude block described as its tombstone ; but Wallace himself made for the Gareloch, swam across, and so escaped his Saxon pursuers. Such is the tale of tradition ; but Blind Harry describes a visit of his hero to the " Isle" under more auspicious circumstances : for instead of hurrying hence as a fugi- tive in imminent peril of his life, he took and set on 6re and de- molished the castle, and then cros^d in triumph to Fasslane, a re- sidence of the Earl of Lennox, whose patriotism never gave way ID those days of aristocratic apostacy. To use the language of the old ministrel, Yan to F&5lan ye wortbe Scot yan pass, Quhar Erie Malcolm was bydand at defence, Kicbt glad wa« he of Wallace gude presence. In what condition the castle remained for centuries, or whether it was ever rebuilt or possessed while within the Lordship of Len- nox, it is impossible now to say. About 1630, it seems to have been fitted up by the Marquis of Argyle, as a subsidiary residence to the old family mansion of Inverara. A small castellated build, ing situated on the point south of Campsail bay, the late Duke enlarged, and surrounded it with more commodious suites of apart- ments. About thirty years ago, Rosneath Castle was once more burnt to the ground, which gave occasion to his Grace, then a very aged man, thus piously to express his gratitude to Divine Provi- dence, as he viewed the conflagration from Ardencaple on the op- posite shore, ** I thank my God I have another house to go to." Of religious houses there are no ruins, although the names of several places indiciite their former existence, and tradition con- firms the impression conveyed by the name. Of these, Kilcraigin, the chapel of the Rock, and Port Kill, the harbour of the chapel, may be given as examples. Some traditions attaching to these spots have already been alluded to; and it may further be stated, that the bodies of the dead used to be brought thither from the Hebrides and other districts of Argyleshire, and even from Ireland, as if to enjoy a more sacred and happier sepulture in ground, from a very early period imagined to be of peculiar sanctity. In one of the fields near Port Kill, several stone coflins were found about thirty years ago. They were of very rude construction ; and the ri8 DUMBARTONSHIRE. relics of the dead they contained had become as the dust that en« closed them. On the farm of Marson, the last ruins of what seemed to have been some ancient chapel, were employed in completing the en- closures of that district, regarding which some interesting tradi- tions were in circulation among the people; very much resembling those of the crusade adventures. In the contiguous farm of Mem- big, there is a deeply affecting spot by a beautifully sequestered lit- tle bay overhung with lofty trees, which cannot be omitted, when not- ing the few antiquities, if they can be so called, which the '* isle" contains. There is indeed nothing seen there monumental of the doings or sufferings of man ; only the green sward meets the eye, and no relics of any former age ; but who can look on it without emotion ? it is the traditionary burial place of unchristened infants, during the iron tyranny of the papal delusion. A sweetly solemn seclusion, as if a dark and severe superstition, half relenting its own uncharitableness, and yielding to a certain compunctious tender- ness of feeling, had sought for the loveliest spot in this beautiful " isle," for the repose of those babes whose dust it had harshly doomed to exile from the sepulchre of their fathers. Modem Buildings, — After the destruction of the old castle, the late Duke of Argyle founded another mansion in 1803, not on the old site, but retiring from the shore more towards the bosom of the Bay of Campsail. It is from a splendid design by J. Bononi of London, in Romanesque, or rather modern Italian style of archi- tecture. The general effect is exceedingly graceful and elegant. It has two principal fronts, to the north and to the south. The former is adorned with a magnificent portico, approximating to the Roman Ionic, and projecting so far as to admit of a carriage-way being within it. A circular tower rises from the centre of the building, surrounded by a balustrade at the summit, from which there is one of the most splendid panoramas that can possibly be conceived. The situation, although in some respects inferior to that of the old castle, and not perhaps the best that might have been other- wise selected on the grounds, is happy in many respects ; and the castle itself, with its magnificent environs of woods, and waters, and mountains, contains, in rich variety and profusion such ele- ment); of beauty and sublimity, as those who are strangers to the shores of the Gareloch may find it exceeding difficult to see any where else. ROSENEATH. ]19 The Easter House, formerly the seat of the ancestors of the present Ducal family, of the house of Argyle, is remarkable for its position, from the magnificence of its back-ground, and the yew avenue, with its parallel of lofty limes extending to the church — ^a grouping which excites very much the admiration of strangers. Besides, there have been, within the last twenty years, erected throughout the parish, chiefly on the Gareloch, a considerable number of villas and cottages, which, if not distinguished for ar- chitectural elegance, generally occupy situations which command most interesting prospects of the surrounding scenery. Maps, jfc. — There have been very minute maps, plans, and surveys recently made for the respective land-owners ; but there are DO letters or documents existing which particularly illustrate the history and antiquity of the parish. The sessional records do not extend back above seventy years, and have not been regularly or fiilly kept. A pretty correct list of the births, marriages, and deaths has been kept for the last twenty years. There are regular half-yearly meetings of the heritors and kirk- session for the distribution of poor's-money ; and notices of these have been regularly engrossed, in a separate volume, for the last half century. Heritors. — There are only four heritors in the parish : The Duke of Argyle ; his Grace's brother. Lord John Campbell ; Co- lin Campbell, Esq. of Pealton ; and Dugald Cumming, Esq. of Baremman. The last only is resident in the parish. Eminent Persons^ 8fc. — Respecting various members of the Argyle family, whose names are honourably associated with their country's history, reference might be made to the public records, since none of the events in which they bore so conspicuous a part happened here, or are especially connected with this locality, — it being uncertain, besides, whether any of them were natives of this parish ; yet, as it seems to have been ai*avourite residence with one of these illustrious men, the Marquis of Argyle, a notice of his character may be inserted from one of the historians of his own age. " He was a man of singular piety, prudence, authority, and elo- quence ; and though he had been much envied and calumniated, yet his death did abundantly vindicate him. He left his desolate family upon the Lord's providence and the King's uncertain favour. As he was a very great support to the work of reformation, so it was buried with him in one grave for many a year." 120 DUMBARTONSHIRE. His widow continued to reside in the castle which he had re- built, nor can the insertion be resisted of this beautiful eulogium on one who so long hallowed these sequestered shores by her pre- sence. " His noble lady, Lady Margaret Douglas, a lady of sin- gular piety and virtue, bore the sad shock with other both per- sonal and domestic afflictions, with great patience and incredible fortitude, giving herself always to prayer and fasting, and minis- tering to the necessity of the saints." In the old Castle* one of their daughters was married to the Earl of Caithness, whom Mid- dleton, the brutal minister for Scotland, (one of those dissolute bacchanals to whom Charles II. conBded che government of his kingdom,) *' threatened to kick with his foot when sitting on her knees before him, begging her dead fether Argyle's head to be buried." The fate of the next Argyle, rather a rash patriot, the victim of royal resentment and jealousy, is well known ; although, perhaps, the particulars of his escape from his first imprisonment are fami- liar only to the readers of the more minute and circumstantial bio- graphies. They were of a romantic cast, and reflect exceeding credit upon the self-command and dexterity of his step-daughter, the Lady Sophia Lindsay, to whom, after his arrival in the Low Countries, he addressed a poem well expressed, and throughout containing a pleasing vein of religious sentiment The following lines might be applied to the present phase of our own community, and are quoted to show how curiously in certain cycles men are the agents or the victims of the same ecclesiastical and political an- tagonisms : The world is here as I have seen, All do cry down what is — up what hath hecn ; Debate for government in church and state, Are still the deviPs delight. * The castle was the scene o£ superstitious omens of bis untimely end. According to Baillie, " all the dogs on the day Charles 1 1, landed in England, did take a strange howling and staring up to my lady*s bedchamber for some time together. The Mar- quis's sister. Lady Kenmure, * from a little skill of physiognomy which Mr Alex- ander Colville, Justice Deput,an old servant of the house, had taught her, had said some years ago that her brother would die in blood.'* *' When the Lord Marquis of Argyle went from Inverara to Roseneath in his birline, when going up to sec the King after his return from exile, Mr Gordon, minister, with some others, accompanied bim to the boat, and after said lord wus upon his voyage they, returning home, m«t a dumb man, who fells a whining and mourning, and having a staff in his hand, laid down the staff on the ground, and lays his body on the ground, laying his neck upon tke stafi^ and smyting the upper part of his neck with the edge of his band, he arosQ from the ground and |K>iuted at my lA>rd Argyle in the birline, which accordingly fell out, for he was beheaded.*' ROSBNEATH. 121 Dr Andersoo, the well knowD founder of the Andersonian losti- tutioD of Glasgow, was the son of a former minister of the parish, and was bom in the manse. He was a man of eminent talent and various attainments, and will long be remembered ashaving first realized the idea of bringing within reach of the labouring classes the philosophy and science of the chartered universities. Matthew Stewart, one of the most distinguished of the Scottish mathematical scholars, perhaps better known as the father of the celebrated Dugald Stewart, was for some years minister of Rose- neath. There are still current among the older people, some ra^- ther amusing traditions respecting his singular absence of mind, and the avenue of yew trees, in itself so remarkable, leading from the church to the old family seat of the Campbells of Ma- more, has acquired rather a classical interest, from having been the frequent and favourite scene of his peripatetic meditations.* III. — Population. Since the date of the former Statistical Account, the popula* tion has been gradually increasing. Then it was stated to be only 894, now it consists of 709 souls. The agricultural improvements of the intermediate period easily account for this : having render- ed necessary the employment of additional labourers, and increas- ed the productiveness of the soil. The Government census of 1831 shows a still higher number, but that was a partial augmentation arising from a temporary cause, the working of two slate quarries which had been opened on two different properties, but which have since been closed. The number of families is 156, and the average of births, mar- riages, and deaths, during the last seven years, has been 17, 4, and 9^ respectively. It may be remarked, that, while the average of each family is not more than A^^^ the average of children bom in each produc- tive marriage is so high as 5/x 5 ^^^ ^^ ^' unworthy of note, that from a calculation regarded as accurate that of all the children • Tt seems not just to pass over, without some particular notice, tlic extraordinary instance of Isabella Campbell, who indeed, although in humble life, might have been named among the eminent persons connected with the parish. Successive ^itions of her memoirs, consisting of many thousand copies, have been printed ; and it may be truly said, that wherever the English language is spoken, the knowledge of her godly example has found its way. The letters, although she had no other advantage than what the cottage school afforded, are written with great elegance and beauty, admirably showing how the habitual contemplation of the glorious revelation of Divine truth may supersede the ordinary means of mental cultivation and refinement. 122 DUMBARTONSHIRE. born to the heads of families now in the parish, and resident for the last forty years, ^%% are still alive. To whatever cause so small a mortality may be attributed, the salubrity of the air, the general healthiness and sober habits of the parents, or the skill and care with which they nurture their ofiF- spring, it is a fact not a little remarkable in the history of human life. Large families, indeed, frequently reach mature age without a single breach, and sometimes with scarcely the experience of any acute disease ; and instances of longevity, it is believed, are much more numerous than in most parishes of similar extent. Of the whole population l-9th are above sixty years of age, 1-1 8th above seventy. Many are considerably beyond eighty. Several have reached their ninetieth year, and although only one female is older (in her ninety- third,) a few years ago there were several living nearly a century old, and one female died in her hundred and third, who a twelvemonth before had displayed such strength of consti- tution, and such tenacity of life, as to have recovered entirely from a severe dysentery of several weeks duration. Regarding one venerable lady, whose age extended to within a little of a century, it is worthy of record, that, as each Sabbath re- turned, she regularly committed to memory, as in the days of her youth, a portion of scripture, with some psalm or hymn, or spiri- tual song, to supply her wakeful nights, or when she was alone, as she used to say, with materials of reflection and devotion. The great bulk of the population now are engaged in agricul- tural pursuits, and the tradesmen are of such crafts as are need- ful to supply the wants of a rural district. There is neither a baker nor butcher in the parish, but the contiguous towns compen- sate that deflciency. Character of the People^ Sfc. — In their general deportment, they are well conducted, sensible, and judicious in the management of their affairs, not distinguished, perhaps, for enterprise or energy, but steady and industrious, exceedingly neighbourly and kind, and although with some exception?, compared with other parishes, exemplary in their attendance on religious ordinances. Very much as one family the parishioners dwell together, and in the interchange of kind offices there but seldom occurs any inter- ruption. InsurmounUible difiSculties are in the way of ascertaining intimately the amount of religious principle actuating any commu- nity. It has been remarked they do generally attend public wor- ROSENEATH. 123 ship; besides, it merits notice, that many have family worship daily, and are readers of the Scriptures, while occasionally there have been remarkable examples among them of the transforming power of the truth of God. The periodical influx of strangers for the summer months, although in some temporal rospects an advan- tage^ is not to be regarded without serious apprehensions in its moral and religious bearings. Occasionally very estimable persons are met with among this fluctuating population, whose temporary residence is even a blessing to our secluded community ; but there has always hitherto been a leaven of ungodly scomers among our summer visitants. Incapable of laying aside habits intrinsically criminal, they aggravate their guilt by transferring them where they are more obtrusively ofiensive. As if long accustomed to think that ** man made the town," they seem to conclude that he " made the country" also ; and it ought to be known through such a me- dium as a statistical survey of the parish, that there are many persons of respectable stations in life from the commercial districts, so lost to all sense of decorum, as systematically to disturb the devotions of a peaceful people, by retiring during the service, should conti- nuance to its close unexpectedly interfere with the projected relaxa« tions and amusements of the day. Some bolder, or more hard- ened in their desecration, attempt no such compromise with their conscience, as to attend any portion of the service; but while others are reverently occupied, may occasionally be seen prowling around the walls of the church, or along its contiguous avenues, contemptuous of the worship of the God whose works they pre- tend to admire. Only one illegitimate birth occurred in the parish in the course of the last three years. IV. — Industry. Agriculture and Rural Economy. — The parish consists of 6140 acres, of which about 3000 are uncultivated moorland, although of these it is calculated 500 are capable of profitable culture, 520 are under valuable wood plantations of various ages, and 720 of old and natural copse, which leave about 1 900 acres of ground cultivated, or occasionally in tillage. In the grounds of the Castle, and the environs of the church, and the site of the ancient House of Campsail, are chiefly found the trees of any considerable age and magnitude, and these are of all varieties ; ash, elm, beech, plane, lime, oak, yew, horse chest- 1 24 DUMBARTONSHIRE. nut, holm oak, cedar, with various species of fir, &c. Some of these are magnificent trees; the silver firs of Campsail have already been particularly noted. . Those planted of late years consist of all varieties of the pine tribe, with oak, ash, and birch, which are indigenous to the soil. Within the last thirty years, the appearance chiefly of the south- ern district of the parish has been greatly improved by numerous plantations, harmonizing exceedingly well with the more ancient trees of the Castle grounds, and the natural woods skirting the shore. The Gallowhill, for example, which lies immediately opposite Greenock, a few years ago, was a mere heath and furze cover for game, but now bears to its summit a luxuriant forest of this descrip- tion, and which, resting on a base of beautifully pendant fields, highly cultivated, forms one of the most interesting and remarkable objects to be found in any locality. The woods are kept in good order, all fenced and drained, and according to the most approved rules periodically thinned. Rent of Land, — The average value of land under the plough may be rated at L. 1, ds. per acre; the charge for grazing a cow, L.2, 10s.; and, for a full-grown sheep, 5s. The rental of the pa- rish may be estimated rather below L.3500. Rate of Wages. — Agricultural labour averages Is. lOd. ; arti- sans, 2s. 6d. per day. Farm servants are hired at L.7 and L.8 for the half year, with bed, board, and washing. On three or four farms only are there married ploughmen, who receive, in lieu of fixed money wages, allowance in produce with free house, garden, and cow's grass, amounting in the aggregate to L.d2. Implements used in husbandry cost thus, — an iron plough, L.4, 10s.; pair of wooden harrows, L. 1, 15s.; wheelbarrow, L. i, 5s.; one horse box-cart, L.8, 10s. Sawing of timber, — yellow pine, ds. 6d. ; hardwood, 4s* per 100 feet. Breed of Cattle. — The common breed is Ayrshire, and a con- siderable portion of the parks is under grazing for black and West Highland cattle. A few sheep are kept ; and on one farm a small herd of goats. — An association has been lately formed for improvement in this branch of rural economy, and it may be stated as a token of its probable success, that, at the last annual meeting of the Highland Society held in Glasgow, two oxen fed on the farm of Mr Lorn Campbell, his Grace's chamberlain, under whose 8 ROSENBATH. 125 auspices the association has been formed, greatly distanced all other competitors, and were, indeed, supposed to have been the very Bnest specimens ever reared of that peculiar bred. Hutbandry. — The general character of the husbandry is im- proving chiefly by inclosing and draining on the modern system, which might, however, be carried to a still greater extent Nearly the whole of the cultivated ground is inclosed by hedge and stone- dikes, and on some farms there have been reclaimed lands to com- plete the uniform aspect of the fields, which indicate a very de- termined spirit of agricultural improvement. To this, throughout the parish generally, there is no peculiar ob- stacle, but the want of better farm buildings, which, with very few exceptions, are inconvenient, — not in good repair and of limited extent ; and sometimes a lack of sufficient capital. For the pro- duce there is a steady and constant market, with easy access and water carriage for any amount of stimulating and enriching ma- nure ; while the sympathy and encouragement of a kind and m- telligent proprietary have the natural effect of giving no small energy to the farmer's proceedings. The ordinary duration of a lease is nineteen years, on terms that seem favourable to the occupier, and such as are fitted to secure the full benefit of his compact with the landlord. The enclosures are very complete, and are in good repair, perhaps more thoroughly suited to the purposes of the farmer, than those of any other parish in the district. Quarries and Mines. — Of the latter little need be said. The parish contains both limestone and slate, but neither has hitherto been productive. The lime can at all times be procured from the north of Ireland in abundance, and at less expense than the far- mers could prepare it on their own fields. A few years ago, two slate quarries were opened by the Duke of Argyle and Mr Gumming of Baremman, on their respective pro- perties. Both were wrought for some time but unproductively, and were abandoned by their respective proprietors. The slate, how- ever, is of excellent quality, and Mr Gumming lately re-opened his quarry with greater prospects of success. Fis/ieries. — Both salmon and herring fishing in their season are carried on to a considerable extent on both shores of the pa- rish. Produce, — The average yearly value of all kinds of produce, cal- culated pretty exactly may be thus rated : L.2000 1500 400 90 1200 600 100 126 DUMBARTONSHIRE. Value €l all kinds of gnin, .... Of potatoes and tumipa, ..... Of hay cnlUTatedy . ' . (Meadow trifling) or flax for flannel, are ..... Of land in pasture, rating it at L. 2, 10ft. for each cow or flill- grown ox, and for each sheep, 58. . . . Annual thinning from plantation grounds, Of salmon fishing, .... . L.5820 V. — Parochial Economy. Occasionally sales are effected in Glasgow and elsewhere ; seed oats are sometimes exported to Ireland, and potatoes to the colo- nies; but Greenock is the chief market for all descriptions of farm produce from the parish, to which there is a ready access by the two ferries of Row and Kilcraigin. By the former, (on the Gare- loch shore) and about six miles from Greenock quay, the farmer can convey his articles to market in steamers every day ; by the latter, which is on the Loch Long shore, where the estuary is about three miles wide, in the regular packet-boat on Mondays and Fridays. Villages. — There are several little groups of cottages, scarcely one of which can be termed a village, unless, indeed, the Clachan lay claim to that distinction among those of the hill of Campsail, Kilcraigin, Barber, or the mill of Reheane. In none of these, are there above ten or twelve families, and in the Clachan itself there are not sixty souls. Each family in these groups occupies a separate or self-contain^ ed cottage, so that although contiguous or rather crowded together, each thus enjoys a certain domestic privacy. Very few of the cot- tages are without a ben^ the comfort of which is so felt by the poor- est of the people. It is of no mean importance in their domestic economy, for very obvious purposes ; but it may be observed that it is prized in proportion to the diffusion of the power and habit of reflection, especially when the mind becomes religiously im- pressed. Such a family accommodation in their humble dwellings facilitates the attainment of that quiet and seclusion so indispensa- ble for those exercises with which a stranger cannot intermeddle. Means of Communication. — There are no turnpike roads; but about twenty-four miles of carriage roads, kept in excellent repair^ traverse the parish in various directions, with the exception of not more than three miles, the isthmus extending from Coalport to Fer- nivarry, they entirely surround the peninsula, and bisect it first across the dingle of Campsail Bay, then at Mamore, thus connecting the Loch Long and Gareloch sides of the parish, while another line. ROSENEATH. 127 longttudiDally stretching from Portkillto Pattown, along the' farm- steadings of the west, very much facilitates all intra-parochial com- munication. An additionalline bisecting the ridge between Kilcraigin • and Mamore would afford a more direct access to the Row ferry, and the church from the Loch Long side farms, and contribute to the comfort of a very considerable portion of the population. From the position of the parish, our extra-parochial communi- cation is chiefly by water, for which since the use of steamers, there are abundant facilities. Not many years ago, an open packet boat from the Row and Kilcraigin ferries was the ordinary mode of conveyance to Greenock ; often against wind and tide would hours be spent in crossing the frith ; now, there are two or three steam- boats at all seasons, and in summer, arrivals and departures at the Grareloch ferry seven or eight times a day. At all times, by the row-boat, passengers can cross the Gareloch for the interior to the east The channel of the ferry, at low water certainly not more than one-sixth, widens, with the return of the tide, to upwards of half a mile. Of late years, a daily penny post subsidiary to Helensburgh, has been added to our means of communication. It was established on the condition that, although arriving on the Sabbath, no bag should be made up or dispatched as on other days. Its time has rather varied. At present, it arrives at twelve and departs at half- past two. Ecclesiastical State. — In the twelftli century Rosneath was a parsonage, the patronage of which belonged to the Earl of Len- nox. The territory which the name then included, with the pa- tronage of the church, Amelec, a younger son of Allwyn, Earl of Lennox, obtained for his patrimony in 1225, granting the church with all its pertinents in perpetual alms to the monastery of Paisley. By an agreement in 1227, between the Bishop of Glasgow and Abbot of Paisley, the monks of that abbey were allowed to appro- priate the church of Roseneath, and it continued in their possession till the Reformation. They enjoyed the whole of the revenue, and employed a curate to perform divine service. At the Reformation, the revenue was let by the Abbot for L.146, 13s. 4d. per annum; and in 1587 the patronage and tithes, then held by Lord Claud Hamilton for life, as commendator of Paisley, were granted to him and his heirs for ever, along with the other property of the monaster)', now inherited by the Marquis of Aber- 1 28 DUMBARTONSHIRE. corn. The patronage of the church was afterwards acquired by the Argyle family, with whom it still remains. The church, although situated within about two miles from the southern boundary, from the peculiar form of the parish, is pevhaps more convenient than it could be elsewhere for an equal number of the people. It was built in 1780, rather prior to the revival of that taste in architecture which has adorned so many of our rural districts with convenient or rather elegant churches. Were it a matter of much importance, one might regret a struc- ture had not been erected to harmonize in some degree with the exquisite beauty of the environs. It is an edifice of the oblong or barn form, and that of the very plainest description. The belfry must always be excepted,, which is singularly synmietrical in its proportions, — the only relique of that more ancient fabric, which the modern parallelogram supplanted : cruciform, and dedicated to the Virgin Mary,* very aged people still speak with considerable reverence of its venerable and picturesque appearance. Its ex- ceeding uncomfortableness had determined the heritors to demo- lish it; and it is very probable that the incurable damp in its walls may induce, respecting the present church, a similar de- cision. It is, however, sufficiently commodious for the indigenous or or- dinary population ; but in summer, when the cottages and villages throughout the parish are studded with sea-bathers from the in- terior, it is often so crowded as to render the congregation very uncomfortable. The living consists of 210^ bolls of meal, 26 1 of bear, and L. 8, 10s. in money, with an allowance of L. 5 by his Grace the Duke of Argyle for communion elements. The teinds are ex- hausted. The glebe contains not more than 6^ acres, the greater portion of which is very inferior land. The manse is newly built, in every respect affording a comfort- able residence for the minister's family. The former manse, al- though not an old house, and thoroughly repaired about twenty years ago, on account of damp, the heritors, perhaps wisely for them- selves, at all events most considerately of the minister's comfort, * This only traditionally, — for in whatever way the assumed sanctity of the place depended upon the patronage of the Virgin, even in the charter of the twelfUi cen- tury, the church is designated the chuich of St Nicholas. It is probable the church or religious house at Kilcratgin, originated the relationship, which secures to this isle the soubriquet of the Virgin promontory, the more popular translation of the name. ROSENEATH. 12[) instead of enlarging, resolved to convert into a quarry for the pre- sent edifice. 153 fiunilies attend the Established Church ; and 3 are Dissent- ing or Seceding families. JSducatum. — The different branches of a commercial and clgs- sical education are very efficiently taught by the parochial school- master ; and every day the children under his care are instructed in the principles of religion. The average attendance may be rated at 70, although in the winter season upwards of 100 sometimes are at scbooL The school-house was built a few years ago, a very handsome and commodious structure, superior to any in the county, reflecting great credit, at once upon the liberality and taste of the heritors. The schoolmaster's house is at a little distance ffom it, immediately contiguous to the church, with accommoda- tions much superior to what the statute provides for that class of most deserving men. His garden is much less than the legal di- mensions, but he enjoys an allowance in lieu of that deficiency. The salary is the maximum, which, with the fees, 2s. 6d. for read- ing, 3s. for writing, and 3s. 6d. for arithmetic, may constitute an income of between L. 70 and L.80 per annum. The only other school in the parish is at Knockderry, on the shore of Loch Long. The teacher there has a salary of L. 35 a-year, guaranteed to him by Mr Lome Campbell, his Grace's fac- tor ; and although the parents pay at the rate of 5s. per quarter for each child, the fees fall greatly short of the sum guaranteed, from the circumstance of the school commanding pupils from a very limited population, but whose distance from the parish school rendered its erection necessary, — the expense of which was solely met by the Duke of Argyle. Although less, it is built upon the same principle as the parochial school-house. Both houses are much more commodious than at present is needful, and may be considered as anticipating any probable increase of population in their respective districts, for a century to come. It may be stated, that the people are universally anxious to have their children educated. All the natives of the parish, male and female, are taught at least to read and write ; and although indi- viduals from time to time are found that can do neither, they are generally natives of Argyleshire, servants to the different farmers. Poor and Parochial Funds. — There are nearly 30 on the poor list ; these, chiefly desolate widows, and frail lone women — only two men, indeed, the one blind, the other lame, receive any relief DUMBARTON. I 130 DUMBARTONSHIRE. from the funds. The amount of poverty is not so great as such a number in so small a parish might seem to indicate, for assistance is rendered to the needy long before they reach that extremityof des- titution, which in some districts seems to be held as an indispensable antecedent to the bestowal of public alms. The allowance varies from 15s. to L. .5 in the year. The mean amount of collections at the church amounts to about L.35 : there is also interest on L. 170, and a donation of L. 10 from the Duke of Argyle. At present, there are three lunatics in different asylums chargeable upon the parish. To meet this extraordinary outlay, the heritors, by a judicious ar* rangement, subscribed, in proportion to their respective interests in the parish, the greater portion of the necessary funds ; and for the reversion the kirk-session are responsible. One of the lunatic cases is of peculiar interest. Formerly the individual had been confined for more than a twelvemonth, and was dismissed perfectly cured. For five years he continued sane ; and, during thattime, he liquidated, from the proceeds of his spade labour, at the rate of L. 5 per annum, the whole of the outlay which the session had incurred. A Bible was given him as a memorial of God's goodness to him, and the integrity of his conduct, — which he had not in his possession more than two or three months, be« fore a relapse ensued ; and although convalescent, lie is still in confinement. When any case of more than ordinary distress occurs, the people are in the habit of raising contributions throughout the parish ; and nothing can be more conclusive of their sympathy with each other, than the amount which in this way is often raised. It can- not, perhaps, be stated that there exists any general disinclination in the poor to receive assistance from the session, although in- stances do occur of extraordinary exertions made by the kindred of the parties, rather than they should apply for it. One widow, with several children, not long ago entreated the minister to give her allowance to some other person, on the plea, — that her father was able to assist her ; and another individual, about the same time, prevented a subscription in behalf of his brother's family, who had died prematurely, on the ground that they should always have a share of what he himself possessed. Another example of no ordinary interest ought not to be omitted. One day, the mi- nister met two labouring men on the Gareloch shore, and, upon in- quiry, discovered, rather with difficulty, that they were raising money to assist a poor parishioner, who had been long a bed-rid invalid. BOSENEATH. 131 They would take nothing ; — they were not going to the manse» nor to Baremman, nor the Clachan, nor Portkiln. " You have all enough ado with the poor, — it is right we should go among ourselves, the commonalty." The feeling was too sacred to re- press. They were allowed without further molestation to proceed on their way ; and they collected from among themselves about L. 9, which met the necessities of their young friend so long as he lived.* These instances indicate a right spirit in the people. The rea- diness with which they thus assist each other seems to have pre- vented the feeling of degradation, when they are assisted from the general fund, — which, indeed, they are besides led to regard in the light of a friendly society fund, to which in their day they had regularly contributed. It must not be omitted to observe, that, in addition to his an- nual donation, the Duke of Argyle allows pensions to all his infirm labourers, when unable to work, — also to the widows of labourers, and their children, until able to do something for themselves, — a hereditary compassionateness worthy of the patriarchal interest in the comfort of their dependents, which has so long distinguished the house of Argyle. Library. — A subscription librarj' exists in the parish, consisting of several hundred volumes in all departments of literature. It is rather in a more flourishing condition of late than formerly ; but still the number of subscribers is considerably below what even our limited population ought to furnish. The subscribers are chieflv among the labourers and artisans, not the farmers. There is also a small juvenile library, consisting of religious publications, exclusively for the use of those who attend the Sabbath school and the more private instruction of the minister. Neither friendly society nor savings bank exists in the parish, but several individuals, chiefly farm-servants, send their deposits to Greenock, and these are rather on the increase. Inns, — Lately there were five, now there are only two in the pa- rish, the ferry houses of Row and Kilcraigin. The privilege whicli this parish enjoys in a magistracy, which resorts to all just • But the most remaTltable case in the pariah of the relief of the destitute occurred some years ago. A young woman was supported on her deathbed by the charity of sympathising friends. From the subscription edition of the memoir of her life more than L. 600 were raised, exclusive of all expenses, and the author devoted the entire amount to the benefit of her surviving kindred, who are in circumstances of extreme poverty. 152 DUMBARTONSHIRK. expedients for diminishing the opportunities of indulging in the use of intoxicating liquors, cannot be too highly valued. From the evil, likely to inundate some of the contiguous parishes, by the pro- prietors encouraging rather than preventing the multiplication of licenses, the people of this parish are comparatively secure. Fuel. — The ordinary fuel is coal in the southern part of the parish; elsewhere peat is used to a considerable extent. The coal is generally brought from Glasgow ; — of peat, the summit of the ridge affords an inexhaustible supply. Including carriage, the coal in ordinary years costs 6d. per cwt. Miscellaneous Observations. Since the date of the former Statistical Account, very consider- able changes must have taken place in the parish, of which a few examples may be given. Then, it seems there were 96 herring fishermen, manning with hirelings, about 40 wherries, from which one must conclude almost the whole effective male population were occupied during the season in that precarious calling. The farms could not but be very imperfectly cultivated ; it is well known, indeed, that they were generally in a very miserable condition, the return of produce not averaging threefold. With few exceptions, they merited the appellation of crofts rather than farms.* The cul- tivation of the soil, the tillage of this peninsular ridge, must have been of inferior importance in their eyes, to those labours in the deep waters, for the proceeds of a summer fishing were sometimes more than double the rental of the whole parish. Such a precari- ous, although often lucrative vocation, was not favourable to the promotion of regular habits, accompanied as it was with such prac- tices as obtained here. The division of funds by each boat's crew, was signalized by a gathering of all the neighbours, and this reci« * The average might now he stated at 7 or 8 seeds. On some farms L.SO, some- times L. 40 Sterling have been realized from an acre of potatoes, for the growth of which the soil generally seems peculiarly favourable. The great stimulus to agricul- tural improvement in the parish, was given by the late Duke of Argyle, himself inte- rested in rural pursuits, under the active agency of his factor, Mr 11. Campbell, one of the few first members of the Highland Society still surviving. He had powerful prejudices to combat, but with energy and decision he prosecuted, what he deemed so indispenable to their own improvements, and the farmers generally can now appre- ciate the benefits resulting from having been so resisted and controlled in the management of their own fields. His successor, Mr Lome Campbell, the son of a gentleman who occupied the same important office, nearly a century ago, most efficient- ly sustains the same spirit of parochial improvement — giving free efiect to the kindly feeling so long hereditary in the fisimily of Argyle to their tenantry : while he dis- plays on the splendid fields of his own farm, unmatched for beauty of situation in the country, those almost horticultural niceties of doing up which distinguish the ni(;st noted of the plains and valliesofthe lowlands. G ROSENEATH. ^ 133 procity of ciyilities, diffused over several weeks of their vacation, bore very hard upon their sobriety and temperance. Now, not half a-dozen individuals prosecute the fishery beyond the shores that skirt the farms, which now, with few exceptions, would credita:bly bear comparison with fields of similar size in the most highly cultivated counties. Then, also, according to that Account, there were " plenty of whisky bouses in the parish," which must have been fatal attrac- tives during the long nights of winter, to the unoccupied fishermen. Nowthere are just two regularly licensed — " the two Ferry houses," if not to the parishioners, yet to the stranger and the traveller con- sidered indispensable conveniences. Previous to Huskisson's Act of 1829 for the encouragement of legal distillation, many of the cottagers were engaged in smuggling operations, like others in the mountain districts of the contiguous counties. The position and form of the parish rendering it pecu- liarly suitable for the prosecution of this unlawful manufacture and traffic, others than the natives burrowed with their stills in the se- questered ravines. For many years ihese illicit practices have been altogether abandoned; but when the mind of a community has been long familiarized to any evil, the demoralizing consequences may linger long after the evil itself shall have passed away. In those days also, and till within these very few years, other prac- tices, although not violating any distinct law, yet doubtless offending decorum, very generally prevailed. At marriages, for example, numerous crowds assembled, and generally they were very boiste- rous festivities. On the intermediate days, before the kirking, the young pair with their attendants, preceded by the bagpipe, per- ambulated the parish, visiting the cottages that had furnished their quota to the carnival. The ceremonies were closed by the whole party, after Divine service on Sabbath, adjourning for refreshment to the contiguous tavern. Now, marriages consist of small family parties ; only the nearer kindred of the bridegroom and the bride meet on the happy occa- sion, and thus is secured a far greater delicacy in the expression of kindly sympathies, than marked the penny or crowded bridals of former times. Baptisms were habitually desecrated by the accompanying cere- monies. The kindred and friends assembled with the parents after the dismissal of the congregation, and proceeded, like the marriage parlies, to eat and to drink in the house of refreshment, under the 134 DUMBARTONSHIRE. pretence of toasting prosperity to the child and its family. Now such a practice is no longer known. At funerals, four services or rounds of ardent spirits, with accom- panying viands, were considered as necessary out of " respect to the dead." Now, only once spirits or wine is presented, and no- thing can exceed the becomingness of the funeral rite. Again, if elsewhere New Year's Day was a festival, here it seemed to absorb the mind of the whole people. For weeks, the youths had been preparing for the great annual game ; and in one of the fields contiguous to the church, assembled many hundreds, old and young, with music and banners, either to witness or to join in the shinty combat of the day. At night succeeded a ball, which generally did not close till the dawn of the following morn- ing. Now the game is almost abandoned, and there is no ball. Di- vine service is performed in church at the ordinary hour, and this year, the day once so signalized with boisterous festivities, had a most pleasing aspect even of Sabbath tranquillity. This sketch of the change in the manners of the people within a period of not many years, may be closed with an additional il- lustration ; and those who have had opportunities of judging of the practice of the district will best know how to appreciate its singu- lar interest. On the Saturday evening of a communion, had ar- rived the usual supply for the consumption of the following day, as in former years : particular circumstjxnces had urged the mi- nister to address his people on the propriety of at once abandon- ing the old hereditary practice of the district, and not one indivi- dual resisted his counsel, or entered the threshold of the house of refreshments. To the end of the service they continued engaged in their devotions, like a quiet family parly assembled to eat the passover. These are some of the changes, among others, that might be noticed, as significant of an ameliorated condition of society. Re- lying, however, on the authority of aged people, it might seem that the future generations are far from the moral and religious stan- dard of their fathers. A very old man, not long ago, stated to the writer, that, although the Bay of Campsail be very beautiful, it was once to him more so ; when a little boy, early on a summer Sab- bath morning, he would go down to the shore and hear the fish- ermen at anchor in the bay singing the praise of God in their boats, for each boat then had family worship. Be it devoutly hoped that some future statist shall be able to say, CUMBERNAULD. 135 that, early on the summer Sabbath mornings, ^^ arises the voice of rejoicing and salvation as in the tabernacles of the righteous," from all the cottages and villas around the bays of the Gareloch. May 1839. PARISH OF CUMBERNAULD. PRESBYTERY OF GLASGOW, SYNOD OF GLASGOW AND AYR. THE REV. JOHN WATSON, MINISTER. I. — Topography and Natural History. Name, — Cumbernauld, in Celtic Cumar^an-alt, is said to sig- nify the meeting of streams, descriptive enough of the situation of this parish, — several brooks uniting their streams a little below the vil- lage of Cumbernauld. As itoriginally formed partoftheancientking- dom of Cumbria, comprehending the south and south-west of Scot- land, as well as Cumberland in England, it is supposed by some to have derived its name from the Cumbrians. Nothing, however, is more involved in mystery, than the derivation of names, and this, like many more, rests on mere conjecture. Extent^ Sfc. — The parish of Cumbernauld, situated at the east- em extremity of Dumbartonshire, is bounded on the west, by the parish of Kirkintilloch ; on the south, by the parish of New Monk- land; on the north and north-east, by the parishes of Kilsyth and Denny ; and on the east, by that of Falkirk, all in the county of Stirling. From east to west its length is about 8 miles, and its breadth from north to south from 3 to 4 miles. Geology, — This parish is formed of a succession of ridges of whinstone or trap, running in parallel lines to each other, in a di- rection from east to west; and excellent metal for making roads or paving streets, and for building farm-houses and fences, is here in great abundance. Freestone also abounds in various parts of the parish of excellent quality, and for the purpose of building is worked to a very considerable extent in the lands of Netherwood, adjoining the Forth and Clyde Canal. Limestone on the same lands, and also at Cumbernauld, of a very superior quality, is work- ed to a great extent, the former averaging above L.4000, and the latter L.2500 annually. The mine of Netherwood at present is 1 IW DUMBARTONSHIRE. cleared of water by manual labour, and Cumbernauld by an inge* nious hydraulic machine ; but I apprehend that, ere long, some more powerful means for removing the water will be found to bo necessary. The dip in both is east and south-east The lime strata, for properly speaking there are three strata, or the lime post, is between 8 and 9 feet in thickness, lying between an indurated freestone and blaise ; on the east, it is cut off by a whin dike ; and on the west it is separated from the coal district by a ridge of sandstone. About 20 fathoms below the limestone, there is a stratum of coal not worked ; but as the parish lies on the boundaries of the coal fields, which stretch into Fife on the east, and into Lanarkshire and Ayrshire on the south and west, coal is found in different parts of the parish, but chiefly of that sort called smithy coal. At the Hirst, near to the free- stone quarry above-mentioned, it is worked to a very conside- rable extent. About 1400 tons will be the average output. Much of it is made into coke or char for the public works in 61as« gow, &c. About two tons of coal will make one ton of char. This mine is horizontal, the coal seam from 12 to 18 inches thick, — the dip south-east, is level free. The depth of this mine from the surface is from 27 to 37 fathoms. Large coal is found at a greater depth, and is wrought to a small extent only, not being of a good quality. It is supposed, however, that, by sinking to a greater depth, coal of a superior quality will be found. Near to this, on the farm of Westerwood, under lease to the Carron Company, is a mine of ironstone wrought by them to a small extent, but this mineral is found in various other places of the parish. Botany. — Among the few rare plants to be found here, we may mention Ivy-leaved duckmeat, Lemna trisulca^ on the banks of the Forth and Clyde canal ; Alexanders, Smymium Olusatrum^ at the back o' Bog ; rosebay willow herb, Epilobium angustifoliumj Cochlearia Armoracia, horse-radish. Of plantations, there may be above 500 acr^s ; consisting of oak, ash, elm, beech, lime, plane, alder, horse and sweet chestnut, pop- lars, spruce, larch, &c. which beautify, shelter, and fertilize the country. Holly thrives well, and grows to a large size ; and there are some very fine trees of a large size near to Cumbernauld* House ; and in the Vault glen there are some larch trees planted soon after the introduction of that tree into Scotland, of great height and girth ; also some very fine specimens of the Spanish chestnut. In some favoured spots, apple, plum, pear, Jind cherry trees, yield CUMBERNAULD* 137 occasionally fair crops. The climate, however, seems not to be adapted for orchards, the finer kinds being liable to blight, and all sorts to canker and rust. The frosts and cold east winds in April and May often destroy the blossom, and render fruit in this place but a very precarious crop. Zoohgy. — Grouse and black-cock breed in the moor of Fanny- side, and duck and teal in the loch of that name. Pheasants, par- tridges, plovers, snipe, woodcock, &c. frequent the woods and low grounds. Some years ago the jamhe rouge^ or red-legged par- tridge, was introduced here by the Honourable Admiral Flemin«r, but it is supposed that the climate was too cold, as none of them are now to be seen. Swallows and martins, &c. ; cuckoos visit us annually. The other small birds are such as are found all over the country, blackbirds, thrushes, linnets, and finches, larlcs, &c — Among birds of prey, and these are not numerous, are the glede, the sparrowhawk, and the owl. There are three well-stocked rookeries in the parish. Crows, doubtless, are intended by the Crea- tor to serve a useful purpose ; but in spring and autumn, where they are numerous, they do.very considerable damage to both the grain and potato crops. In spring, the roebuck is to be found in the woods of Cumber- nauld and Castlecary, where are also a few squirrels. The other wild animals are, the fox, polecat, weasel, club-tailed weasel, or ermine, and the otter. Two wild cats were lately shot. The skin of one of them was nearly as large as that of a fox. I believe that no badgers are now found here. Climate, — The parish having an elevation of 230 or 240 feet above sealevel,the air is sharp; but though sharp it is not unhealthy. The prevailing winds are west and south-west, which, loaded with the vapours of the Atlantic, render the climate sofl and rainy. Hydrography. — From its elevated situation, (his parish has no rivers, — the Kelvin, which divides it from Kilsyth, and the Luggie, which separates it from New Monkland, being here inconsiderable streams. Fish formerly abounded, it is said, in both, and in their tributary rivulets ; now, however, a few trout are only to be found. This decrease is ascribed to the quantity of lime now laid upon the ground, and the flax steeped in the waters. With the exception of Fannyside Loch, in the moor of the same name, there is no fresh water lake in the parish. Formerly, there were others, which have been drained and turned into arable land. Fannyside Loch is but a few feet deep ; it covers about 60 acres of land, has a few pike and perch, but no trout. In its bottom and 138 DUMBARTONSHIRE. on its banks, there is a very fine white sand, which would answer well in the manufacture of glass. — The only other collection of waters in the parish is the Forth and Clyde Canal, which runs through the north side of it for about four miles from Castlecary on the east to Achinstary on the west. Pike and perch are found in the canal, and coot and wild duck are seen upon its shores. On a small stream near to the old house of Castlecary, there is a waterfall of about 80 feet, which, together with the deep dell, the overhanging and surrounding woods, the old mill and miller's bouse now in ruins, the murmuring of the water, and the songs of the birds which strike the ear, renders it a scene at once pictur- esque and romantic. II. — Civil History. I am not aware of any history of the parish extant. The Old Castle of Cumbernauld, together with the barony, which in the end of the thirteenth century belonged to John Cumyn, Earl of Buchan, came into the possession of the Flemings of Biggar and Cumbernauld, in the course of the fourteenth century, who were afterwards created Earls of Wigton. In the early period of Scottish history, the Flemings of Cum- bernauld are often mentioned, and make a distinguished figure in the transactions of those unsettled times. They came originally from the low countries. Under a grant of David L, Baldwin, a distinguished Fleming, settled at Biggar, in the upper ward of Clydesdale, and in the reigns of Malcolm IV. and William I. was Sheriff of the shire. Sir Malcolm Fleming was Sheriff of Dum- barton in the reign of Alexander III. Robert, his son, was one of the chiefs who, at the treaty of Brigham, March 12, 1289-90, proposed the marriage of Margaret of Scotland with Prince Ed- ward of England. He swore fealty to Edward, assisted at the murder of Cumyn at Dumfries, and was one of Bruce's associates in his arduous endeavours to restore the liberties of his country, and received from him a grant of the lands of Leinsie and Cum- bernauld, they having fallen to the Crown by the forfeiture of Comyn. Sir Malcolm Fleming, his eldest son, remained true to the family of Bruce, and belonged to one of the four corps into which the Scottish army was divided at the disastrous battle of Halidon Hill, 19th July 1333. Sir Malcolm Fleming retreated from the field of contest, and secured the Castle of Dumbarton, of which he was governor, and from thence carried in safety to France, the young King, David II. with his infant consort, Joanna, where they found protection until their return to Scotland, 4th CUMDl^RNAULD. 139 May 1341, when they were safely landed at Inverbervie, a small sea-port on the coast of Kincardineshire. It is probable that Sir Malcolm remained in France during the stay of his King and Queen : he returned hon^e along with them, was raised to the peer- age by David II. who created him Earl of Wigton, and gave him a grant of lands in the same county. According to the English historians, he was taken prisoner at the battle of Durham, 7th October 1346 ; and it is said that David IL along with his favourite and faithful servant, Malcolm Fleming, was, on the 2d January 1347, sent to the Tower of London, where he suffered a long and dreary captivity ; while others maintain that the Earl of Wigton made good his retreat from the battle of Durham, and in proof cite from the Calendar of Charters the following title : " De ca- piendo Robertum Bertram, qui Malcomum Fleming, inimicum Regis, evadere permisit'' He is simply called Malcolm Fleming, probably for this reason, that the English Government did not re- cognize the right of the Scottish Kings to confer titles of honour. Thomas Fleming, his grandson, by a deed of sale dated at Ed inburgh, 8th February 1371, sold the Earldom of Wigton to Archibald, Earl of Galloway, ** pro una certa et notabili summa pecuniae propter mag- nas et graves discordias, et inimicas capitales, inter me et indigenas majores comitatus praedicti exortas." This sale was confirmed by King Robert II. 7ih October 1372 ; and he resigned the Barony of Leinzie, in Dumbartonshire, in favour of Malcolm Fleming of Biggar, which was confirmed by Robert IL, 20th September 1382. Dying without issue, he was succeeded by his cousin, Sir Malcolm, son of Sir Patrick Fleming of Biggar. Sir David Fleming, his eldest son, distinguished himself at the battle of Otterburn, 1388, was of the commission for a truce with England, 6th July 1406, attended James the Prince of Scotland to the Bass, saw him safe on board the ship that was to convey him to France, and as he returned home on the 14th of the same month, was waylaid and murdered by James Douglas of Balveny, afterwards seventh Earl of Douglas, at Hermandstone, near Edinburgh, and was buried at Holyroodhouse. Of Sir David, Wyntone says, <' Schire David Fleming of Cumbernauld, Lord and Knyghte baeth stout and bauld, Trowit, loveit, well with the King, Thia like guid and gentle Knyghte, That was baith manful, lele, and wigHt." &c. &c. It is not quite ascertained at what time the Flemings of Cum- bernauld were raised to the peerage. Robert Lord Fleming oc- 140 DUMBARTONSHIRE. curs in the Records of Parliament, 11th October 1466. They were probably ennobled by James II. who died in 1460. In 1563, Lord Fleming held the Castle of Dumbarton for Queen Mary, when Captain Crawford, having bribed some of the workmen about the Castle, surprised and took it. Lord Fleming made his escape ; but Lady Fleming, the French Ambassador Verac, together with John Hamilton, Archbishop of St Andrews, were made prisoners. By patent dated Whitehall, 19th March 1606, John, sixth Lord Fleming, was created Earl of Wigton and Lord Fleming of Biggar and Cumbernauld. John, sixth Earl, went with James II. to St Germains, voted against the Union with England, and, being suspected on the breaking out of the Rebellion in 1715, was, by a warrant of Major-General Williams, the Governor, committed prisoner to Edinburgh Castle, 20th August 1715, and on 24th June 1716, was liberated by an order of the High Court of Jus- ticiary. In 1 736, he was made King's Chamberlain of Fife, died in 1744, and was succeeded in his titles and estates by his brother Charles, who dying 26th May 1747, unmarried, the (estates de- volved to his niece, Lady Clementina Fleming, only child of John sixth Earl. She married, in 1735, Charles Elphinstone, third son of Lord Elphinstone, and who became afterwards tenth Lord Elphinstone. She died 1st January 1799, being eighty years of age. As heir of entail, the estates of Biggar and Cumbernauld devolved upon her second grandson, the Honourable Charles Fle- ming, an Admiral in her Majesty's Navy. The barony of Leinzie, comprehending the parishes of Kirkin- tilloch and Cumbernauld, originally belonged to Stirlingshire. In the reign of Robert I. or David II., Malcolm Fleming, then Sheriff of Dumbarton, got them disjoined from Stirlingshire and annexed to Dumbarton, while Drymen, Killearn, and other parishes were disjoined from Dumbarton and annexed to Stirling. An act of Parliament in 1503 restored them to their original counties ; but this act having been repealed, 8th May 1509, Leinzie was again annexed to Dumbarton, and Drymen, &c. to Stirlingshire. In 1339, or thereabouts, another attempt was made to alter this ar- rangement, but was defeated by the Earl of Mar, then Sheriff of Stirlingshire. Since then, no change has been made in this ar- rangement.* ' Vide, Chalmers* CaicdunlH) Hailcs* Annals, Wood's Tecrage. CUMBERNAULD. • 141 Antiquities. — 'There are no remains of any religious houses ; yet the names of several places, as Achinbee, Achenkill, Chapelton Kildrum, Kilmuir, Croy, and others, would lead to infer that there had been several within the parish. The only relic of antiquity is Graham's Dike or Agricola's Wall, of which there are some traces. It enters the parish at the Bed Burn bridge, near to the Roman camp at Castlecary, where the turnpike road crosses the burn, and runs nearly parallel with the Forth and Clyde Canal, through the whole length of the parish till it enters the parish of Kirkintilloch, at the Barrhill, a little south of Achinstarey. No part of the wall, which is said to have been 20 feet hi;^h, and 24 feet thick, now remains ; but the fosse, which tradition states to have been 20 feet deep, and 40 feet wide, is distinctly to be seen throughout its whole length, part of it being used as a parish road. Running in a straight line, partly over elevated and rocky ground, little of it could have been filled with water ; but to '^.ompensate for this, and where most required, it had the Dullatur Bog, then a loch or impassable morass, upon its northern bank. Near its eastern extremity, on the farm of Toll-Park, the fosse, and part of the, road which run along its southern boundary, may still be distinctly seen. But, for a more particular description, we refer to the authors who have more minutely described it. Some stones with inscriptions, found in or near the wall, may l>e seen in Glasgow College Museum. In the garden at Nethercroy, near Achinstarey Bridge, there is to be seen a Roman altar, bearing the following inscription : — Nymph is, Vexillatio Lee:. VI. vie. V. ET. sub. FA 6io. LIBERA. Into the south wall of the mansion-house of Nethercroy are built two stones. On one of them are three male figures clad in armour, and bearing spears and shields. On the other are two female figures, one of them as having come from the bath, regard- ing attentively her attendant, who is in a bending posture, as if lift- ing something from the ground. On the farm of Carrickstone or Carrigstone, on the rising ground nearly west of the churchjand a little to the southof the Roman wall, there is a large stone, called the Standing- Stone. Though con- 142 DUMBARTONSHIRE. siderably larger than the one above noticed, it is of the same fi- gure, and probably was used for the same purpose, that of an altar. It has no inscription, nor any figure upon it. * But it has a hole in it ; and tradition says, that this hole received the standard of Robert the Bruce, then Earl of Carrick, who here assembled his army before marching to the field of Bannockbum, 24th June 1314, which decided the independence of Scotland. Supposing this to have been the place appointed for the rendezvous of the army, in a military point of view, Bruce seems to have made a ju- dicious selection. On the north, he had the DuUatur Bog, then a loch or impassable morass ; so that, in case of an attack, he had only to defend the narrow defile at the Castlecary on the east, or the narrow valley through the Balloch Bog on the west or south- west ; while, in case of need, he secured for himself a safe retreat, either uppn the River Avon and Bathgate to the south-east, or upon the Water of Luggie and the Clyde to the south. This ac- count, it is said, is to be found in some of our early historians. It has already been observed, that the Forth and Clyde Canal traverses the whole length of the parish on the north. And in its formation, through the Bog of Dullatur, swords, pistols, &c. the bodies of men and horses were found in it, and what seems some- what marvellous, a trooper, completely armed and seated on the horse, in the exact posture in which he had perished. This bog lay directly south of the field of the battle of Kilsyth, between the gallant Marquis of Montrose, and General Baillie, 15th August 1645 ; and it is supposed, that these were some of Baillie's men who, in their haste to escape, being either ignorant of the ground, or hard pressed by their enemies, had rode into the bog and there perished. A Roman road, leading from the south to the camp at Castlecary, may be partially seen in themossof Fannyside; and in the same moss, the inhabitants direct the stranger's view to certain hollows, or hags, as having been places of temporary concealment for the Covenan- ters, or persecuted remnant during the time of Charles II. and his brother James. Near the house of Cumbernauld, there is an eminence called the Towe Hill, where in the olden time, the feudal Baron held his court The gallows-knowe, it is well known, was always near the Mote Hill, alias Court Hall of those times ; and we are inclined to suppose from the name, that the Towe Hill might be the place where the Baron's sentence was carried into speedy execution. CUMBERNAULD. 143 Not fiu'.from this, is the Vault Glen: and till very lately the farm house called the Vault, on the edge of the glen, was standing ; whether, as its name vault would import, it was anciently a prison or place of confinement, is not well known. At the Chapelton, on the farm of Achinkill, it is supposed there had been a religious house and burying-ground : for upon the re • moval of the houses, some human bones were turned up by the spade and plough, but nothing else of interest was discovered. A century ago, January 1739, there was a very violent storm of wind, by which many houses were unroofed, windows broken, large trees blown down, and much damage done by it in many other respects. It is worthy of notice, that, as a very violent storm of wind hap- pened in January 1839, the same should have occurred in 1739. Session Records, 7th February 1739. The same day the session, ^' considering that the heritors have been often called upon to re« pair the damage done to the kirk windows by the violent storm in January last, yet it remains utterly neglected by them, appointed a glazier to mend and refit said windows, and to be paid by their treasurer." It also appears that the year 1739 had been a bad season, for, 20th January 1740, ^Uhe session, considering the great want and hardship, which a great many honest families in this parish are under, through the calamities of a late hail blast, and the pre* sent cold and dearth, agreed, that the circumstances of such fa- milies shall be inquired into, and their necessities carefully re- lieved by the several members of the session, especially the mo- derator, to whom they are readiest to let their case be known, with confidence it will not be divulged to the damage of their credit." During the Rebellion 1745-6, a party of Highlanders having visited Cumbernauld, were followed by a party of the King's dra- goons, who took up their quarters in the old castle or house of Cumbernauld, which, after the building of the present mansion, '731 1 had been converted into stables, &c. " sic transit gloria ®undi,** and upon their departure set it on fire and burnt it to the pound. This happened a short time before the battle of Falkirk, between Prince Charles Stewart and General Halle v, 17th Janu- ^Vf 1746. The fury of the dragoons seems to have evaporated ^'ft the smoke and the flames of the old house, for the present niansion with its inmates they left unscathed. Bcdenastical History. — Originally Cumbernauld formed part of 3 144 DUiMBARTONSHlUE. the parish of Kirknitilloch, from which, by a decreet of the Lords of Erection and Plantation of Kirks, it was disjoined in 1649, and erected into a separate parish by the name of Easter Leinzie, or Lenyie, as Kirkintilloch was of Wester Lenyie, — a word derived, perhaps, from the ancient British Leveyn or Lleven, signifying smooth. An account of this parish before the disjunction will fall more properly under the Report of Kirkintilloch. An application to Parliament in 1621, for building a new church in the middle of the parish, having failed, a decreet of the Commis- sioners, as above noticed, in 1649, ordered the parish of Leinzie to be divided into two parishes, which was carried into effect short- ly afterwards. The communion tokens bear, " Erected 1656," with the words, " Urit nee Perit," over the burning bush. The settlement between the presbytery and the Earl of Wigton for manse and glebe was in 1658. Mr Thomas Stewart, the first mi* nister, was ejected in 1662 for nonconformity. He was succeeded by Mr Gilbert Muschett, with whose induction, 11th May 1666, the session record begins, " The session's book of Easter Leinzie beginning in the year of God one thousand three score and six. ** At the Easter Kirk of Leinzie, the eleventh day of May 1666, The whilk day Mr Robert Bennet, minister of Kirkintilloch, maid sermon, and thereafter did institute Mr Gilbert Muschett to be minister of the said kirk, and did receive the oath de fideli," &c. With the exception of an anxiety often manifested by the mi- nister and elders about strangers coming into the parish without testimonials, nothing deserving notice occurs in the record till 5th November 1676, when the session appoint all persons who go out of the parish to get their children baptised at conventicles, to pay 4 libs. Scots, and be cited to the Presbytery ; and several persons are mentioned as liable for this fine. From this time, the minister from the pulpit often forbids the people to attend conventicles, to reset rebels and fugitives : and on 9th September 1683, he strictly warns them to take notice " that none of the twelve persons declared fugitives be resett in none of their quarters, viz. James, John, and George Russell in Gaubet- hill," with nine others who are named. Subsequent to this, the parish church seems to have been all but deserted. Almost every Sabbath the minister complains of the people absenting themselves from the parish church, and going to the conventicles, and threatening the elders with deposition from their office ; but all was ineffectual, for the record often bears that CUMBERNAULD. 145 only fifteen, tweoty, twelve, &c persons, and one, two, or no elders were present, and the reason assigned is *^ that ane great conven- ticle'' was held either within the parish or neighbourhood. It is noticeable, that, after the granting of the third indulgence, Mr Musehett, 14th August 1687, intimates from the pulpit, ^* that be was willing to give one of the dyets to Mr Robb, the Presby- terian minister, that the offering for the poor might be preserved, and for several other reasons mentioned by the minister ; and that he would write to Mr Robb thereanent betwixt and the next Sabbath, to see if he would accept of the said offer." This offer, it would seem, that Mr Robb did not think proper to accept; for on 25th September, same jear, ^* the whilk day the people are exhorted to be regular and orderly ; albeit Mr Robb is come so neeire as to keep ane meeting in the Newtoune." This exhortation, like the others, was disregarded : the former complaints are still made, ** That no elders were present in the church, no offerings were gathered, that no session was kept, and that 300 or S60 heads of &milies, besides women and children, were absent from the church." On 15th July 1688, the twelve persons for- merly mentioned are again denounced as fugitives ; and the said ** day intimation was maid, that the meeting-house preacher is ane rebell, and not pardoned ; excommunicate and not relaxed ; and ane slanderer and leisingmaker, alienating the hearts of his Ma- jesties subjects, by not keeping the three late thanksgivings." Some persons belonging to the parish were suspected of being concerned in the rescue of Alexander Smith at Inchbelly Bridge, in June 1683, when a soldier was killed ; for in the record of date 28th October 1688, " Intimation is maid not to harbour or resett John Russell of Cattcraig, who is forfeited ; John Bulloch, acces- sorie to the murder at Inchbellie Bridge, and James Brownlee and Thomas Smellie, his associates ; who are likewise suspected to have accession to the same murder ; and John Bulloch having up- braided the minister with ill-language, and carrying armes on Sa- turday last." On the same day, the minister warns the people not to hear Mr Michael Robb, the meeting-house preacher, in regard of his dis- loyaltie, in not praying for the Queen, Prince and Royal Family, and in regard of his preaching erroneous doctrine." In those unsettled times, the minister's person, house, and family, were assailed by some disorderly persons ; for December SOth, Sunday after Christmas day, intimation is given, " That, notwith* DUMBARTON. K 146 DUMBARTONSHIRE. 'standing of his Majesties proclamation, several persons in this pa- rish have, upon Tuesday, 25th December, invaded and robbed my house, taken away my armes and books, some of these per- sons being under public scandals, at least, the ringleaders of them, and that, though they escape punishment from men, yet the Lord our God will not suffer them to escape his righteous judgment" The above excerpts from the session*records clearly shew that Mr Robb declined the friendly offer made him by Mr Muschett; but it id afterwards recorded that, of 30 persons who were excom- municated, the first on the list is Mr Michael Robb, the meet- ing-house preacher, and after the Revolution, the minister of this parish, the reasons of this sentence are noticeable. ** Ja- nuary Idth 1689. The first Sunday after the Epiphany, the said day, 30 persons that were grievous offenders, some of them being under the scandals of adulterie, and murder, and others of them being notour railers and scandalizers of ministers, and others guiltie of ane illegal convocation and licentious tumult, having in- vaded and robbed the minister's person and house, having taken away his armes and books, and others of them being rebels and fugitives, furnishers and resetters of rebels, and some of them ha- ving laid violent hands both upon the minister and his wife» all these were procest with the sentence of excommunication, and are pronounced to be persons disobedient to the voice of the church, and to be obstinate and incorrigible in going on in their sinful courses and practices, and are by the said sentence cast out of the church, and debarred from the society of the faithful in meetings, prayers, and all other sacred fellowship, as unworthy, with whom any good Christian should converse untill they be ashamed of their sins, and manifest their repentance, and humiliation, that they may be loosed from the said dreadful sentence, which they have deserv- ed by their gross scandals and offences." Then follow the names of Mr Michael Robb, William Neale, John Carmichael, Ellen Young, &c. On 27th January, the minister mentions the tumults in Glas- gow, and throughout the presbyteries of Glasgow, Hamilton, and Linlithgow, and intimates his resolution ^^ to make sermon in the church till the Government be settled, and so long as the keys of the church door are not taken from him," The session record ends February 3d 1689, the fourth Sun- day after Epiphany, *^ with the minister warning the people not to join with them who make tumults, in taking away the keys of kirk CUMBERNAULD. 147 doors, or renting minister's gowns, lest they bring trouble upon themselves by such disorderly practises." — Although removed af- ter the Revolution, Mr Muschett seems to have remained within the parish^ — for so late as 1715, the record bears that several per- sons were cited to the session for being irregularly married by him, and censured for the same. As hv down as 172 1 , the meetings of session are dated at Easter Leinzie. The next entry in the record being the commencement of Mr Oughterson's incumbency, is dated Cumbernauld, 7th May 1727, which is the name which the parish now bears. Parochial Registers. — The parish register for marriages and births begins 10th April 1688, and though much decayed seems to have been accurately kept till 1722. At this time, the parish seems to have been as populous as at present ; from 1688 to 1693, the average number of registrations of births being above 100; from W93 to 1700, about 90; from that to 1705, about 70. From this period the number gradually decreases, especially from the time of the Secession : for the five years ending with 1735, the average is 56; do. ending with 1750, about 43; do. ending with 1765, about Sa The number of marriages about the end of the seventeenth century, averages about 23 only. From this time to 1722, there are frequent interruptions ; and downwards, are total blanks in the registers ; and in the same interrupted and irregular way, the record is continued to 1801. From this time, it has been carefully and pretty regularly kept, though the number of registrations does not give the exact number of births or baptisms, which is occasioned by the Secession ministers keeping a register for their own congre- gations. There is no registration of burials before 1817. Since this time, one has been kept with great accuracy. During the seven years ending 1831, the average of births was 67? ; deaths, 48? ; marri- ages, 24?. It is worthy of remark, that during the year ending 31st December 1831, the deaths exceeded the births by one, the births being 73 and the burials 74. From the great mortality in 1832, the same excess occurred. These, however, are rare oc- currences, for though the situation be high, and the climate moist, the parish is by no means unhealthy. Several individuals now liv- ing are considerably above eighty, two or three about ninety years, and some others died lately at this advanced period of life. 148 DUMBARTONSHIRE. III. — Population. 'llic population in 1765 was 2903 1791. IGOO 1801, 1795 1811, 2176 1821, 2864 1831, 3060 In 1821, Cumbernauld village had a population of 950, which, in ten years, had increased 450 in 1831. Cumbernauld village, ... 1400 Condorat do. - - - - 501 Country, - - - - - 1179 3080 The number of families, 700, gave 4^ to a family, or 4} nearly. During the seven years ending with 31st December 1838, the average of marriages was d3l|- Births, . 79f Burials, .-.58^ The chief employment of the people is cotton weaving, there being above 560 weavers' looms in the parish, or nearly one-fifth of the whole population. Some time ago, weaver's work was hardly to be obtained. At present, work is plentiful, but the prices are small : upon an average, the weaver's weekly earnings will not ex- ceed 5s. or 6s. clear ; and considering the price of provisions, and how few are of provident habits, many must be suffering privations. Indeed, the fluctuating nature of the cotton trade, and the small remuneration, have induced many of the weavers to relinquish the loom, and have recourse for employment to the coal and ironstone mines* The above, with other causes, some of them of a political na- ture, have produced unquestionably very great changes in the moral character and habits of the people, — not for the better, it is much to be feared ; and has hindered them from prizing as they ought, and, therefore, from giving to their children, that education which once was the pride and the honour of the people of Scot- land. The natural effect of this is, that though few are unable to read, yet they are allowed to grow up in comparative ignorance of religion and its duties ; and hence may be dated the decline of morality, — disinclination to religion and to religious duties, — ne- glect and disregard of the Sabbath and of Sabbath institutions, — the increase of profanity and crime, and, of late years, the increas- ing magnitude of the criminal calendar. Notwithstanding of this, and though we have some turbulent spirits among us, — and it is to be regretted that this class seems upon the increase, — still the character of our population generally is quiet and orderly, in the midst of their many privations. The principal exception from this general character, consistent CUMBBRNAULD. 149 with my knowledge, is that of a few deluded men in the village of Condorat, who, in the year I82O9 joined some disaffected charac- ters from Glasgow, and accompanied them, upon 6th April 1820, to Bonnymuir, about three miles west of Falkirk, where, engaging a party of the King's troops, they were defeated and taken pri- soners. One only was a native of the parish, and was executed at Stirling for high treason ; the others had their sentence com- muted to transportation. There are some poachers ; but since the change in the Excise laws, if there be any smuggling, it is inconsiderable. A change ID the game laws seefais in justice equally desirable. IV. — Industry. Bund Economy. — The parish comprehends 9145 acres, 3 roods, and 5 falls; of this number, 6168 acres, 2 roods, and 21 falls are arable; 2170 acres, 1 rood, and 12 falls pasture and moss; 556 acres, 3 roods, and 12 falls plantations and woods ; and 250 acres roads and waters. It is divided between 40 and 50 proprietors. About 20 or 25 of them derive more than L. 50 from their respective properties. Se- veral of them have very considerable incomes. The Right Honour- able Lord Elphinstone is the only nobleman who possesses pro- perty, and the Honourable Admiral Fleming the only person of rank who has a mansion-house within the parish. The soil of the parish varies ; but generally rests upon a stiff retentive till, and when allowed to lie for a few ;years is again co- vered with rushes. During the last twenty years, much has been done in the way of general improvement, by plantations, draining, straighting, clearing of stones, weeds, &c. Tile-draining has late- ly been tried with advantage, and still a great deal requires to be done. The manner of farming generally may be stated to be the fol- lowing : 1. oats ; 2. oats ; 3. green crops, potatoes, or turnips ; 4. wheat, barley, or oats, with grass seeds ; 5. hay ; 6. pasture, for a less or greater number of years. Lime is sometimes laid on the sward. When prepared for fal- low or green crop, five or six chalders of lime, with fifty or sixty carts of dung, are allowed per acre. About the commencement of the before-mentioned period, few turnips were grown, but they are now common on every farm, and the breadth is yearly on the in- crease, while that under potatoes has likewise been greatly enlarged. This crop was very deficient last year, both in quantity and quality. 160 DUMBARTONSHIRE. Mangel-wurzell has been tried, but not continued, as it is con- sidered not to be profitable. Admiral Fleming cultivates a number of the artificial grasses ; but the Fescue, iWothy, Holci, and meadow-grasses are suppos- ed best to suit the soil. Twenty years ago, very little wheat was sown here. Both cli« mate and soil were supposed unsuitable for this grain, but experi- ence has proved this to have been a fallacious opinion, for a very considerable breadth is now under wheat. This arises firom the different way of management ; before the introduction of fallow and green crops, the ground was neither worked, cleaned, nor manured. Still, the farmer labours under disadvantages which no system of cultivation can remove. The continued and heavy rains which prevail in the end of the year often prevent him from geir ting his wheat into the ground in sufficient time before the winter sets in. Many instances of this might easily be adduced, were it necessary. At one time flax was grown to a great extent, and when it yield- ed twenty or twenty-five stones or more per acre, and brought L 1, and sometimes even L. 1, 10s. per stone, it amply repaid outlay and labour ; but from some cause not well ascertained, of late years, the flax'crops have almost altogether failed, and, of course, the culture is comparatively given up. Wheat may average per acre from 8 to 9 bolls ; barley from 7 to 8 bolls ; oats from 6 to 7 bolls ; and potatoes, county measure, from 30 to 40 bolls; rye-grass and clover from 160 to 200 stones iron per acre. A few meadows still remain, and when well ma^ naged and carefully irri^ted, when that can be done, will yield from 200 to 300 tron stones per acre, and an excellent fodder for cattle in winter. Live-Stock. — The breed of horses, as well as of cows, has been greatly improved of late years, and prizes for both were awarded at the show of stock of the Highland Society last autumn at Glas- gow. Indeed, the dairy stock of some of our farmers, for figure and produce, equal any in the country. The milk, generally, is made into butter, and sold in the Glasgow or Falkirk markets. Little or no cheese is made here. The produce of a good cow averages L. 9 to L. 10 per annum. The grass of a milk cow costs about L.3, 1 5s.; of a yeld about L. 2, 15s.; of a two-year old quey about L. 1, 10s. to L. 2; of a one-year old quey about L. 1 or L. 1, 5s. It may be sometimes more or less, according to the 4 CUMBERNAULD. 151 paslure. The keep of a milch cow may be estimated at L. 7 or Lb 7, 10s. per amium. Leases have generally been for nineteen years, but, of late, they have been shortened, in some instances, to thirteen and fifteen. But this is supposed to be too short a term for the tenant to bene- fit by his lease, and this, more especially, when the farm is let at the highest ofifer, which is generally the case. Tlie fiums are generally inclosed with fences of stone or thorn, and partly with both. The farm-steadings generally are in good condition ;— 4ho8e upon the estates of Lord Elphinstone and Ad- miral Fleming having been lately built or repaired, and in some eaaes much enlarged. The parish is well provided with roads, through the influence of Admiral Fleming. The length of turnpike roads within the parish will be little, if at all, short of twenty miles. V. — Parochial Economy. Means of Communication^ Sfc. — Roads are a most important branch of rural economy, and from the roads in this parish, the farmer possesses every facility in bringing lime or manure, and in conveying to market the produce of his lands. At present, there is no railroad ; but the projected Edinburgh and Glasgow railroad passes through the whole length of the parish, nearly parallel with the Forth and Clyde Canal, and very nearly in the line of Agri- cola's Wall. Cumbernauld was erected into a burgh of barony in 1649. It had a weekly market, which has fallen into disuse. It has two &irs annually. Sometimes a considerable business in cattle is done at the May fair. At the August fair, no business is done. There is a horse race, — which is advantageous only to the publi- cans ; and is little better than a nuisance. Falkirk, distant nine, and Glasgow thirteen miles, are the nearest market-towns. Cumbernauld is a daily penny-post upon Glasgow on the west, and Denny on the east. The mail-coach by Crieff, and a coach by Auchterarder to Perth, a coach to Edinburgh by Lin- lithgow, a coach to Alloa by Falkirk, two coaches to Stirling, pass daily through this parish to and from Glasgow. Sometimes, there are more than these. In summer a coach usually passes for Cal- lander and the Trosachs daily. Boats with passengers for Falkirk, Edinburgh, &c at present ply east and west four times a-day ; in summer, more frequently. In connection with the passage-boats, coaches carry passengers from Wyndford Loch to Stirling, and Perth, and Alloa, &c. and 152 DUMBARTONSHIRE. from No. 16 to Kirkaldy by Dunfermline. Luggage boats also regularly ply upon the canal with goods. Ecclesiastical State. — The parish church, situated at the village of Cumbernauld, is nearly in the centre of the parish. Five or six families only are four miles from the parish church, which is an old &bric. It was repaired in 1810, notwithstanding the ur- gent solicitations of the incumbent and session, as appears from the session record, 25th March 1810, the church being altogether insufficient to accommodate the inhabitants. To obviate this as far as the old walls would admit, both pews and passages are very narrow and inconvenient It has been repeatedly repaired since ; but the dampness of the site, six doors, and the incommodiousness of the seats, make the church uncomfortable, cold, and unhealthy. The church has about 660 sittings. The communion seats alone are free. The number of communicants is about 500. The ba- rony of Castlecary, with a population of seventeen families, by a decreet of Court in 1725, or thereabout, was disjoined from the parish of Falkirk, and annexed to Cumbernauld quoad sacra. Ac- cording to report, the minister of Falkirk was taken bound to preach in Cumbernauld three days each year. The present church is quite insufficient for the population ; but, from its central situa- tion, a church of proper dimensions would well accommodate the whole parish for enjoying religious ordinances. The manse was built in 1827. The original glebe, by agree- ment between the presbytery and the Earl of Wigton, was for 8 acres. In consequence of the turnpike-road passing through it, an excambion was made, the minister getting some marshy land in lieu of that cut off by the road. At present, including site of manse, offices, garden, roads, &c. the glebe may be about 11 acres, but not all arable. In 1820, the Court, by decreet, modified the stipend to 16^ chal- ders, half meal, half barley, with L. 10 for communion elements. So early as 1743, a house belonging to the Original Burgher Associate Synod, was built in the village of Cumbernauld. It was rebuilt in 1725, is a commodious place of worship, with a respec- table congregation : and the minister has a salary of, I believe, L. 100. Another meeting-house in the village formerly belonging to the Antiburgher, but now connected with the United Secession body, was built about seventy or eighty years ago. This congregation is? not numerous. The minister's salary is, I believe, L. 80. Both CUMBERNAULD. 153 the ministers have dwelling-houses, and both congr^ations are made up from all the surrounding parishes. Of the 700 families composing the population of the parish, about 180 belong to the Secession, and there are 5 or 6 Irish fit- milies, supposed to be of the Roman Catholic faith. In these 700 fiiinilifls, the annexation is not included. Edueatwn. — The parish school is situated in the village of Cumbernauld, and is attended generally by from 80 to 90 scholars. The salary is the minimum. The dwelling-house has two rooms and kitchen. The garden falls short of the legal quantity by six falls, for which the heritors allow Is. per fall, or 6s. The school in the village of Condorat, two and a-half miles west of the church, is attended by from 60[to 70 scholars. Here, there is a very good school-house, and a dwelling-house for the master of two rooms and closet, built three or four years ago by public subscription. Another school at Garbethill, three miles east from the church, has about 20 scholars. Each of the teachers of these two schools has an allowance from the heritors, during pleasure, of a sum of about L. 4, 8s. annually, which small sum has been sometimes withheld. Another school in the village of Cumber- nauld is upon the teacher's own adventure. The fees are the same as in the other schools. Few persons between six and fifteen years of age are unable to read the Bible, and the numbers of those above that age still few- er, though, from the change in their circumstances, occasioned by the decline in the cotton trade, there is neither the anxiety nor the ability for giving children the education which was evinced by parents some years ago, when they were in easier circumstances. Poor and Parochial Funds, — The average number of poor up- on the roll is about 25. The average weekly allowance is about Is. S^d. with occasional relief both to those who are upon the roll, and to others who are not upon it For meeting this expenditure, there are the weekly collections at the church door, averaging about L. 50 per annum ; the letting out of mortcloths, about L. 7 per annum ; and proclamation fees, with occasional donations from non-residing heritors. There never has been a legal assess- ment. Voluntary contributions and extraordinary collections have hitherto been the means resorted to for meeting any deficiencies. But as legal assessments seem desirable to some influential heri- tors, it is probable they may ere long be had recourse to in pre- ference to the old way of raising funds for supporting the poor. 154 DUMBARTONSHIRE. From donations and savings, when money was more plentiful with the operatives, and fewer demands made upon the funds, a sum of L. 160 or L. 170 had been realized : but it was all expended some years ago ; and the only sum as a fund for the poor is L. 90 bequeathed by the late Right Honourable George Viscount Keith, the interest whereof he required should be distributed to the poor annually upon the first day of January. The dislike to being on the poor's roll is certainly not so strong as it once was, and seems daily growing weaker. Whether this be occasioned by the influx of strangers, who generally show no unwil- lingness to claim from the parish funds, or whether, by the heritors taking the management of the funds, producing a belief of there being a legal right to parochial relief; whether from these or whatever causes it may spring, there is unquestionably not that feeling of shame at being on the session, as it was termed, which was wont to be when their weekly pittance was doled out to them by the elders of their respective quarters. The Dissenting congregations contribute no- thing to the poor's funds. Their poor are supplied out of the pa- rish funds. Those who assert, therefore, that the Seceders sup- ply their own poor, cannot refer to this parish. Library, — A subscription library was instituted a few years ago in the village of Cumbernauld, now consisting of from 1000 to 1200 volumes, and, in general, the books have been very well selected ; — owing, it is supposed, to the causes formerly mentioned, the an- nual subscriptions have rather decreased. Savings Bank. — A savings bank was established in 1815. The annual deposits are from L. 150 to L. 160, and the sums with- drawn nearly the same. It does not seem to have been sufficient- ly appreciated by those for whose benefit savings banks were in- stituted ; for, with the exception of a few servants, chiefly females, the deposits have been made by the directors, by societies, or by those farmers and tradesmen who are in easy circumstances. Societies. — A Society of Weavers, and another of Masons, were in^tuted about thirty or forty years ago ; but, having been esta- blished on erroneous principles, they have been declining for some time. jipril 1839. PARISH OF LUSS. FRBBBYTERT OF DUMBARTON, SYNOD OF GLASGOW AND AYR. THE REV. ROBEBT CARR, MINISTER. L — Topography and Natural History. Name. — This parish has its name from the Gaelic Lus^ signi- fying a plant or herb. Luss is the name of a small river^ and the valley or glen through which it flows. As the church is situated at ther influx of this river into Lochlomond, the name was extend- ed to the parish. It was anciently written Lus^ and is the same with the name of Luce in Galloway. Extent, ^c. — The parish of Luss extends in length from south to north about 8^ miles. Its greatest breadth is 5, and its least 3^ miles from east to west Its extent in square miles may be about 33. It is bounded on the east, by Lochlomond ; on the south and south-west, by the parishes of Bonhill and Row ; on the west, by Row and Lochlong ; and on the north, by Arrochar pa- rish. If we include the lands of Bannachra, which formerly be- longed to Row, but are now understood to belong to Luss quoad sacra, it is also conterminous with Cardross on the south. The eastern boundary is an irregular line running north and south to- wards the middle of Lochlomond. The southern boundary leaves the bank of that lake about three-quarters of a mile south from the influx of the Froon, and proceeding westward becomes coin- cident with the course of that stream, which separates it from Row. Then the Laran forms the limit from Inverlaran, where it enters the Froon, to the summit of Shannan Hill, where it has its source. It then runs irregularly along the ridge which overlooks the Froon on the north, and after leaving within Row, Stron of Glenfroon, Finnart Hill, and Stronmalenoch, it again takes a westerly direc- tion, and reaches the shore of Lochlong to the north of Gortan. From Lochlong to Lochlomond, it is conterminous with Arrochar. The outline on the south and west is thus extremely irregular. Topographical Appearances^ 8fc. — By far the greatest part of the surface of this parish is mountainous, some of its mountains rising 156 DUMBARTONSHIRE. to near 3000 feet above the level of the sea. The principal are, Ben Cornachantian, Corafuar, Craiginlenue, Aich, DhU| &c« These are intersected everywhere by glens wildly picturesque. As we advance from the south-eastern boundary of the parish north- ward, the Froon, already referred to, first crosses our way. Glen- froon, well known in Scottish story as the scene of a bloody con- flict, fought in 1603^ between the clans of Colquhoun and Mac- Gregor, is but partly situated within Luss. The Proon flows in- to Lochlomond, nearly opposite the southern end of Inch Murren, the most considerable and the southmost of its islands. Parallel to Glenfroon, on the north, and separated from it by a mountain range, already referred to, is Glenfinlass. The sources of the Luss and Finlass are not far from the upper extremity of this valley. The Luss diverges from it by taking a direction rather to the north of east. The streams of Finlass and Luss are about three miles apart at their termination in Lochlomond. Lastly, at the northern boun- dary is Glen-du-glass. At Inveruglas, or the mouth of the Duglas, is the ferry of Ruardinnan directly opposite, at the foot of Benlo- mond. All these valleys intersect the mountains in an easterly direction, and discharge their respective streamlets into Lochlo- mond. The flat land, which is by far the smaller portion, lies in the south-east. It extends along the lake from the southern boundary to Ross-dhu, the seat of Sir James Colquhoun, Bart. A consi- derable part of this land is almost perfectly level, another part, gently undulating; the rest slopes with a more or less gentle ac- clivity, till it is lost in the bold, abrupt, or rugged ascent of the mountains. From the village of Luss southwards, the lake near the bank is in general neither rocky nor very deep. Northward towards In- veruglas, it is much deeper, and the bank in many places is rocky. To the north of the village, the mountain rises with steep ascent from the very bank of the lake. The lake in general has a muddy bottom. From the southern boundary are a succession of head- lands, called Rosses^ along the flat district, projecting a small way into the lake. They are Nether Ross, Middle Ross, Ross-finlass, Ross-dhu and Ross Arden. Islands, — The islands of Lochlomond included in the parish of Luss are, Inchlonaig, Inch-tavanach, Inchconachan, Inchmoan, Inch Galbraith, Inchfriechlan, and a few other very small islets. Inchlonaig, now occupied as Sir James Colquhoun's deer-park, is LVM. 157 remarkable for the fpreat number of very old yews which are fiprow- ing in it It contains about 150 deer. It is inhabited by one fa- mily, who board persons that have been addicted to drinking. Inch- tavanach, or Monk's Island, about three-quarters of a mile long, lies not very distant from the west margin of the loch, between Ross-dhu and the village of Luss. It is steep and mostly covered with copse-wood. It is inhabited by one family, who fahn part of it, and admit as boarders persons given to intoxication. The sum- mit of the island is called Tom-na-clag, the Bell Height or Crestf because, according to tradition, the bell w^s here elevated, which the holy occupants of this island employed in summoning to prayers the inhabitants of the two parishes of Luss and Inchcail- liacfa. Inchconachan or Colquhoun's Island lies beyond Inchta- vanach, and parallel to it on the north-east. It is not inhabited. Inchmoan or Moss Island is but little elevated above the surface of the lake. It lies to the south-east and south of the two last, and is of considerable extent. It supplies the villagers with peat for fuel, and is of little importance in other respects. Near this, on the south, b Inch Gaibraith, occupied only by a few trees, and the ruins of an ancient castle, once the residence of a family, from whom it has received its name. Inchfriechlan, shcygy (that is, fern) Island^ is a rock opposite the village of Luss. The other islets included in this parish are of no note whatever. Lakes. — From what has been already said of the rivulets of Luss, it might be inferred that there is no deficiency of springs. Those proc^ding from rocks generally of clay slate furnish, for the most part, limpid and pure water. There is no lake in this parish or adjoining to it except Loch Lomond, anciently called Lyncaledur (i. e» the lake of the woody water) in one of the Roman itineraries; — and this is the earliest mention of it. It did not receive its pre- sent name till the fourteenth century, when it was thus named from Ben Lomond. Lummon signifies a beacon in the British language, and occurs elsewhere in Scotland, as well as in Wales. Its pre- vious name was the lake of Leven, so called from the smoothness of its waters. This lake being twenty-four miles long, extends along the east of this parish for about a third of its whole length. Its greatest breadth, which is nearly opposite Ross-dhu, is almost eight miles. From Luss parish northward, Arrochar extends round the one end of it, and Bonhill southwards round the other. Along the eastern bank, lies Buchanan from the boundary of Arrochar till it meets Kilmaronock at the influx of the Endrick, — which last 158 DUMBARTONSHIRE. parish is again conterminous with Bonhil). The waters of this lake are particularly soft and wholesome, and are used for culi- nary purposes. The upper and narrower part of the lake is by far the deeper, and never freezes. South from Luss, it seldom ex- ceeds 20 fiithoms. This part freezes over only in long and severe frosts. In the beginning of 1838, the lake was traversed to and from Inchmurren on the ice, by horses and wheel carriages to either bank. The greatest depth of this lake is about 100 fathoms, and its average height above the sea level is 22 feet. After great floods in winter, it has been known to rise about 6 feet higher than after great droughts in summer. It is much higher now than once it was. Stepping-stones across the channel of the Falloch, at the north end of the lake, are now several feet under its surface after the greatest drought. Cambden describes an island as in his day existing in Camstraddan bay, with a house and orchard. Now on- ly a heap of stones is to be seen when the water is low, said to mark the site of the ancient family residence of Colquhoun of Camstraddan. This lake, for beautiful and picturesque scenery, is not surpassed by any in Britain. Its beauties have long been so well known that they need not be particularly described. They may be surveyed with great advantage from the summit of Inch- tavanach and Inchmurren, Strone hill near Luss, and the northern summit of Benbui. From the last the prospect is beautiful, va- ried, and extensive. To the north and north-east, stretches Loch- lomond with its islands, and beyond it Benlomond, the hills of Buchanan and Strath Endrick ; to the south-east, part of the vale of the Leven is seen and Dumbarton rock ; to the south and west, the Frith of Clyde, with Greenock, Helensburgh, Rosneath, Du- noon, and the Argyleshire mountains ; to north- west, the vale of the Froon throughout its whole length. Lochlong, which bounds this parish for a short distance on the west, is a deep extensive arm of the sea, stretching from the Frith of Clyde northward between the counties of Dumbarton and Ar- gyle. Luss can derive but little advantage, however, from its con- tiguity to Lochlong, as it is fenced on that side by a barrier of lofty and rugged mountains. Geology. — The rocks of the flat south-easterly district are of the conglomerate or red sandstone formation. Clay-slate and the kindred varieties occupy the mountainous district. The line of separation of these two formations may be well traced in the beds of the rivers and mountain torrents. From near the pass of Bal- LUSS. 159 maba, in Buchanan, it proceeds in a south-westerly direction. It crosses the Froon near the junction of the Laran with it, and pas- ung above Ardincaple Castle, runs between Cairndow and Dun- more points, and in Rosneath over the hollow behind Campsail Bay. The dip of the strata is in general towards the south-east The rocks of the clay-slate formation are often traversed by veins of quartz ; crystals of cubical iron pyrites are also met with, as well as quartz abundantly disseminated in masses, throughout the same class of rocks. Roofing-slates of good quality are obtained in Camstraddan and at Luss. There are documents to prove the existence of the former quarry, more than four hundred years ago. A freestone quarry is also occasionally worked. The alluvial land generally consists of sand or gravel, or of peat-moss. There is good loam in some parts. The peat-moss, which is ei^tensive, everywhere contains the remains of ancient wood. Birch and oak are the predominating species. Some brazen points of spears and antique iron helmets were found in the alluvion, near the Froon, at Dumfin. They came into the possession of Sir James Col- quhoun about two years ago. Botany. — The more remarkable plants are, Isoetes lacustris ; Sulndaria aquatica ; Aliama ranunculoides ; Vacdnium oxycoccoi ; Rubus chamcemorus ; Lysimackia thyrsiflora ; Agrimonia Evpa^ toria ; Osmunda regalis ; CoUema Burgesii^ &c. The natural woods of this parish consist of oak, ash, yew, holly, rowan, birch, hazel, aspen, alder, crab, bird-cherry, wild-cherry, hawthorn and willows. The oak thrives only in dry ground ; ashes abound near brooks, and by the bank of the lake. The yew is rarely met with except in the islands. The rowan often grows in elevated situa- tions, and hollies are scattered through the woods. There are from 800 to 900 acres under natural wood, and now a great deal under plantation. The other indigenous plants are nearly the same as in other parts of the Highlands, in similar soils and situa- tions. II. — Civil History. This parish was formerly of great extent, including the modern parish of Arrochar on the north, and the lands of Auchindennan, Cameron, Stuckrogert, and Tullichewen, on the south ; and the lands of Buchanan on the opposite side of the lake. Buchanan was dbjoined in 1621, and Arrochar in 1658. The rest were an- nexed to Bonhill about 1650. But the lands of Caldanach, 160 DUMBARTONSHIRE. Prestelloch, and Conglens, once belonging to the parish of Inch- caiUiach, are now annexed to the parish of Luss. There are few events which have been deemed worthy of record connected with the early history of this parish. When Haco of Nor- way invaded Scotland in the year 1263» part of his fleet sailed up Loch Long to Arrochar. The Norwegians having landed here, hauled their boats across the isthmus, embarked on Loch Lomond at Tarbet, sailed down the lake, slaughtered and plundered the inha- bitants of Luss and the islands, which were then very populous, and were moreover crowded with people who had fled thither for security from all parts of the country. About the beginning of the twelfth century, Alwyn, the second Earl of Lennox, had granted a charter conferring the lands of Luss on Malduin, Dean of Lennox. His posterity, who were styled de Lussy possessed the estate, till the fourteenth century, when it passed to Colquhoun of Colquhoun by his having married the sole heiress. The principal part of the parish continued to be possessed by the direct descendants of these individuals in the male line, till about the beginning of the last century, when it again passed by marriage of the sole heiress to Grant of Grant, the ancestor of the present Sir James Colqu- houn. Robert, a younger brother of Sir Humphrey Colquhoun, obtained a charter in 1695 of the lands of Camstraddan and Achingahan, and became the ancestor of the family of Camstrad- dan. The present Sir James Colquhoun's father purchased the estate of Camstraddan from the hereditary proprietor, and re-an- nexed it to the estate of Luss, and thus became proprietor of the whole parish, except the quoad sacra annexation of Bannachara. Eminent Characters. — Sir John Colquhoun, grandson of that Sir John who was slain in Inchmurren by the islanders in 1440, deserves to be mentioned here. He was in 1474 made Lord High Chamberlain of Scotland^ and Ambassador Extraordinary to the court of England. In 1477, he was made Governor of Dum- barton Castle, for life. Having acquitted himself in every station with fidelity and honour, he was killed by a cannon-ball at the siege of that fortress, on the 1st of May 1478. Mr John M'Laurin, a very distinguished divine, brother to ther celebrated mathematician of that name, was minister of Luss early in the last century, from which he was translated to Glas- gow. The late minister, Dr John Stuart, was equally esteemed for his excellent character, and his rare attainments in literature and 3 LUSS. 161 science. His labours in perfecting the Gaelic translation of the Scriptures, will embalm his memory in the hearts of the natives of the Highlands* ParochuU Registers. — The registers of baptisms and marriages fipom 1698 till 1735 have been very irregularly kept From the last date till 1780, more care has been manifested. Since then, up to the present, they have been well kept, but are not voluminous. Antiquities. — About a mile and a quarter south from Luss, there was a cairuy called Cam-ma'cheasoff^ from St Mackessog, a native of Lennox, who was a bishop and confessor, and suffered martyrdom at this place about a, d. 520. The church of Luss, in which he was buried, was dedicated to him, and he was long regarded as the tutelar saint of this parish. He was commemorated on the 10th of March. In the church-yard, there were discovered some stone coffins of considerable antiquity, but without any inscription. Each of them consisted of an entire stone, with a cavity cut out of it fit for hold- ing a dead body at its full length, and a stone lid for covering it.* At Dumfin, on the northern bank of the Froon, around the summit of a round hill, are traces of an ancient fortification. Tradition points to it as a residence and stronghold of Fingal, King of Mor- ven. The name Dumfin is compounded of Dun and Firiy and denotes the fort of Fin or FingaU T^ traditions of this coun- try represent Fian M^Coul or Fingal and his associates as giants, of whom the most extravagant feats are related. For example, an enormously large stone or mass of rock is pointed out, which it is said, Fingal, standing on the top of Benbui, took upon his little finger to throw to the top of Shantran Hill, a distance of several miles, but that not being rightly balanced, it fell into a small brook mid-way between the two. Modem Buildings. — Ross-dhu House is the only mansion de- serving notice. It was built by the great-grandfather of the pre- sent proprietor, about sixty-five years ago. It is beautifully situated OD the promontory of that name. A part of the walls of the more ancient edifice, as well as a roofless chapel still used as the family cemetery of the Lairds of Luss, situated hard by, add variety to the appearance of this beautiful spot. At Little Dumfin, there is a mill for grinding corn ; another in which wood is sawed and charcoal ground ; a third for cutting log- wood for the dye-works on the river Leven. The stream of the * There is a statue of St Mackessog, which formerly stood at Bandry, but is now in the &mily burying-ground of Sir James Colquboun, at Uoss-dhu. DUMBARTON. L 1^2 DUMBARTONSHIRE. Froon is the power employed in driving the machinery of these mills. There is also a meal-mill and a saw-mill on the river Luss near to the village. III. — Population. There do not appear to be any sources whence the population of this parish in ancient times can be accurately estimated. It is recorded that << seven score" were killed at the battle of Glenfroon on the side of the men of Luss ; but we know not how many of these were allies from other districts. From returns made in the year 1755, the population appears then to have been 978. In 1793 it was 917. A diminution took place when many small farms were united. It has since undergone a slight increase. In 1821, there were 553 males and 597 females, 1150 in all. In 1831, the whole population was 1181. This increase may be owing to increased activity in the improvement of land, as well as to the employment of more hands in other works carried on within the parish. Number of persons residiog in the village of Luss, . 250 in the country, . 931 The STerage number of births for the last seven years, 23 of marriages^ ... 7 Number of fiimilies of independent fortune residing in the parish, 1 Fatuous, . . . • . .2 Blind, • . . . .4 Deaf and dumb, all belonging to one fiunily, • . 6 Illegitimate births during the last three years, 4. Language J Sfc. of the People, — The language now universally spoken by the natives of the parish is the English language, or rather the provincial Scotch dialect* About a century ago, Gaelic seems to have been as commonly spoken as English. Although it is still spoken by some old people, the rising generation seem to grow up without any knowledge of the language. For many years, it has ceased to be used in the service of the church. A good many Gae- lic terms are still retained in common speech, which are unknown in parts remote from the Highlands, where the Scotch dialect is spoken. The peasantry in general are in much better circumstances, in respect to dwellings, food, and dress, than they were at the middle of the last century. But although there are many commodious and comfortable dwellings, yet there is still much room for improve- ment in this particular among the people generally. There is also a more plentiful supply of food than formerly. The extend- ed culture of potatoes, as well as the increased productiveness of I.uss. 163 the soil generally, occasioned by the agricultural improvements, which have to some extent found their way hither also, render a scarcity of provisions a rarer occurrence now than in former times. They are generally a contented people ;.yet it is believed, that a somewhat more general diffusion of capital would tend not only to increase their comfort and improve their condition, but to pro- mote the improvement and productiveness of the land. They are remarkably kind and hospitable, and as there has been less shift- ing of population here than elsewhere, they continue much at^ tached to their native soil, in which generally their forefathers have dwelt from time immemorial. They retain much of the manners, customs, virtues, and prejudices of the olden times. The great body of them are regular in attending on religious or- dinances. Since the reduction of the duty on distilled spirits, il- licit distillation has almost ceased to exist Poaching is also in a great measure kept down. IV. — Industry. Agriculture. — Several hundred acres of the best arable land in the parish, being adjacent to the family residence of the proprie- tor. Sir James Colquhoun, have been laid out as pleasure-ground, and are either occupied with plantation, or used for pasture. As there has been no actual survey taken of the land for a long time, and from reluctance on the part of the parties who can give in- formation, it would be next to impossible to ascertain the number of acres and the actual produce of the land, whether in cultivation or not. There can be no doubt that, by a judicious application of capital, a large portion of the marshy and mossy land in the flat district might become productive, and yield an ample return. Rent. — The average rent of good arable land per acre may be stated at L. 2, the average rate of grazing per ox or cow, grazed at L. 2, lOs., and for each full-grown sheep for the year, supposed to be about 3s. 6d. on the hill pasture. fVaffesj 8fc. — The ordinary labour of cultivation is generally per- formed by the farmer's own family and servants, who live at his house, and are hired half-yearly. The average hire of a full-grown man is L. 7, and of a woman, L. 3, 10s. per half year. Persons hired for harvest-labour receive, men, 2s. and women. Is. 6d. per day, with victuals. Occasional labourers receive 2s. per day. The price of the various kinds of produce is regulated by the state of the Greenock and Glasgow markets. The expense of carriage ren- ders coals very dear, as this commodity must be conveyed from 164 DUMBARTONSHIRE. Glasgow or Ayr ; cpnsequeutly, peat is much used as fuel. Agricultural produce finds a ready market in the villages on the Leven, in Helensburgh, especially during the summer, or in Greenock. Tailors are often hired by the day, and receive from Is. 8d. to 2s. besides victuals. A pair of strong shoes for a labouring man costs 9s. to 10s. for a woman, 7s. to 8s. The shoeing of a horse costs 3s. 8d. The price of a cart is L. 10, 10s. The wages of a journeyman shoemaker per day, are 2s. 6d. ; of a smith, 8s. ; of a Wright, 3s. A good deal of the work required in all these spe- cies of handicraft is done by persons in Helensburgh. Live Stock. — The prevailing breeds of sheep are, the south of Scotland black-faced sheep on the hill pasture, and occasionally the Cheviot breed on the low grounds. The Highland breed of cattle is grazed on the hilly pastures. The milch cows on the low grounds are generally of the cross breed between Highland and Ayrshire, and on the best of the lands, pure Ayrshire. AgricuUwral Society. — An agricultural society has been esta- blished for several years among the tenantry on Sir James Col- quhoun's estates, and prizes have been distributed annually to encourage improvements in the breeding of cattle, as well as in the cultivation of land. A considerable degree of emulation has thus been excited among all descriptions of farmers. Towards farther improvement, draining of land is much wanted in many places. There has been no embanking nor artificial irrigation ; but a good many acres, which are laid under the waters of the lake in winter, are under crops of grain in summer. For many years, a large proportion of the tenants have had no writ- ten leases, and this must have operated to some extent as a check to improvement. But as they were never removed except from strong reasons, their circumstances were by no means so unfavourable as might be otherwise supposed. Although there are several com- modious farm-buildings, yet generally they are not such as were to be desired, and such as, considering the facility of procuring materials, might have been expected. Quarries, — The freestone quarry is worked only for buildings within the parish. The slates from Luss and Camstraddan quarries are not only conveyed by the lake to the various parishes surround- ing it, but down the Leven to Dumbarton, Glasgow, Paisley, Port- Glasgow, and Greenock. To Helensburgh, Row, and the shores of the Gareloch, they are conveyed by land. There are about 3 LUSS. 165 fifty men employed io working them at present. They bring out many thousands annually. There are two varieties of them, the one light or grayish blue, the other dark blue. The last named bring the highest price in the market. v.— Parochial Econoiiy. The nearest market-town is Helensburgh. - It is nine miles from the village of Luss, but is not three from the south-west extre- mity of the parish at Inverlaran. Although this rising town is en- titled to the privilege of a weekly market every Thursday, it is on- ly in summer that a regular demand for articles of country pro- duce is kept up. But from this town to Greenock, there is only an additional distance of about four miles across the Clyde, which is readily passed at all seasons in the steam-boats. Means of Commttnication. — The turnpike roads to Helensburgh and Dumbarton are excellent. The post road from Dumbarton along Loch Lomond to the Highlands, extends throughout the whole length of this parish. The road which branches from the one at Red House at the south end of the parish, and extends up through Glen- firoon, is within this parish for three miles, and the branch lead- ing off to Helensburgh, for two and a-half. Again the road from Dumbarton to Arrochar by Helensburgh and Loch Long, passes along the narrow slip which extends to this arm of the sea. Alto- gether, there must be an extent of about fourteen miles of turn- pike roads within the parish. The post-office is at the village of Luss, and there is a delivery of letters from Dumbarton and In- verary daily. There are three bridges over the Froon, one for each of the roads above specified ; and one over each of the rivers Finlas, Luss, and Douglas. Those on the main or Dumbarton road are very sufficient ; the two on the Helensburgh and Glen- froon branches are of an old construction, and rather narrow. The fences are generally either hedges or stone dikes ; but the arable land cannot be considered as on the whole well enclosed. An ex- cellent wall, built of stone and lime, extends for about three miles, along the east side of Dumbarton road, as a fence to the Ross-dhu pleasure grounds. It is built of freestone, and is finish- ed with a cope of the same. The only direct water-carriage is by Loch Lomond. This lake renders the different districts around its extended margin easily accessible by boats of different descriptions ; but although the river Leven is also navigable, it is only by very small vessels ; so that communication this way is limited to the 166 DUMBARTONSHIRE. towns along the banks of the Clyde. Various plans have been suggested, at different times, for supplying this defect The deep- ening of the Leven, so as to reduce the surface of the lake to the level of the sea or nearly so, is one of these. However feasible this may have been eighty years ago, the vested rights of the pro- prietors of the public works on the Leven have long since caused all idea of it to be abandoned. Another plan suggested is to lead a canal along the vale of the Leven, from Loch Lomond to the Clyde. A third plan is to cut a canal across the isthmus from the head of Loch Long to Tarbet. It is feared that no plan such as these will be carried into effect, till the proprietors of the ex- tensive estates, surrounding the lake, combine for the common in- terest, with greater zeal and harmony than they have hitherto ma- nifested. Ecclesiastical State. — The church Is rather conveniently situated for the parish than otherwise. It is rather distant, indeed, from the southern district, in which the greatest part of the country population is concentrated ; but, on the other hand, the most distant and least accessible part is the opposite or north-west quarter. The church of Arrochar is of much easier access than that of Luss to some of the families who are located there. The greatest distance which any parishioner has to travel in coming to church is eight miles. The distance from Inverlaran to the south-west extremity of the parish, is seven miles. The church was built in 1771, and is still in a good state of repair ; it affords accommodation for 500 per- sons. The seats are all appropriated, and are paid for at the rate of Is. per sitting, which goes to the parish fund. The manse was built about forty-four years ago, and is at present in need of re- pairs. The glebe contains about nine arable acres, and from two to three under natural wood^ and is generally considered a good glebe. The annual amount of stipend is 134 bolls oatmeal; 50 bolls bear or barley, and L. 50 in money. There is a process of aug- mentation at present depending. There is no church or chapel of any kind within the parish, except the parish church ; neither is there any religious missionary or catechist. The church is ge- nerally well attended. All the parishioners belong to the Esta- blishment, except three families who are connected with the Relief body. The average number of communicants is 360. The amount of collections at the church for religious and charitable purposes during the year is about L. 12. LUSS. 167 Education. — There is one parish school and two others in the pa- rish ; one for the ordinary branches, the other for educating girls, rapported partly by the family of Luss, and partly by the payments of the scholars. For many years, a salary was received from the Society for Propagating Christian Knowledge, by the teacher pf the former of these two schools ; but the regulations having been departed from, the salary was withdrawn. The salary paid to the teacher of the parochial school, which is situated at the vil- lage, is the maximum : that paid to the teacher of the other school for common education, is L. 15 yearly, and he has school fees be- sides^ Tliis school is situated at Moorland, four miles south from Luss. A comfortable dwelling-house has recently been built for the teacher, at the expense of Sir James Colquhoun, and the te- nantry in the neighbourhood of the school. The mistress of the girls' school is paid L. 15 annually, but no fees. The branches taught in the parish school are, English, writing, accounts, Latin, French, &c. The teacher accommodates boys for board and edu- cation. In Moorland school, the same branches are taught^ Latin and French being excepted. The girls in the third school, which is located nearly half-way between the other two, learn sew- ing, reading, and writing. The parish teacher has the legal ac- commodations : and his school fees amount to L. 15 a year. The people in general are alive to the importance of education. The inhabitants of the upper part of Glenduglas are too far from any of the schools of the parish to send their children to them. The number of families so situated is four, — the nearest of them being five miles and a-half from the parish school. Library. — A library has existed in this parish for mani/ years, and seems to have been established for the sole benefit of the incumbents of the parish, as the books (upwards of 100 in number,) are all old, and chiefly in Greek or Latin. A small circulating library (up- wards of 80 volumes) was set on foot also some years ago, by the present incumbent, consisting chiefly of practical divinity. Savings Bank. — A savings bank was established nine years ago, and although those for whose benefit it was intended,* have not great- ly profited by it, — yet it has been very useful to the respectable servants in the parish. Nearly L. 300 have been accumulated. Poor and Parochial Funds, — The average number of poor re- ceiving aid from the parish fund is 24 ; many of these receive small sums half yearly ; the average sum allotted to each weekly pauper being Is. 9d. The annual amount of contributions for 168 DUMBARTONSHIRE. their relief is as follows, on an average for the last seven years : Collections in Church, L. 38, lis. ; mortcloth dues, L.2, 10s.; proclamations of banns, L. 3, 10s. ; amount of seat rents, L. 9, 7s. 6d.; interest of stock, L. 10, 16s.; donations, &c. L. 12; to* tal of contributions for poor, L. 76, 4s. 6d. There is no disposi- tion among the poor to refrain from seeking parochial relief. They do not now appear to consider it so degrading as formerly. Fairs, — There is one fiiir held within this parish, in the village of Luss, on the third Tuesday of August, for the sale of sheep and lambs. Imu, — At Luss there is a large inn. There are, besides, six licensed public-houses within the parish. Their effect on the morals of the people, is decidedly unfavourable. Three may be considered as sufficient for all useful purposes. June 1839. PARISH OF KIRKINTILLOCH* PRESBYTERY OF GLASGOW, SYNOD OF GLASGOW AND AYR. THE REV. ADAM FORM AN, MINISTER. I. — Topography and Natural History. Name. — The ancient name of the parish and district is Caer^ pen-tulachy which, in the language of the Cambro-Britons, signi- fies a ^' post or stronghold at the head or end of a ridge." This is entirely in accordance with the topography of the town of Kirk- intilloch, and no doubt alludes to the Peel or ancient warlike fort on the line of Roman wall near the present parish church. There is a place named Kintulach^ which, in 1581, belonged to the ab«- bacy of Dryburgh, and is also called Ridgend ; both are evidently from the same root, and both constituted part of the reversions of the Earldom of Lennox. The present parish of Cumbernauld formed part of the district of Kirkintilloch, till some time between the years 1507 and 1522, when the name of the whole district was changed to Lenzie, which was the name of the barony belong- ing to the Noble family of Fleemings, Earls of Wigton. But it * Drawn up by Rev. William Patrick, author of " A Description of the Plants of Lanarkshire,*' &c. &c. KIRKINTILLOCH. 169 ivas not till 1659, when a new church was built for the {Lccommo- dation of the eastern end of the parish at Cumbernauld, (CumaV' n^^aldj L e. the meeting or confluence- of streams,) that both pa- rishes settled down to their present forms, each retaining its mo- dem name. The chapel of the Virgin Mary then became the pa- rish church for the inhabitants of the western end, at Kirkintil- loch, and is still in use. Boundaries and Extent. — This parish and the parish of Cum- bernauld, although both in the county of Dumbarton, lie quite de- tached from it, so that the western extremity of Kirkintilloch is about six miles distant from the south-east end of the main body of the county to which it belongs, the county of Lanark coming in on the south, and the county of Stirling on the north, and meet^ ing between them. The portion so detached includes a district about 12 miles long from west to east, and from 4^ to 2 miles broad. It contains 32^ square miles, or about 20,800 English acres ; a space nearly equal to that covered by the waters of Loch- lomond. The parish of Kirkintilloch forms the western end of this district. From a point between Gallowhill and Boghead in the west, to Dalshannan in the east, it is 6 miles and 6 furlongs in length. The widest place, from Mollinburn in the south, to Auchinvole in the north, is 3 miles and 3 furlongs. It is bound- ed on the east, by the parish of Cumbernauld ; on the north, by the parishes of Kilsyth and Campsie, in the county of Stirling ; on the west, by the parish of Cadder ; and on the south, by the parishes of Cadder and New Monkland, in the county of Lanark. It contains 8527 Scots acres, or 10,651 English acres, and about 17 square miles. Topographical Appearances. — The parish constitutes a portion of the northern boundary of the great valley of the Forth and Clyde Canal, stretching from east to west, of considerable extent, and rising very little above the level of the Atlantic and German Oceans. It is cut off from the fertile districts of the Forth by the range of hills a little to the north, called the Campsie Fells, and from the vale'of the Clyde on the south by the high lands of Monk- land. The bottom of the valley seems at some ancient period to have been washed with a mighty flood, or rather with a continual- ly flowing tide. The banks on the north are high and often abrupt ; but on the south they are more undulating, and of no great elevation, consisting chiefly of trap ridges, with rich and ex- tensive arable lands between. The face of the country, therefore, 1 70 DUMBARTONSHIRE. rises to tbe south, and declines towards the north ; still the slope is so gentle, that very little of it can be said to have a northern ex- posure. The trap ridges seldom attain any great altitude, except at Stron and BarhitI on the east, where the elevated peak, and Ihe abrupt precipitous crag, often assume an alpine appearance. The range of the Campsie Fells on the north, rising often to the height of 1500 feet, affords a friendly shelter from the biting winds of the north ; so that the district, upon the whole, exhibits a happy combination of alpine wildness, and of pastoral simplicity ; yet en- joying all the advantages of a rich and arable country. Most of the farmers in the district, from necessity and interest, are great observers of the times and seasons, and many of them have notes, very accurately and copiously kept, of the state of the weather, particularly at the two most important epochs of the year, seed-time and harvest ; not only during their own experience, but also during the lifetimes of their fathers and grandfathers. Subjoin- ed are some of the principal of these observations in an abridged form. These rural annals extend as far back as the beginning of the eighteenth century, and relate chiefly to the seasons. * * The seven ill -years, as they are called, seem to have ended about ]704. On the 27th November preceding, one of the most terrible storms ever known devastated a great part of England, and did much damage in Scotland. In 1709, there were three months of very severe frost, with heavy snows. 1712 was a wet season, with a great flood in harvest. 1714 was very dry; a great frost in 1716; 1723 remarkably dry, no rain till 26th October. 1725 very wet ; snow remarkably deep in 1731 and 17S6. However, from 1730 to 1740, the seasons were in general very favourable, only some shaking in 1739. The year 1733 was the year of the great hail which happened when all the crops were in ear. It commenced in Galloway, and skirted along the counties of Ayr and Lanark, did much damage in Renfrew and Dumbarton, and broke in a great wnterspout in the Campsie Hills. This dreadful storm carried de- vastation with it wherever it went. One farmer out of all his crops had only three bear-heads left, which happened to be sheltered by a great mugwort bush. The severe frost of 1740 is still spoken of. It in reality commenced in December 17d9i and continued nine weeks, or a hundred and three days; a very bad crop fol- lowed, with an early frost in harvest. It was in January 1739 that the windy Satur- day happened, or exactly a hundred years before the dreadful hurricane of January 1839. An early and good crop in 1742, rendered memorable by the Carobuslang work ; a ffreat hail in May 1745. The preceding harvest was very wet ; the crop greatly injured. The harvest of 1 745 also very bad, great rains and heated stoofat. From 1746 to 1749 all the crops were good, and meal cheap. 1750, a dry summer, a wet August, but a good harvest ; 1751-52, medium seasons ; meal 104d. and lid. per peck. 1753, light crop, early and dry. 1754, a good crop, preceded by a Ions and severe frost in winter. 1 755, wet seed-time, bad crop, late harvest with frost. 1756, wet late harvest, with a light crop, much shaking ; meal rose to Is. 6d. per peck. 1757, rather dry and early, but corn yielded but little meal, which sold at Is. per peck. 1758, remarkably good season and fine crop ; meal Hd. per peck. 1759-60- 61, were medium seasons ; meal low, but in 1761 it rose to Is. per peck. 1762, snow- ed eleven days together, late seed-time, dry summer, much corn, fodder scanty. 1763, a frost, which lasted ninety four days, rest of the season favourable, with a tolerable crop : 1764, backward season, and crop rather below mediocrity ; 1765, early sea- son, but frost and much rain in harvest. 1766, good seed-time, wet summer, good harvest, corn good in quality. 1767, medium season and crop, first half of harvest KIRKINTILLOCH. 171 The following is the state of the winds for each month during that remarkable year 1799 : good, ktter half Tery wet. 1766. early Crop, but light and deficient ; 1769, tolerable good crop. 1770, crop in good hind excellent, high Unds deficient, fodder plentiful. 1771, Tery bad crop, iU gecured, and heated. 1772, rather late, and scarcely a medium. In the month of June in this year, hailstones of great sise fell in many pbora, in some phwes it it and as large as nutmegs. 1779, a terrible storm in March, rest of the sea- aon rather laTOurahle, a tolerable crop. 1774, dreadful storm, September 30, and again in December 5, 6, 7, which did much damage by sea and land ; altogether a wet lata season, with a low ayerage crop ; 1775, great storm October 19, and again in November, the rest of the season excellent, and prices low. 1776, medium season and crop. 1777, late season, and crop indifierent. 1778, much the same as kst. 1779, a great frost, which lasted ttj^ty-four days, the season otherwise good, with an early hcrrest and good crop. 1780, a ^^ood season, but not equal to the last. 1781, good aeaaon and erop, but much duikmg. 1782, a severe bad season in May and June ; haiktonea of immense sise feU in some places; frost in harvest, a complete failure in the erop. There are no distinct notes from this time till 1799, which was a very bad season, with a poor late crop ; meal 2b. per peck, potatoes 8d. the small peck, and hay ia. 4d. per stone. At the end of the following year, 1800, oatmeal was 0%, per peck, pwsa meal, 2s., potatoes, lOd. small peck, hay. Is. 9d. per stone. There was a great £iilure of the crops all over Britain^ attributed to the great drought of the summer. In 1801, there vras the best seed-time in the memory of man — the year throughout was good, with a plentiful crop of every kind, and an early dry harvest. The first e^t months of the year 1802 were the worst in remembrance ; the four last were fine ; a late but plentiful crop, and all well got in. There was plenty of grain on the nere, but it did not meal so well as last year ; beef Is. per pound, mutton 9d., butter Is. 5d., cheese 9d., eggs per dosen Is. dd., peck loaf ds. 2d., oatmeal Is. dd., pota- toes, a poor crop and watery. Is. per peck. In 1803, a good crop, dry harvest, grain pitiful, oatmeal Is. 4d. per peck. The last seven months of 1804 all frood weather, with the best crop, full and ripo, and well got in, that occurred since 1801 ; oatmeal la. 5d. per peck. In 1805, meal at same price, a plentiful crop of every kind. In the harvest of 1806 there was a great drought, followed by a wet November and De- cember, corn, beans, and potatoes were all got in in fine order. 1807, a poor crop, oatmeal 2b., hay 2s., peaae, beans, and potatoes bad ; 1808» a fine crop, well got in ; potatoes, pease, and beans above an average, altogether a remarkably fine harvest. 1809^ a good harvest, grain plentiful, but high priced ; oatmeal in June 2s. in July la. lOd. per peck. 1810, a beautiful warm sunny harvest ; no rain from dd Septem- ber till near the end of October, the best harvest and wheat seed-time remembered ; barometer above fair for six weeks together ; oatmeal Is. 6d., potatoes 9d. 1811, a great comet appeared near Ursa Major on the 9th September, extraordinary rains, frost, and winds in spring and beginning of summer, a medium crop. 1812, crop not all housed till the beginning of September, plentiful but dcnr ; meal 2b. 4d. and potatoes Is. per peck. 1813, a good harvest, and a most excellent return of all sorts of crops, meal Is. 6d. potatoes Is. per peck. 1814, a remarkably fine harvest, plenty of grain, but little straw, meal Is. 5d. per peck, potatoes 9d. per peck of forty-two pounds. 1815, a plentiful harvest all safely housed, oatmeal Is. Sd. per peck, pota- toes 9d., beef and mutton per stone 10s. 6d., skim cheese 5d. and sweet milk cheese 9d. per pound. 181 6 was an uncommonly cold wet year, no sunshine ; a poor crop of every kind over all Europe, wheat L. 3, 10s. per boll oats L. 2, barley L. 2, 10s., oatnoeal 2b. per peck, quartern loaf Is. 5d. 1817 was the worst crop ever known in the west of Scotland ; the month of August was particularly bad. 1818, a plentiful crop of every kind in Scotland, but a poor crop in the south-east of England, pota- toes very plentiful, and of a fine quality ; harvest began in early places on the 10th of August ; new oats and barley in the Falkirk and Haddington markets on the 13th of August ; oatmeal Is. 5d, and potatoes Is. the peck. 1819, trees early in leaf, but de- stroyed by the frost early in June ; no equinoxial blast in autumn ; the longest set of dry warm weather in September since 1800 ; crop finished over all the country by the end of that month, very plentiful and well got in ; oatmeal 1 s. 2d. per peck. The Radicals in great commotion, especially towards the latter end of the year. 1820, harvest begun, but not generally, by the end of Augtut, and was very generally finished by the end of September. Upon the whole, a plentiful crop, and all safe. In November best beef 10s. 6d. per stone, oatmeal 17s. 6d. per boll, butter l5. per pound, all very cheap. 172 DUMBARTONSHIRE. January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, Sqjtember, October, Norember, December, N. s. E. w. N.B. N.W. S.B. S.W 1 10 1 9 2 3 1 4 8 3 2 15 1 8 1 8 4 9 11 7 4 3 3 17 4 6 4 1 21 4 2 2 9 3 19 19 2 I 9 2 1 7 1 ^ 8 10 8 6 3 4 10 17 6 1 16 19 12 2 12 3 155 25 36 29 103 Hydrography. — The streams in this district are neither large nor numerous. The water of Kelvin, which is the chief, rises near Orchard, in the parish of Kilsyth, and runs in a direction nearly due west, towards the Clyde, formbg the boundary between the counties of Stirling and Dumbarton. Its course through these parishes is far from picturesque, and more resembles a great ditch, - or one of the slow sluggish streams of the south, than the " jouk- ing burnies," or " rattling roaring torrents," which sweep over their channelly or rocky beds in these northern latitudes. Before reaching the Clyde, however, near Glasgow, its stream expands, its banks become elevated, bold, wooded, and highly picturesque, and being studded here and there with elegant country seats, and smart villas, are altogether worthy of the beautiful ballad in their praise, entitled *' Kelvin Grove," so well known, and so deserv- edly popular in the west of Scotland. Near to Kirkintilloch the Kelvin is crossed by a bridge, and is about forty yards broad. The Luggie, a tributary of the Kelvin, is the next stream of importance. It suddenly bursts up in a large and vigorous spring in the midst of a morass, on the farm of Torbrax, in the parish of Cumber- nauld. After entering this parish at Dalshaunan, it forms the boundary between it and Lanarkshire till Barbeth, where it entire- ly enters the parish of Kirkintilloch, and runs by Duntiblae and Oxgang, and joins the Kelvin to the north-west of the town of Kirkintilloch. Throughout the greater part of its course, it keeps by the level grounds, and is, like the Kelvin, a slow muddy ditch- like stream, subject occasionally to great inundations. Tlie banks The notes from which I quote are not so distinct after this date. It is stated that the ayerage of rain for seven years before 1788, which was a remarkably dry year, was 25 inches, whereas in 1788 it was only 14.5. On the 29th and dOth May 1809, there was the greatest fall of snow ever known at the season of the year. The snow was nearly a foot deep. There was aUo a great frost, the rivers frozen, and many trees broken down by the weight of the snow. KIRKINTILLOCH. 173 are mostly low, ragged and ungainly, but near Oxgang and Dun- tiblaoi they are high, imposing, and finely wooded. The Buth« land Burn rises at Gamkirk, winds in a romantic manner around the fine old turreted mansion-house of Bedlay, solacing the whole scene with its pleasing and perpetual murmurings, and finally loses itself in the Luggie at Oxgang. Another small streamlet, called the Bord Burn, rises near Croy-mill, crosses below the Forth and Clyde Canal at Shirva, and is soon after swallowed up in the Lug- gie. All the streams which flow into the Luggie are from the south, whilst those which flow into the Kelvin, with one exception, are from the north. This latter river is the trough of the waters which flow from the bordering counties of Lanark and Stirling, There is a small lake at Gartshore, named the Bord Loch, which covers about four acres of ground. It has some pike, and is fre- quented by wild ducks and teals. It seems to receive its chief supply of water from a copious spring in the centre, which in the severest frosts is seldom covered with a thick coat of ice. This arises from the spring-well temperature of the water, great part of which is seldom much below 50^ of Fahrenheit. Accidents are accordingly said to have occurred here on the ice. There is a tradition of the loss of a great many lives on one occasion, by the ice giving way, when overloaded by curlers. The Forth and Clyde Canal, which forms the most important hydrographical feature of the district, will be mentioned in its proper place. Geology and Mijneralogy. — The district of Lenzie lies on the northern border of the great coal field of Lanarkshire, after all the main seams of the most valuable metals crop out, and where the different beds of limestone on which they rest come to the surface with their accompanying deposits of coal and ironstone. It is also connected on the east with the great carboniferous deposits, which stretch along both sides of the Forth, including on the south side of that river, the district as far east as Blackness, and from Avon Water to the Forth, and the whole range of coal country on the north of that river from Culross to Dollar, and eastward by Dun- fermline, Auchterderran, Leven, Largo, Elie, St Monance, and near to St Andrews. Were a geological map of this part of Scotland to be produced, the district of Lenzie would probably be included in the range of these coal fields. It is in vain, however, to search here for any of the main seams of the great Lanarkshire basin, as they are all run out before they reach this locality. This great 174 DUMBARTONSHIRE. district is hemmed in by the porphyritie rocks of the Ochil rang^ on the north, continued in the Campsie hills to Dumbarton, which divide the red sandstone from the coal formation of the Forth and Clyde. Part of the parish of Kirkintilloch, with part of the adjoin- ing parishes of Cumbernauld, Kilsyth, and Campsie, seem at some remote and unknown period to have formed the bottom and sides of a great inland sea or lake, which stretched in an easterly and westerly direction along the valley of the Forth and Clyde Canal. This great basin of water appears to have been studded with islands or inches, as they are sometimes called, the memorials of which are still pre- served in the names of the places. Among the still existing chrono- meters of this sort, which have escaped the wasting influence of the hand of time, and still live as it were to speak and testify for them- selves, we may mention Inchbreck and Inchbelly in this parish, and Inchterf, Inchwood,and Netherinch in the parishes of Campsie and Kilsyth. The whole of the tract in which these lost or ci" devant islands, if I may so speak, occur, partakes considerably of the character of a lowland valley ; but were it necessary absolutely to define its geognostic features, we would rather rank it among the broad flat-bottomed valleys which abound in many places in Scotland. They are less rugged and picturesque in their outlines than mountain vallies, and less extensive than lowland ones. Still this resembles the lowland valley, in so far that it appears to have been originally scooped out by the same natural agencies ; and from a careful inspection of the whole, it seems as if a large body of water had passed over it rounding the inequalities, and acting on the masses of strata in proportion to their power of resistance. At the same time, the valley of the Forth and Clyde Canal, especially in so far as it is connected with this parish, has much of the charac- ter of a drained lake, or indicates a locality where the rivers or floods, not having had any great velocity, have had time to deposit a considerable quantity of sediment over a flat sur£ice, in the mid- dle of which many islands no doubt appeared. In the country to the north of this valley, and also considerably to the west, in the parishes of Old and New Kilpatrick, there is a continuity or iden- tity of strata, accompanied with various alpine ranges, consisting of whin, chiefly diorite, resting on the lower members of the coal formation. The Campsie range, which borders on the parish of Kir* kintilloch, immediately to the north, is of this description ; which, although the giant range of these districts is, however, itself mimick- KIUKINTILLOCH. 175 ed or approximated by variouj} smaller ridges to the south in the pa- rishes of Kirkintilloch and Cumbernauld, which are of similar struc- ture, run in the same easterly and westerly directions, and may all be ascribed to the same geological epoch. The shapes or general forms of these ridges are considerably modiBed by the currents of water which, at an early period, have apparently flowed between them, probably from east to west, which is indicated not only by the grooviogs and dressings on rocks, and the abrading efiects of the liquid among the materials opposed to its passage, but is also rendered extremely probable by the natural lie of the whole dis- trict, and more especially by the fact, that the surface of the river Forth is about five feet lower than that of the river Clyde — a &ct ascertained by the levels on the line of the Forth and Clyde Canal* The principal deposits of coal in the district of Lenzie are only such as are immediately connected with the carboniferous group of limestones, and all lie in awilleysj or small insulated patches, of very inconsiderable length and breadth. These small indepen- dent basins are generally of an oval shapj, and evidently seem to have been once small lakes or marshes, the strata having been de< posited on the bottoms and sides, taking the concave form, which, under such circumstances, -we would naturally suppose them to as- sume. In all of these swilleysy the stratum of coal that is of con- inderable thickness at the base, becomes thinner, and gradually fines off towards the edges, and at last totally disappears. This . fact proves that the present basin-shaped position of the strata was their original one ; and that the basin, at the period when the coal was deposited, was a detached lake or marsh, and not a part of the bed of the sea. These coal beds are evidently of consider- able antiquity, and must have preceded some considerable local convulsions of nature. This is indicated by the fact, that while the small coal-basins at Holland Hirst in the east, and at Shirva on the west, both respectively retain their original or native forms, that at Strpn, which lies exactly between them, and on the same line running east and west, the coal has been up -heaved by a great mass of diorite whinstone, which forms a considerable hill, and the whole original basin has accordingly been reversed in its shape, or has become saddle-backed, resembling a cup or basin turned upside • It is beliered that the bed of the Forth has been raised 20 feet. This would give 26 feet of a fall. 176 DUMBARTONSHIRE. dowDy or lying with its mouth undermost, and the bottom in the air. That this basin was originally of the same form as those at Holland Hirst and Shirva there can be no doubt. The whin-hill at Stron must therefore be of a more recent date, and probably the coal basins of which we are now to speak are of a date pos- terior to the causes which led to the formation of the great valley in which they are deposited. The Shirva field, a little to the west of the Stron, is a small cop or swilky^ thrown in and out again by two hitches or troubles, which run along the northern and southern boundaries of the coal basin, which is of an oval form, probably about a mile in length, and half a mile in breadth. The coal here is about six and a-haif feet in thickness, is rather soft; in its texture, and comes up to the day, as the miners term it, at a very acute angle. It is wrought upon the inclined plane system. About four feet above this coal, there is a two inch coal with a roofing of shale, upon which a four feet post of limestone rests, which is again succeeded by a roof of shale, which reaches to the surface. This limestone resembles that found at Gladdens, near Glasgow. About five fathoms below the thick coal, there is another seam of coal thirteen inches in thickness, which is succeeded by a bed of sandstone twenty feet thick. No farther search has been made. This is, upon the whole, a very singular little patch of carbonife- rous matter, altogether very unlike any other found in the neigh- bourhood. At Holland Hirst, in the parish of Cumbernauld, but only a little to the east of the Stron in this parish, there is another sin- gular small independent basin of coal, which, for the sake of con- nexion, it may not be improper to describe. This field consists of two seams, the upper or main coal, 3 feet thick, and a thin seam of 18 inches. Like that of the Shirva, it forms an oval basin upwards of half a mile in breadth, and from the present workings at the en- gine at Arneybog eastward to the Red-burn, fully a mile in length. It is cut off from the Netherwood lime-fields by a hitch running east and west, which may be seen crossing the country a little above the Redburn Bridge, at Castlecairy. It is cut off from the Cumbernauld lime-field on the south by a large greenstone ridge, which runs by Craigmarloch, the back of Cumbernauld Inn, and the picturesque waterfuU a little above the old house of Castle- cairy. The coal here is thrown in from the north, which v/ould seem to connect it with the Stirlingshire coal-fields. It was sup- KIRKINTILLOCH. 177 posed to extend cousiderably to the west, but this, as we shall pre- sently see, has been proved not to be the case from recent borings* The three feet or main coal is three fathoms above the thin or eighteen inch seam, and thecalm limefourfeet thick, nine feet above the main coaL The thin coal is wrought long-wall, so that all the coal is wrought out. The main coal is wrought ^< stoop and room," but not so extensively as the former. The engine pit is 38^ fathoms deep, fitted with an excellent engine of eleven horse power, adapted to draw both coals and water. This work as well as the extensive collieries at Banknock, on the opposite side of the canal, belong to the Honourable Admiral Fleming. The works at Shirva belong to Walter Ballantyne, Esq. In a position almost exactly between these two small insulated basins of coal, and also on the south bank of the canal, is the sin- gular conical coal-field of Stron or Barr-hill. The minerals here are the property of Captain Murray Gartshore, of Gartshore, and * William Wallace, Esq. of Auchinvole. This field, as we have seen, is saddle-shaped. The prevailing rock in this locality is a felspatho- pyroxenic trap, which, as already stated, seems to have burst up at a period subsequent to the formation of the coal-field, carrying the coal, &C. along with it. This hill is in a peculiar range of coun- try, namely, exactly in the direction of the anticlinal line, which alters the dip of the metals from east to west, and runs of course in the direction of the strike. If a line were drawn on the map of Scotland from north to south through this hill, it would be nearly the anticlinal line of a large portion of the district. It will pass on between the sources of the Eudrick and Carron on the north, causing the one to run east, and the other west In the south, the same line determines the courses of the numerous waters which run into the Tweed and the Clyde. The Clyde and the Forth alone, with daring impunity, boldly cross and sweep along this line, and at these crossings of the anticlinal line lie the principal coal-fields. The anticlinal line, which here produces the divergence of all the metals, runs up the face of the Barr-hill, by the Stron engine, so that all the metals to the east of that line dip to the east, and all the metals to the west dip to the west The strike of the metals is due north and south. The dip of the coal- field at Shirva is accordingly to the west, while that at Holland Hirst is to the east These speculations must be taken with some degree of allowance, but they will be found near the truth. There are two principal seams at Stron, as at Holland Hirst ; but the DUMBARTON. M 178 DUMBART0N6HIRK. thin coal is only from 14 to 16 inches thick. The thick or main coal is four feet thick, and lies about seven fathoms below the thin seam. A black band of ironstone lies about seven fathoms above the thin coal. There are besides, five other small and inferior bands of ironstone connected with the seams. The coal here is good for smithy purposes, and a great proportion of it is used oa the spot in the making of coke. Mr Wallace has 24 coke-kilns at present in use, and Mr Gartshore 13. These are erected to- wards the summit of the Barr-hill, nigh to the remains of the Roman wall, and shine forth in a dark night like beacons to all the country round. Admiral Fleming has also extensive works of the same kind at Holland Hirst. About 32 cwt of coals put into each of these kilns yields a ton of coke. The coals require at least two days to roast; but this depends much on the state of the atmosphere. In March 1834, when coke sold at 16s. 8d. per ton, the expense of working, with the profits, might thus be estimated : Coke per ton, worth 16s. 8d. ; working the coal 32 cwt. to a' ton of coke, 8s. 8d. ; cost and keeping up of kilns and expense of charring, 2s. 6d. By subtracting the two latter sum^, or lis. 2d. from 16s. 8d., there is a clear profit of 5s. 6d. per ton for the land- lord and tenant. The above works, including Holland Hirst, send annually to the Glasgow market, by the canal, about 2148 tons of coke. The thin coal in these collieries is difficult to work. The colliers are paid about 2s. per cart, equal to 3s. 4d., and some- times as high as 3s. 9d. per ton at the room fkces. The main coal, on the other hand, is put out as low as Is. 8d. per ton, carried to the pit bottom. The average price is 2s. 6d. per cart, equal to 4s. 2d. per ton. Great quantities of fish bones were discover- ed when digging the engine pit at Holland Hirst ; but organic remains are not so common in these strata as in some others. There are at least five distinct main posts of lime in this district^ all apparently entering it from the south, showing it to be the bot- tom of the Lanarkshire fields ; while its surface and principal mi- neral beds to the east are evidently connected with the carboni- ferous groups of the coal-fields of the River Forth. The upper- most post of lime occurs at Milncroft, in the parish of New Monk- land, exactly on the confines of the district of Lenzie. The se- cond post is the celebrated deposit in Cumbernauld, lying on each side of a deep and romantic ravine, and forming by far the best lime for all purposes in this part of the country. The third post KIRKINTILLOCH. 179 is the calm-limestone found in the pit at Holland Hirst. The fourth post is the underwood lime thrown out from the Holland Hirst coal by the hitch above alluded to. The fifth post occurs at Shir?a. It is the third post or calm-limestone which chiefly runs throughout the parish of Kirkintilloch. This is a very ex- taisive deposit, and, with some of the accompanying upper and lower limestones, runs along the whole of the level tract by Cum- bernauld and Bedlay to Glasgow, along the valley of the Forth and Clyde Canal, in this part of the country, and stretches also along the range of the Campsie Fells, where it is in some places 50 or 60 feet in thickness. It is a hard dark-blue lime with few organic remains, and yields but little effervescence with acids. It is well fitted for building purposes, and for smelting iron, but is little used by the agriculturist. A fine section of this limestone is cut through at the viaduct bridge on the Kirkintilloch railway near Bedlay. The Bedlay lime, which yields large supplies to the Monkiand iron-works, is of this post The ironstone found at Stron belongs to an entirely different group from that found near Airdrie. In the Monklands, the up- per black band is found about 25 fathoms above the ell-coal, and Musbet's black band about 15 or 16 fathoms below the splint coal ; but all these seams are totally run#out before they reach thi^ quar- ter. The black band of ironstone, however, on the Barr-hill, seems of excellent quality, and may yet be wrought to great advan- tage. The following journal of a bore at Stron will afford some idea of the order and succession of metals. Soft brown sand, Blue-till, Ironstone hand, Dark fakes mixed with blaes, Bock in beds, • Blaea, Hard white rock, Black blaes. Ironstone band. Very black blaiae, Ironstone band, Black blaes, Grey fiikes, Hard fiikes. Hard white rock, Very hard rock. 1. Bore at Stron, FL In, Ft, In, 7 Soft white rock, 4 6 2 8 Grey fakes in beds, 7 10 6 Black blaes. 20 5 7 6 Hard black fakes, • 3 10 7 Black blaes, 4 4 Ironstone band, 4 5 2 Black blaes mixed with fakes, 3 2 14 9 Black fakes. 5 9 3 Blaes, 3 1 H Ironstone band, 1 2 Black blaes, 1 8 n Hard blaes. 6 9 6 9 Ironstone band, 4 4 2 9 4 133 "e 2 2 The depth here is upwards of 22 fathoms, in which there occur six dirtinct bands of ironstone, many of them very thin, averaging 180 DUMBARTONSHIRE. upon the whole about 2 feet 9 inches in thickness. The 8-inch seam is the best. The coal does not occur in this bore, which was made in the bed of the lake-like valley to the north of the canal. The 7-feet of soft brown sand lying upon blue till has every ap- pearance of aquatic origin. The coal is found on the south side of the canal, to the east and west of this bore, as appears from the following journal, down only to the first workable coal. Ft. In. Ft, In. Blue till mixed with freestone, 19 6 Fire coal of the smithy kind, 2 9 Greyfiikes, . . 2 Rock, .0 Blaes, ^ ^ 2 6 8 1 9 Rock in beds, ..80 34 10 Dark-grey fakes, In this journal we have the blue-till on which the soft brown sand in the valley seems to rest ; but here it is mixed with shattered fragments of freestone and other rocks, striking memorials, we may imagine, of the destructive eETects produced by the eruption of the greenstone rocks from below. It was long suspected that coal might be found to the west of Holland Hirst, or between that colliery and the colliery at Stron. The experiment was lately made, but proved a failure. The fol- lowing journal, however, has an additional interest, as having been put down in the ditch of the Roman wall or Graham's dike, on Westerwood farm. Afe the first breaking of the soil, a nondescript sort of earth was found, containing the debris of many substances, which the borers, for want of a better name, have termed surface. The bore failed in its chief object, the discovery of coal. It is as follows : — //. In. Ft. In. Surface, . 13 Freestone, . . 2, 2 Freestone, . .80 Dark-grey fakes, 2^2 Dark fakes, . 9 Dark blaes, . 2 Blaes, . .04 Hard kingle, .07 Hard rock, • . 2 ._i_ Dark fakes, ..01 26 1 Another bore was put down near Wyndford Loch, to the 4epth of upwards of 33 fathoms. It consisted almost entirely of repeat- ed layers of hard faky matter, or a mixture of freestone and shale, with two seams of coal of a foul coarse quality, about a foot each in thickness, and a coarse limestone of three inches. In one place, on the valley of the canal, after a bore of two fathoms, they were stop- ped by gravel. These bores are all on the east side of the parish. We will now examine the west side where it borders with Cadder. We have seen that the calm limestone is the most extensive, and most re- 3 KIRKINTILLOCH. 181 • markable of the stratified rocks in this district. It is found in the pits at Holland Hirst, and also at Woodmill, Bedlay, and all along by Gamkirk, Huggenfield, Robroyston, and Cathcart. Near the Kirkintilloch railway, at Bedlay, it is found in great perfection. It is generally in two plies, separated by blaes. The following jour- nal will afford some idea of the accompanying metals. Ft. In. FU In. Blue limestone, . 2 Hard grey sandstone, . 3 4 Shale, . . .13 Light hard sandstone, 3 4 Blue limestone, ..30 Kingle, . .95 Dark blacs, . . 12 Hard slaty sandstone, 13 4 Freestone plies and blaes, 9 7 Dark fire-clay & slaty sandstone, 21 9 Cool, . . .08 Dark shale, . 11 11 Dark hard fakes, . .47 Dark fire-clay with ironstone 1 3 3 1 2 9 7 8 4 7 12 I 1 4 8 5 11 11 5 3 2 8 Slaty sandstone, . 12 I bolls, 36 7 Coal, ..14 Dark hardstone, . 6^ Slaty sandstone, . .85 Dark freestone and shale, \0\ Hard grey sandstone, . 110 Coal, ..06 Dark ft-eestone plies, 110 Dark freestone and shale, 11 4 Dark fire clay, .53 Coal, . . .26 Light sandstone, . 2 8 Dark-grey pavement, 2 Were I to compare the limestones on the north of the great Lanarkshire basin, with those on its south-western boundaries, I would point out the Calderside lime between the parishes of Blan* tyre and East Kilbride, as corresponding with Millcrofk; lime, the Auchintibber as corresponding with the Cumbernauld, but of in- ferior quality, and the limestones to the west of Kilbride as cor- responding with the Netherwood lime. There is nothing equiva- lent to the calm limestone on the south-west of the county of La- narL Although this district, therefore, properly speaking, lies at the bottom of the Lanarkshire coal-fields, still it is connected with other fields to the east, particularly with the Falkirk coal-fields, which seems to be cut off from the fields still farther to the east, by traps, as at Bowden and Cockleroy, which rise out from below it. Probably the whole district may here be viewed as one of de- nudation, which has been cleared of all the upper strata, and final- ly cleared of the waters which overwhelmed it, by the upheaving of the Campsie and other traps with which it abounds. The prices of boring in this district, where the metals are sel- dom at any great depth, are as follows : First 5 fathoms at ds. per fathom, Second do* at lOs. do. Third do. at 15s. do. Fourth do. at 208. do. Fifth do. at 258. do. Sixth do. at 30s. do. Total 30 fathoms cost . L. 1 5 2 10 3 15 5 6 5 7 10 L. 50 10 182 DUMBARTONSHIRE. The following will afford an idea of the expense of shanking and mounting a pit on a hmited scale in this quarter. Five fathoms shanking, . . L. 19 Awindlas. . . . 1 10 A rope and chain, .... 2 Five fathoms of pipes for pumping water, . 4 10 Total for five fathoms, L. 27 The following is the average annual rental of the minerals in the parish of Kirkintilloch. Barr-hlll colliery, Mr Gartshore, let to Marshall and Wallace 1834, L. 225 Stron, Mr Wallace, . . . . . 300 Shirva colliery, Mr Ballantyne, . . 200 Orchardtown Limework, Mr Sharp, let to A. Baird, 1834, . ^00 1000 Tons of coke at 16?. per ton, . . 1600 Total rental per annum for minerals, . . L. 2575 The above is only an estimated rental, taken from the heritors' books, with one exception. Probably the real value is greater. The trap rocks in this district are often very remarkable. Near Smithston« by the road side, there is a greenstone in which the rock assumes a columnar form. There is a singular ridge of dioritic whinstone at Mollinsburn, through which the new Kirkintilloch road is cut. It runs east and west, and rises up so abruptly as to resemble a great quartern loaf lying on a table. The place where the above road passes, seems like a piece cut out of the loaf. ^ As to the soils of this district, they are not generally so heavy as farther south ; they do not so decidedly incline to clay, and are upon the whole more grassy. In the genuine coal-fields, grass is not the favourite herb, but various species of ranunculus, yarrow, daisies, and other insignificant weeds are very prevalent. The bottom of the valley of the great canal is nearly all transported soil. Near Auchinvole, and in several other places, there are beds of water-formed sand of considerable thickness. The ground along the southern part of the Kelvin is of a deep marshy nature, and is often overflowed by the river, particularly near to the junc- tion of the Luggie and Kelvin. The soil of a small tract to the north-east angle is of a light reddish colour, upon a whinstone and gravelly bottom. Around the town of Kirkintilloch, the soil is a light black loam, 16 or 18 inches deep, on a reddish tilly bot- tom. A strong natural clay prevails throughout the southern and eastern parts of the parish, where it comes more immediately into contact with the genuine coal measures. Tracts of moss, af- fording a black peat earth, are interspersed, here and there, through- KIRKINTILLOCH. 183 out the whole district The following is nearly the amount of peat moss in the parish. Drum M088, - - - - 40 acres. Mosflfinnin and Bedcow, - . . 40 Barbeth, - . . • - 12 Muirside Moss, - - - - 12 Pkitches of moss elsewhere, - - 30 134 acres. Zoology. — At Cumbernauld, at the east end of the district of Lenzie, an ancient breed of white cattle were kept for many ages, after they had disappeared from every other place in Scotland. We have a direct testimony to this fact, from a variety of celebrat- ed and reputable authors, from the earliest periods to the present times. As this district, at one time, belonged to the Cummins, it is probable, that the same breed were also at Hamilton, as the es-> tate of Cadzow also belonged to the same family. They have been long extirpated from Cumbernauld^ There is, however, one of ihefercenaturce which still keeps its ground there, the nim- ble and elegant Cervus capreolusj or roe. It is very frequent in the woods at Cumbernauld and Castlecairy, and has of late been hunt- ed by hounds trained for the purpose. When attacked, it is very shy of leaving its cover, but when driven to the open field, it does not run swiftly, but seems to leap or bound like a calf, and unless another place of shelter be near, is soon overheated and overtaken. The Sciurtis vulgaris^ or common squirrel, abounds in the woods. The Lepus cunniaduSf or wild rabbit, is more common in the woods than formerly, and has probably been introduced by the gen- tlemen of the chace to feed foxes. Better feed them on rabbits than on their tenants' poultry. Along the banks of the canal, in particular, the Arvicola aquatica^ or water-vole, and Sorex fodiensj or water-shrew, are very common. Other quadrupeds common to this part of Scotland are also found. Among the birds of prey, the BtUeo ceruginosus^ or gled, and the Buteo nisusy or sparrow- hawk, are the most destructive. In the last Statistical Account of the parish, drawn up by the Rev. William Dunn, the author states, that " the advantage resulting from our late improvements is attended with one circumstance of which we have reason to complain, which is this, that the use of lime upon our lands, the filth which is con- veye into our rivers, from the coal-works in the neighbourhood, and the machinery which have been erected, have already render- ed a salmon-fishery, which was considerable, very insignificant ; and indeed there is too much reason to apprehend, that the fish in our 184 DUMBARTONSHIRE. rivers will be almost totally exterminated by the joint effects of these different sources of destruction." The remark is true with regard to the salmon-fishery, which was at one time important enough, to be expressly retained by the family of Cumbernauld, when they dispensed with the rest of their property in this neighbourhood. That the number "of fish has generally decreased is also very proba- ble. The chief kinds now found are the following ; — the reader, however, will remark, that I am not quite satisfied in my mind as to the Salmo albus, Salmo salar, common salmon I^euciscus rutelus, roach ^Sccitki^ braixe fiirio, common trout - phoxinus, minnow •• albus, whiteiiiigor white trout Perca fluviatilis, common perch Esox luciua, common pike Botany. — The only thing worthy of remark in the botany of this district is the immense quantity of Lathyrus salicariaj or pur- ple-spotted loosestrife, which fringes the southern bank of the ca- nal, and in the months of July and August, when in full blossom, ex- hibits a rich display of purple spikes of flowers, and altogether pre- sents to the eye a peculiarly gay and captivating appearance. The Iris pseudacorus, or yellow water iris, and the Menyanthes trifoliatay also contribute to swell the more than usual exuberance of ver- dure. In this entangled mass of foliage there may be occasional- ly detected a few specimens of that rare and beautiful plant Lysi^ machia thyrsifloraj or tufted loosestrife, and also some rare Cari- ces, and a variety of interesting aquatic plants. The Arenaria vernoy or vernal sandwort, rather a rare plant, occurs in dry gra- velly places between Cadder and Kirkintilloch. A variegated va- riety of the Urtica urens^ or common nettle, sometimes occurs. The Sambucus ebulus abounds in a field on the northern precincts of the parish, near the mansion-house of Glorat. The Valeriana offici- nalis is more common here than in Lanarkshire. The principal plantations are on the estate of Gartshore. They extend to upwards of 326 acres, and are finely and very imposing^ ly laid off. The trees chiefly planted are larch, spruce, and Scotch fir ; but little hard-wood. The principal mansion-houses in the parish are well ornamented with trees, and there are some pretty extensive plantations, as at Boghead, but not so important as to require to be specified. II. — Civil HrsTORY. This district must have been of great importance so far back as the time of the Romans, as it was here that they had one of their principal forts. In the year 1184, the town of Kirkintilloch was erected into a burgh of barony by William the Lion. Before the KIRKINTILLOCH. 185 year 1195, William, the son of Thorald, who held the manor of Kirkintilloch, granted to the monks of Cambuskenneth the church of Kirkintilloch, with half a carucate of land. William Cummin, afterwards Earl of Buchan, held the manor of Kirkintilloch in 1201. The estates afterwards came into the hands of the Noble family of Fleming. There is in the charter-room at Cumber- nauld an ancient charter from Alexander II., dated about 1226. In the " Registrum Magni Sigillt Regum Scotorum," published by order of Government, there is a charter to Malcolm Fleming from King Robert, conveying ** totam baroniam de Kirkintolach que fuit quondam Johnis Comyn.'' In the reign of Robert 1 1, there is a char - ter of confirmation, dated Kinghorn, 20th July, the fourth year of his reign. This had reference to the claim of William Boyd, son of Thomas Boyd, the former proprietor of the barony of Lygne. The same monarch, by a charter dated Arnele, ISth May, in the third year of his reign, grants ^' Villa de Kerkentuloch to Gilbert Ke- nedy, grandson of Malcolm Fleming." In 1526, James V. ^^ ra« tifyies and apprevis the charter of new infeftment maid by our so- verene Lord to Malcolm Lord Flemyng, making the touns of Biggar and Kerkentuloch, burghis of barony, with the mercat dais, in all punctis, with arteklis, after the form and tenor of the said charter of infeftment maid thereupon.'' In 1672, William Earl of Wigtown built a bridge of three - arches over the Luggie, the old bridge being quite ruinous. The building of this new bridge is said to be a '* maist necessary and useful bridge for the saife passage of all persons who travel from Edenbro and Stirling to Glasgow and Dumbarton, being situated on the highway leading to and fro these toun^." The Earl, in consideration of the ex- penses he was at in building the new bridge, was permitted by Act of Parliament, for the space of five years after the opening of the same,toexactanimposition,of four pennies Scots for every ox, horse, or cow, four pennies for every ten sheep, and eight pennies for every loadened cart. This district formerly belonged to Stirling- shire. Some time between 1507 and 1522, the name of the whole was changed from Kerkentulach to Lenzie. In 1621, an attempt was made to get a new church erected in the middle of the pa- rish, but without success. In 1659, the parishes of Kirkintilloch and Cumbernauld were finally separated. A new church was built at the east end for the new parish, and the chapel of the Virgin Mary, built 1644, became the parish church of Kirkintilloch, as at present. 186 DUMBAIITONSHIRE* In 1745, the Highlanders descended directly upon this part of Scotland from the Craw road along the western limb of the Camp* sie range. A stupid and cruel-minded man fired from a barn bole, and killed one of the rebels as they passed through the town of Kirkintilloch. This wanton and unwarrantable action led to very serious results to the inhabitants of the burgh. They were order- ed to give up the murderer to justice, but, on being unable to do so, a heavy fine was imposed upon them. On the return of the Highland host northwards, the town was again put into a great panic, it being reported that they were to come that way, and meant to bum it. An aged person tells me that his fether was an eye-witness of the confusion which prevailed on the approach of the much dreaded host. People were flying in all directions, in the utmost despair, taking with them what they valued most ; and among the rest, he particularly remarked an infirm old man making his escape with his cow and a chaff-bed thrown over her back. But a more dreadful, and not less dreaded foe, was destined to in- vade the peaceful burgh of Kirkintilloch well nigh to a century after. This was no less than that appalling scourge, the Asiatic cholera, which visited this place in 1832, after having visited Had- dington and Musselburgh. Kirkintilloch was the first .station it touched at in the west of Scotland, and if the local agitation was great, the terror of the whole country around was, if possible, still greater. The total number of cases was 96 ; deaths, 36 ; cures, 60. Of the 36 fatal cases, 10 were children, 14 females, and 12 full-grown males. Antiquities. — The castle of Kirkintilloch, on the Kelvin, ap* pears to have been a place of considerable strength, in the end of the thirteenth century, when it belonged to John Comyn, who lost it and the barony of Kirkintilloch, by forfeiture, on the accession of Robert Bruce, when it was given to Sir Robert de Fleeming, ancestor of the Honourable Admiral Fleeming, in consideration of the eminent services rendered in the course of the long and bloody contest, which that monarch carried on with the English, for the possession of the Scottish throne. No traces of this an- cient fortress now remain. In the northern side of the parish, there is an ancient square tower, known by the name of the tower of Banheath. This was in ancient times a stronghold of the Boyds, Earls of Kilmarnock, whose armorial bearings are still blazoned above the door. It was at one period surrounded with woods, and had a deer park. In the memory of persons now liv- KIRKINTILLOCH. 1S7 ing, the tower was covered with a leaden roof, and was surrounded by a ditch. It is still pretty entire, but in a state of complete dis- repair. But by far the greatest object of curiosity in the district, either to the antiquary, or general reader or scholar, is the remains of the ancient Roman wall, with its peels or forts. It appears that no less than six walls were built along this narrow neck of land by the Romans. The first was built by Julius Agricola, the first of the Romans who penetrated into Caledonia, about a. d. 81. A second wall was built between the Forth and Clyde by Lollius Urbicus about a. d. 138, under the Emperor Antoninus. It was built of turfi and fortified by castles of stone* work. Capitolinus expressly mentions this wall, and memorials of it are preserred in the inscriptions both of the Emperor and General. Carausius, who usurped the empire in Britain towards the end of the third century, according to Rennius, (cap. J 9, Eldit. Gale,) built or repaired the wall between the Clyde and Forth, about a. o. 289. The marches of the empire were again repaired under the Em- peror Valentinian, by his general Theodosius, in a. d. 367, when the province of Valentia was formed. The marches of the em- pire, or the above wall, was also repaired by Stilicbo about a. o. 398. When the Romans finally left this part of the country they caused the Britons first to repair the wall, which was of turf, and of little use. Bede says it was situated between the Forth and Clyde, and begun at a place called Peneltun in Saxon, and Penualin Pictish, (Nenricus calls itC^nua/, perhaps Kennal,) about two miles distant from Abercorn, and ended towards the west at Alcluyd or Dumbarton, on the Frith of Clyde. The same au- thority says it was very broad, and very high, and that the remains of it were to his time. The wall of a. d. 426 was between the Tine and Solway. It is the remains of the wall described by Bede which are now to be seen. It enters the parish of Kirkintilloch at Barr, crosses Barr-hill, and then the canal at Shirva, runs in a westerly direc- tion near the south bank of the Kelvin, passes the town of Kir- kintilloch, at the back of the parish church, and leaves the parish near Mr Thomson's of Belfield. The whole distance is about six miles. During that brief space, there have been no less than three distinct forts or castles, which are on high and naturally strong positions, well-fitted to see to a great distance around, and to exercise an extensive surveillance not only over the pieces of wall 188 DUMBARTONSHIRE. committed to their keeping, but also over the whole country around. The first of these posts upon the east side stands upon the top of the Barr-hill, a situation so elevated as to command a view of almost the whole length of the wall from east to west ; or over a space of country upwards of thirty-two miles from sea to sea. The fort is a square area of 150 yards. About the time the last statistical report of the parish was written, some vaults belonging to it were discovered. They were all entire, covered above with flat bricks, and floored with a mixture of lime, and black and white gravel, with sand, as if from the sea-shore, very unlike any that is now to be found in this neighbourhood. The next of these forts, proceeding westward, is situated three miles distant, at the village of Auchendowie. It is of an oblong rectangular figure, ex- tending 150 yards one way, and 70 another. This fort is now sadly mutilated, and can scarcely be traced. The Forth and Clyde Canal is cut through it Two miles onward in the same direction is the fort or peel, as it is called by way of distinction. It is situated on a piece of rising ground at the west end of the town of Kirkintilloch. The ditches and forms of the fortifications are still pretty distinct, except on the west side, where they have been lately levelled and turned into a kail-yard. The fort is of an oblong rectangular form, 90 yards in length, and 80 in breadth. It is singular in being situated on the north side of the wall, where- as all the other forts stand upon the south side. From the his- tory of the place* subsequent to the time of the Romans, there is more than ground for suspicion that this was one of the strong- holds of the Comyns, during the time of the disturbances with the English. Certainly the traces of the remains of the fortifications are much fresher here than at any of the neighbouring stations'; and the reason probably is that they are newer, and may therefore be referred to comparatively modern times. That this was once a Roman fort, there can be no doubt; the only question is, as to the remains of the ditches and redoubts now visible. A piece of lead, weighing upwards of 11 stones, of the shape of a cast of pig- iron, was lately found. It has been sawn into two pieces. There are some rude marks on it resemblino; the Roman numerals for two hundred. Stones bearing inscriptions have also been dug up among the ruins of all these forts. Many of these are in the Hun- terian Museum at Glasgow. Mr Dunn, the last minister of Kir- kintilloch, mentions one with the words Legio Secunda Augusta Fecit. The ditch is in a pretty entire state in many places on the KIRKINTILLOCH. 189 property of the Honourable Admiral Fleeming, between Castle- cairey and the Barr-hill, and also in this parish. It is sometimes of considerable depth, and twenty or thirty yards broad, covered with a thick coating of verdure. The bottom of it is everywhere pervaded with masses or rather fragments of broken stones. It is here uniformly called Graeme's Dike. III. — Population. In 1751, the Rev. Dr Erskine, at that time minister of Kirkin- tilloch, aflterwards of Edinburgh, found the population to be as follows : Families in the town, . . 195 in the country, . . 226 Persons in the town above eight years of age, 575 in the country, do. do. 796 The addition of the Seceders and Quakers, at that time in the parish, made up 1400 examinable persons, which, being taken at one-half of the population, will give 2800 of a population. This is Mr Dunn's data, deducible from Dr Erskine's returns, but it is erroneous. Dr Erskine gives the total families in town and coun- try at 421 ; and if we allow four to a family, which is a fair enough calculation for those times, it will give a total population of 1664^ The return of souls to Dr Webster in 1755 was 1696, so that the total increase in four years was only 32 souls. The number of inhabitants in the parish in 1791 was as follows : In the town, 1536 In the country, , . 1 103 Toul, 2639 This shews an increase in forty years of 943. Population in 1801, 1811, 1821, 1828, 1831, 3210 3740 4580 5518 5888 The increase in ten years, from 1791 to 1801, is 570; from 1801 to 1811, the next ten years, 530 ; from this last period till 1821, it is 840 ; 938 for seven years, from 1821 to 1828; and for three years from 1828 to 1831, the increase was 370; so that in the ten years before 1831 the total increase was 1308. The gross average annual increase for the whole period is rather more than 81 per annum. The full particulars of the census of 1828 are in the hands of Mr John Moffat, merchant in Kirkintilloch. The following are its general results. 190 DUMBARTONSHIRE. Landwardt Burgh, Above 12 yean of age. 928 2755 Below 12 years of age. 418 1417 Total. 1346 4172 Total, 8683 . . 1835 . 5518 The increase per anDum at this period, Mr Moffat supposes to be about 120. The result of the Government census of 1831 is as follows : 3006 2882 Males, Females, Total, 5888 The following are the general outlines of the census for the purposes of the Church Commission in 1836. Districts. No. of souls. Above 12. I. Barr, 328 223 2. Shirva, 202 157 3. Eastside, , . 555 441 4. Hight Street, north side. 676 436 5. High Street, south side. 163 102 6. Hillhead, 673 455 7. Waterside, - . 353 245 8. Gartshore, 284 206 9. Middlemuir, 92 63 10. Cowgate, 1362 1061 11. Townhead, 1222 802 Omitted in Townhead, 20 15 12. GaUowhiU, 116 78 13. Belfield, &c. 110 56 6156 43.30 The lists are uncommonly accurately taken down, and neatly and carefully assorted ; but it is probable some of those who were entrusted with them have got bewildered in one department, name- ly, in ascertaining the numbers above twelve years of age, and those above seven. The proportion of those above twelve years of age is probably here too great. The average number of procla- mations and baptisms in the parish church for the last eight years are as follows, (premising in the meantime that by the Church Com- mission returns, there are in the parish 18 bachelors, heads of fa- milies, 91 old maids, and 80 widows.) Years. Proclamations. Baptisms. AOtJtr, 1831, 60 lift 99 1832, 41 120 1833, 44 83 1834, 44 104 1835, 61 107 1836, 62 105 1837, 42 107 404 33 KIRKINTILLOCH. 191 The proclamations, as here given, are at the rate of one marriage to about ievery 113 individuals, which is about the usual average in this quarter of Scotland, sometimes a little more, and sometimes a little less. In Hamilton it is 117, and in England generally 120. There is one baptism to every 60 persons, which is about twice too much : the true number is probably about 30. Accord- ing to this computation, the total number of baptisms in the parish, among Churchmen and Dissenters, will be about 1600 or upwards. The deaths, as far as can be ascertained, are about one to 120. Members of families, 1114; inhabited houses, 615; houses, unin- habited or building, 1. Illegitimate births about 7 per annum. State of Landed Property. — In the beginning of the fourteenth century, the whole parish, excepting the burgh lands of Kirkin- tilloch, and the barony of Western Gartshore, (which has for many ages been possessed by that ancient and respectable family, Gartshore of Gartshore,) was the entire property of the Noble fe- mily of Flemings, Earls of Wigton. Lord Elphinstone, in 1735, married Clementina, the only daughter and heiress of John, the last Earl, at whose death in 1778, the male line of that house became extinct. Lady Clementina Fleming lived till 1799, when she died at the advanced age of eighty. The Honourable Admi- ral Fleming, second son of John, eleventh Lord Elphinstone, is now the heir-general to the whole Wigton estates. The last of the property in this parish belonging to the family was sold off in 1757, but they still retain the feu-duties, and some other casual- ties of feudal superiority. Admiral Fleming has held some of the highest appointments in the British navy, and is now on the chief command at Portsmouth. He is equally distinguished for his pub- lic and private worth and intelligence ; and it is to him, and that excellent patriot, the late Sir Peter Murray of Auchtertyre, the father of Captain Gartshore of Gartshore, that the public are in- debted for the very superior roads which everywhere intersect this district of country. The family of Gartshore, as above stated, is of great antiquity, and has long resided in this part of the country. The present re- presentative of the family. Captain Murray Gartshore, second son of Sir Peter Murray of Auchtertyre, with his excellent and amiable lady, a daughter of Sir Howard Douglas, Bart, her Majesty's Com- missioner for the United States of the Ionian Islands, has of late resided chiefly on his estate in this parish, where he is universally beloved and respected. It is understood that he is about to erect a new house among the fine plantations near the Barr-hill. To 192 DUMBARTONSHIRE. judge from the plans, the building will be at once elegant and commodious, and will add not a little to the picturesque beauty of the district — Major Berry has an elegant and commodious seat near the town of Kirkintilloch, and many fine villas and manor houses of wealthy and respectable individuals are scat- tered in different parts of the parish. Owing to the gradual dismemberment of the Wigton estate, which, at one period, ex- tended over many neighbouring parishes, the property has been very equally distributed, and is now in the hands of a great many proprietors. In this respect, it may be considered as a model of a parish so circumstanced, and it may therefore not be improper to give an analysis of the present state of property, so as to make figures speak, instead of words. In the roll of the real valuation of the parish, there are no less than 311 proprietors of lands and houses, so that every nineteenth person nearly is possessed of some heritable property. The num- ber of female proprietors is 52, with a gross yearly income of L.839, 7s. lOd. It may not be uninteresting to observe the pro- portion in which this considerable sum is distributed among them. They constitute nearly one-sixth of the whole proprietors, but the proportion of their gross yearly income is only about one-twentieth. The numerals indicate the number of individuals, and the sums their annual income from property. They are put down promiscu- ously as. they occur on the roll. No. of persons. Annual income. I Nc 1 L. 5 10 2 5 18 8 71 8 4 8 1 6 5 5 5 6 86 7 69 1 4 8 9 9 6 5 6 10 5 14 11 5 18 9 12 2 13 22 16 14 4 15 15 7 8 9 16 6 1 6 17 17 14 6 18 12 18 6 19 1 4 20 1 5 21 21 2 22 16 4 1 28 4 5 24 27 19 25 8 8 26 29 15 27 9 >f persons. Annual income. 28 L. 4 29 8 1 6 SO 11 81 3 15 82 6 88 2 11 84 7 14 35 5 2 86 60 87 29 10 88 85 89 17 40 21 41 25 42 11 19 48 17 2 9 44 26 18 11 45 7 10 46 13 12 47 16 16 48 4 5 49 4 14 50 6 14 9 51 2 52 16 17 6 rotal, L. 889 7 10 KIRKINTILLOCH. 193 The old original Scotch valuation of the parish is L. 5085. The real rental is L. 14y600 Sterling, which being allocated at Sd. per pound Sterling, as at present, brings a yearly income of L. 121, 19s. 4d. The total number of names of heritors upon the roll is S09, of whom 189 pay minister's stipend, and 144 school master'ssalary. The number of proprietors of land of L. 50 and up- wards is 3d. There are also as follows : L. 10 or under per annum, 40 proprietors; L. 10 to L. 20, 15 do.; L. 20 to L. 50,31 do.; L.50 to L. 100, 19 do. ; L. 100 to L. 150, 4do. ; L. 150 to L. 200, 5do. ; L. 200 to L. 300, 4 do. This calculation does not include the larger estates. The following are the principal : Estates. Acres. Rental of Lands. Woods. Minerals. Gartshore, 1518 L. 1488 6 L. 220 L.250 Qigaqg^ 131 387 Shir?a, 170 380 200 9 Anelilnyole, .151 271 300 There are eleven principal tenants, with sundry smaller ones on the estate of Grartshore, and about eight tenants on Oxgang. There are in the parish 3076 acres, 2 roods, and 19 falls under cultivation, which yields an average annual rental of L. 8468, 4s. 6d. The net produce of lands and houses is as follows : Districts. 1. HJIHiead, east side, .... 2. Burgh Isnds, East Midr, south-east side, 5. Including Woodhead, Woodmill, Dalshannan, > 4. Hole, Barbeth, &c. &c. ( 5- Drum, Drumbreck, Gartshore, &c. 6. Tintock, East Muir, Luggie bank, &c. 7. Waterside, Solesgirth, &c. 8. Woodilee, Caefinuir, Oxgang, &c. 9. Muirbead, Greens, Boghaetd, &c. 10. Industry, Backrow, &c. .... 1 1. Freeland Place, Townhead east, &c. 12. Townhead, east and west. Canal bank, &e. IS* Cowgate east, Broadcrofc, and Blackcauseway, 14. Cowgate west, Blackloch, &c . . . 16. High Street, north and south sides, 16. Bellfield, Westerraains, &c. L. 13,759 9 6 The landward proprietors are about 128, with upwards of 105 tenants under them. The following table will show the comfor- table circumstances in which many of the inhabitants of this pa* rish are placed, in regard to that degree of comfort which depends on the possession of property. The kinds of property are lands, houses, and| feus ; — the numeral letters indicate the number of persons condescended upon : DUMBARTON. N Annual net rentals. L.722 2 10 . 265 11 11 822 4 6 2185 10 8 1231 11 110 11 4 925 16 . 554 2 . 38« 15 660 15 3 442 7 617 7 9 1017 6 774 3 10 1393 4 2 194 DUMBARTONSHIRE. Annual income Annual income Annual income Proprietors, from land. from houses. from feus. 1 L. 135 L.359 2 322 22 13 . L. 28 11 6 3 190 141 44 13 I 4 19 52 5 5 46 116 5 10 6 11 10 130 14 3 1 4 7 9 69 6 5 6 8 290 13 9 45 81 10 10 45 11 141 50 12 28 81 In their In their Farmers. femilies. Weavers. families. 19 133 8 54 . 9 63 14 91 52 280 3 11 43 160 4 16 1 3 104 477 . 3 14 135 823 3 16 64 202 . 41 273 14 97 As a contrast with the above, we may give some statistics re- lative to the more dependent classes, which will speak for them- selves. Districts. 1. Barr, 2. Shirva, 3. Eastside, 4. High Street, north side, 5. High Street, south side, 6. Cowgate, 7. Townhead, 8. HUlhead-GaUowhill, . 9. Waterside, 10. Middlemuir, Here we have 471 weavers heads of families, with 2473 de- pendent on them ; or making up parts of their families ; whereas 38 farmers with their large incomes and greater need of assistance, have only 240 living along with them, either as dependents or as members of their households. The average number of individuals in a weaver's family is five and a fraction ; in a farmer's femily^ six and a fraction ; but the means of support cannot be calculated by the same ratio. In speaking of the habits of the people collectively, we may say with Mr Dunn in the last report of the parish, that they are in general " a virtuous and industrious people." " The pride of mind,'' he continues, ^^ and impatience of contradiction, which the possession of landed property frequently inspires, perhaps, may occasion too many law-suits." In this respect, they are certainly naturally not more pugnacious than their neighbours, although the great subdivision of property among them creates also a sub- division of rights, and, of course, furnishes a greater opening for law-suits. This is certainly one evil arising from an extensive subdivision of heritable rights, but it has also its counterbalancing KIRKINTILLOCH. 195 advantages, and one of the most remarkable of these is the encou- ragement of yirtuous and industrious habits, arising out of the ha- bitual sentiments of self-respect and self-dependence. This is no . imaginary statement ; its effects have been manifested in the re- markable fact, that, with the increase of trade and manufactures, a rapidly multiplying population, and in an extensive district of country, within a few miles of Glasgow, no poor's rate was ever imposed by law, till within these few years past : all was done by Toluntary contributions. This fact of itself speaks volumes in be- half of the orderly, industrious, and virtuous habits of the people of Kirkintilloch. IV. — Industry. Total frmiUes^ 1114 FamilieB employed in agriculture, as formers, cottars, and farm-ser- vants, - - - - - -118 in trade, handicraft, manufactures, &c. - - - 96 1 not in any of the above emi)lovments, - - - 35 Number of wholesale merchants, capitalists, bankers, professional per- sons, and other educated men, - - ' - - 50 Oocopiers employing labourers, - - - - -34 not employing labourers, .... 72 Labourers in agriculture, ...... 152 Employed in manu&ctures and machinery, - - - 724 Retail trade, handicraft, or maltsters, - - - - - 214 Biales twen^ years of age, ..... 1367 Male-«ervant8 twenty years, --.... 1 under twenty, - - - . . 2 Female servants, ....... 129 When the last statistical account of the parish was drawn up, there were — weavers, 185; stockingmakers, 11 ; smiths, 15; house-carpenters and cabinet-makers, 20 ; masons, 10 ; shoe- makers, 10; saddlers, 4; coopers, 6; a good many tailors, and a few hair-dressers. At that period, namely, 1791, there were in the burgh 1536 ; but in 1828, when the total population was 5518, there were in the burgh 4172. The following is the state of the principal trades at present, as drawn up by Mr William MoflFat, preacher of the Gospel: Slaters, 5; masons, 12; house-carpen- ters and cabinet-makers, 30 ; tailors, 20; bakers, 12 ; shoemakers, 24; blacksmiths and locksmiths, 10; house-painters and glaziers, 4 ; hair-dressers, 2 ; saddlers, 2 ; weavers, 2000. It will be observed, that there is a decrease in the stocking- making trade, also among the saddlers and coopers, and an as- tonishing increase among the weavers. Some of these articles are probably supplied from Glasgow. In the Church Extension list I also find the following heads of families, namely, 7 founders, 10 printers in cloth, 13 sailors, 5 maltmen, 20 merchants and grocers, 7 carters, 2 plasterers, 2 thatchers, 2 quarriers, I m\\V- A 196 DUMBARTONSHIRE. Wright, 3 gardeDer39 2 sawers, 2 carriers, 2 butchers, 1 musician, 2 calenderers, 6 hatters, 3 painters, 1 nailer, 4 toll-keepers, 60 labourers, 3 surgeons — there are 7 in all. Agrictdturc—^The lands are for the most part arable, but still the proportion is not so great as might at first sight be imagined. The total number of Scots acres in the parish is 8527 ; but by the returns of Messrs Shaw and Miller, two most able practical men, who made up an estimate of the rental of the landward part of the parish in August 1836, which is attested by the sheriff of the bounds, it appears that there are only 3076 acres, 2 roods, and 19 falls, under regular cultivation, leaving an overplus of 5451 acres. A large proportion of this residuum is taken up by the town of Kirkintilloch, and the rest by the canal, railway, public and private roads, hedges and fences of all sorts, which are numerous, farm-houses, streams, and burns, and a few straggling villages. The only uncultivated land in the parish is towards the east end, about Stron and Barr-hill, and the mosses already alluded to. Al- together the waste lands, with the above exceptions, do not amount to, perhaps, more than 300 acres, if so much. To this amount we may add other 300 acres now under wood, chiefly larch, spruce, and Scotch fir, with a sprinkling of hard- wood. These yield good returns, or may be expected to do so. The average rent of land per Here throughout the parish is about L. 1, 10s. But the ave- rage will be better shown as follows : In 131 properties in the hands of the same number of proprietors, and of 108 tenants, the proportion between the number of acres, and the rental per an- num, generally on a lease of nineteen years, is as follows : I shall put them down at random, as taken from the books of the heritors, and from other sources of information. Acres. 03 70 65 50 30 28 50 9 .8 80 60 45 80 90 57 30 80 72 50 Tbo total number of acres is 2252, and the total annual ren- Annual rental. Acres. Annual Rental. L. 140 12 22 122 80 130 65 70 110 80 45 95 90 130 175 80 80 105 172 175 111 32 43 70 26 70 94 170 30 45 120 160 350 100 130 295 9 70 151 271 83 44 130 60 36 40 50 28 55 60 19 55 100 2252 55 L. 3828 J KIRKINTILLOCH. 197 tal of these acres L.d828 Sterling; the average is L. !» ffs. 6^d. or L. 1 , 10s. nearly per acre. There is very little permanent pasture except at Barr-hill. The best land in the parish is at Shirva. Oats, barley, hay from sown grasses, flax, pease, beans, and a small proportion of wheat, are the principal crops sown. The usual ro- tation of crops in dry lands is for the ^rst year a white crop ; for the iecond yesit a green crop ; on the third year the land is sown down, partly with wheat, barley, or oats, and in the fifih and sixth years it is allowed to lie in pasture. In wet lands, generally two white crops are taken, or one of them in flax, which is chiefly sown towards the east end of the parish. The other crops are as above. In the third year, some farmers sow down with barley and rye-grass ; and where that does not answer, they plant potatoes ; in the fourth year, there is a hay-crop, and the fifth and sixth are pasture. Flax is not so much sown now as formerly. Flax, after paying expenses, may be worth from L. 5 to L. 6 per acre ; oats at 5 bolls per acre, L. 3^ lOs.; wheat from L.9 to L. 10; hay from L.5 to L. 6 on clean land; barley, L.5; potatoes, L.I6 per acre. The price of manure for an acre of land, if well done, is L. 8) 2s. The price of labouring it, L. 1. Dung is sold at 4s. and 4s. 2d. per square-yard. There is I^ square-yard in a ton. One hundred tons costs by the Canal L.20, or 5s. per ton. Horse and cow-dung is sold in Kirkintilloch at 6s. per ton. About four carts of dung are required for an acre of potatoes, which will cost L. 10. An acre of potatoes, when laboured by the spade, costs about L. 1, lOs.^ for labour by the plough, L. 1, Is. Calculating the expense of labour as above, by the plough, per day, there will be for three men, 6s. ; three women, 3s.; a plough and two horse^s, 12s., = L. 1, Is. The best men-servants for agri- cultural labour may be had at from L. 16 to L.20 per annum, with board and washing ; boys at from L. 4 to L. 10. The best women-servants are hired at from L. 9 to L. 10 per annum; in- ferior, L. 6 ; labourers in winter earn 9s. per week, in summer, 12s.; masons, L.1, Is., and carpenters, 18s. The rate of wages in the following trades from 1810 to 1820 was, — 1811. 1812. 1813. 1814. 1815. 1816. 1817. 1818. 1819. 8. d. 8. d. s. d. R. d. s. d. s. d. s. d. 8. d. s. d. Haaons per day, 2 10 3030309030343 2 26 Joinera & Carpentera, 3 0303030303030 3024 Maaons Ubourert' do. ) 10 1 10 1 10 1 10 1 10 1 10 I 10 1 6 1 3 Slaters* ditto. 343434343634343434 Sawyers' do. . 404040404040404040 Blacksmiths' do. 2626262626282 82 82 8 Plasterers' do. 3 6 B 6 3 6 3 8 3 8 3 6 3 6 3 6 3 6 198 DUMBARTONSHIRE. The working hours of masons and all who labour in the open air, are reduced from 1st November to 1st March, and from that month till November are again increased, and of course the wages bear the same proportion. In the above calculations, al- lowance is made for these alterations, and the average only is given. There are about 148 horses in the parish, employed entirely in agricultural labour, which is at the rate of 4 horses to every 100 acres. In the town of Kirkintilloch, there are 20 common car- ters' horses, taxed at 10s. 6d. each for road-money. There are also in the parish about 740 cows; generally about 12 or 14 milch-cows, or, including young cattle, ^0 in all to the hundred acres of arable land. There are, besides, a number kept by private individuals, for retailing the milk to the public. The horses are of the Clydesdale breed, but rather small. The covfs are of the Ayrshire breed, and very good of their kind. Mr Anderson of Smithston, on the eastern borders of the parish, has been long celebrated for the excellent sorts of cattle reared by him. He and his father, who was also a skilful rearer of cattle, have contri- buted much to the amelioration of the breed both of the horse and of the dairy-stock of cattle in the district. He was one of the prize-takers at the late great cattle-show in Glasgow. The average rent of grazing is at the rate of L. 2, 10s. per ox or cow grazed, and at the rate of 10s. per ewe or full-grown sheep pas- tured for the year. But these latter are very few in number. The keep of a horse per annum to the farmer who has every thing within himself, is about L. 12. There has not been so much draining in this parish as in some others, but to this general remark there are many individual ex- ceptions. Mr Horn of Braes is well known as one of the most able and successful agriculturists in the west of Scotland, and has drained more than any other person in the parish. Messrs Stew- art of Barbeth, and Inglis of Woodhead, have brought in a good deal of moss. The following are the estimated expenses of draining and improving one acre of mossy marshy land. Tiles per acre, ..... Casting drains 8d. per rood, und soles for tiles of wood, Casting and filling, Is. per rood, For delving, . . For putting one inch of sand on surface, For dung. Per Acre. L.6 1 4 3 10 2 3 2 L.15 16 ~0 KIRKINTILLOCH. 199 Id every hundred acres of arable land, there may be 20 acres ID oats, 8 acres in potatoes or green crops, 20 acres in hay, 6 acres in wheat or barley, and fully one-half in pasture. There may be in the whole parish annually about 615 acres of oats, 246 acres of potatoes, 615 acres in hay, and 184 in wheat or barley, which, out of 8076 arable acres, leaves 1660 for white and green crops, and 1416 for pasture, which latter amount is probably a lit- tle below the mark. Produce. — Proceeding upon the above data, the average gross amount of produce raised in the parish, as nearly as can be ascer- tained, will be as follows : — IVoduoe of grain of aU kinds, whether cultivated for the food of man or the domestic animals, ... L.5900 Potatoes, turnips, &c .... 3800 Hay, ... 2000 9 Pasture, ...... 1500 Flax, . . . 200 Gardens and orchards, 200 Thinning woods, 100 Minarals, ... 2573 Value per annum as rental. L.40 70 50 25 9 95 L. 16,275 An acre of oats in this parish is worth about L. 6 Sterling ; wheat, L. 8; hay from L. 3 to L. 6 ; potatoes, L. 12. The above estimate does not include the manufactures. The mills for work- ing up the agricultural produce are Acres of land attached. Woodmilis, oats, flour, &c. . . 6 . Duntiblae, do. do. . 3 . Pergushill, flax, . 20 . Boghead, do. . . . 12 . Hole, do. . . . 45 . L.280 Woodmilis is the property of Mr Wilson, and has been lately completely fitted up with new machinery of the most approved construction, with a thrashing mill attached. Thirlage is still in use in the corn-mills. Manufactures. — The principal manufacture in the town is that of cotton goods for exportation. The principal manufacturers are Mr John Marshall, and Mr Grey of Duntiblae. Mr Marshall at one period employed from 1200 to 1400 hands, and at present from 500 to 800. The trade here is chiefly in lappets for the East India trade, with a few purls and victories for the South Ame- rican trade. Lappets are muslins with raised flowers in imitation of tambouring ; purls are a gauze with lappeting on it ; victories 200 DUMBARTONSHIRE. are a sort of thin gauze web. The lappets are woven in the usual way, with the aid of a wheel with catches, and a spring which raises and depresses the needles which form the flowers. The thread is never changed, but always comes through the same needle, and hence resembles tambouring. This trade is at present most de- pressed. Mr Marshall employs 44 journeymen, who have every- thing provided. They can make 6s. and 7s. per week each. This work goes all to India, from whence letters are often received in two months. In 1835, there were 1600 weavers in the town of Kirkintilloch ; according to the statement of Mr Marshall, there are now about 2000 weavers. Perhaps the cotton trade, in shape of wages alone, will bring into the town of Kirkintilloch, L. 700 per week, or L. 36,400, per annum, which is only at the moderate allowance of 7s. per week each, or L. 18, 4s. Sterling per annum. Among the 2000 weavers, there are only, however, 471 male heads of families, and, allowing five to each family, it will make 2355 individuals in all, but from actual surveys, the num- ber dependent on these 471 heads of families is 2473. Now, if we take this latter number as the gross amount of weaving popu- lation, we will find that there is only about one- fifth not employed at. work, so that there must be a great deal of clubbing, or of the joining of wages together, which may make up a good common in - come. A weaver's wife can wind pirns for three looms, which, at Sd. each, yield 9d. per day. Besides the cotton trade, there is a calico printfield employing about 120 hands, including printers, ipechanics, and labourers. There is also a silk-hat manufactory employing upwards of 20 hands, and an iron foundery well employed. There are two dis- tilleries in constant operation, and one occasional distillery. Of the two in constant operation, the one produces 1800 gallons of whisky per week, and the other 1400 gallons, or in all 3200, ^hich is 116,400 gallons per annum, which at the moderate computation of 6s. per gallon, will yield per annum L. 49,920 Sterling. The average hours of labour for weavers is 12 hours per day ; masons and labourers 10 hours in summer, and 7 in winter ; join- ers and carpenters 10 hours; shoemakers, blacksmiths, and tailors 12 hours; painters, plasterers, and slaters the same as masons. A labourer's wages per day ought to be equal to the price of a peck of oatmeal. V. — Parochial Economy. y Ww. — The town of Kirkintilloch is a very ancient burgh of KIBKINTILLOCB. 301 barony. " It was erected," says the late Rev. William Dunn, "about 1170, by William King of Scots, Baron of Lenzie, and Lord of Cumbernauld ; and still holds of the barony of Cumbernauld for the payment of 12 merks Scots of yearly feu-duty." At this rate it was erected into a burgh of barony two years before the city of Glasgow, which was in 1172; but I find from the town's docu- ments, that the true date of the erection of the burgh of Kirkin- tilloch is 1184. There was a renewal and confirmation of the charter by the Earls of Wigton, first at Cumbernauld, 10th De- cember 1520, and again at Boghall, 10th February 1527. The annual feu-duty is as above, 12 merks or Ids. 4d. per annum. The bui^h proprietors have also the teind-tack (dated Novem- ber 1642,) of the teinds parsonage and vicarage of the burgh lands or Newlands mailing. The town paid on obtaining this grant 650 merks, or L.30, lis. l^d. Sterling. The burgh lands are the thirty-three and a-half Newland mailings, includ- iog tbe town and lauds of Boghead and Gartcloss. The pri- vil^es with which the town is endowed are ample. Its burges- ses elect their own magistrates, independently of the lord of the barony. The magistrates are two bailies, and they are annually ^ chosen. They are empowered by the charters of the burgh, to hold courts, levy fines, imprison ofienders, or even banish them from their liberties; and, in short, to exercise every right with which the baroq himself was invested before the erection of the burgh. These rights, the community have continued, ever since that period, to enjoy undisturbed. They were in no degree af- fected by the act, by which the British Parliament in 1748 abo- lished the heritable jurisdictions in Scotland. None are entitled to vote at the election of magistrates, except burgesses being the proprietors of the Newland mailings. They are at present twenty- two in number, sixteen of whom are resident. Courts are held, but at no stated times ; a proof that the cases are not numerous. The burgh, besides the above, is possessed of no exclusive privi- leges, and has no local acts in its favour. There are no local taxes, nor any incorporation of trades. The town's debt is about L. 300 Sterling, the annual revenue about L. 30, the greater part of which is expended in paying the interest on the debt, and in keeping up public buildings. The population of the town at the present moment may be about 4600 souls. There are 180 houses at L. 10 per annum of rent. The community are possessed of a court-house and jail, with a • 202 DUMBARTONSHIUE. steeple and bell, to which an excellent school-room for the town and parish is attached. The public buildings are under the superinten* dence of the magistrates. They were erected here in 1814. There was formerly an excellent bell in the steeple, 19 cwt which was cracked; the present town's bell with appendages weighs only 14 cwt The total expense of erecting the public buildings, with the parish school-room, is as follows : Mason work, &c. Carpenter and mason work. Court-room, prison-rooms. Staircase without roof, L. SO 19 and house below, L. 145 Roof of do. . 14 14 Staircase, . . 93 Court-room, prison-rooms, School-room, . 89 and house below, 99 14 Grating for windows, . 10 School-room, 200 17 9 L.837 L. 346 4 9 Prisons. — The total cost, including all of the above items, was L. 683, 4s. 9d., from which deduct L. 15, 16s. for old timber and slates, and the net sum paid is L. 667, 8s. 9d. The prison is very small, and is used for persons confined for short periods only, and not at all for debtors. It forms part of the town-house, and stands at the cross in the middle of the town. There are only two cells, and there is no airing yard attached. Means of Communication. — It is to the two distinguished in- dividuals formerly alluded to, that the public is chiefly indebted for the admirable roads which intersect the parish in all direc- tions. Besides the Edinburgh and Glasgow road by Kilsyth, which runs through the parish to the north of the town, there are the following roads, with their respective lengths in the parish :— From Park-burn to Inchbelly, 2 miles; Inchbelly to Shirva, Twechar and Auchinvole, 4; Will-head to Gartcloss, &c., 3; Oxgang to Bedcow and Mossfinnin bridge about 3 ; Townhead to Boghead, 1 ; Gartcommon to Badenheath, 4 ; Deerdyke to Shangan, 1 ; = 19 miles. The road- money collected is at the rate of L. 2 Sterling on every L. 100 of valuation. It is as follows : — Road money for landward part of the parish, L. 74, 16s. 6d. ; do for burgh, L. 63; horses at 10s. 6d. each, viz. twenty belonging to carters in town, L. 10, 10s. =L. 148, 6s. The first public railway in Scotland, on the modern improved principle, was the " Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway," which connects the rich coal and mineral districts of the Monklands, with the Forth and Clyde Canal near Kirkintilloch. The act was 4 KIRKINTILLOCH. 203 obtained in the year 1824, (5 Geo. IV. cap. 49.) The origin- al capital was L. 32,000; but, by a new act in 1833, (3 Wm. IV. cap. 114,) the total capital was raised to L. 52,000. The north- em terminus is at Kirkintilloch, and the south-east at Palace Craig, in old Monkland, including a length, in all, of about eleven miles. The distance between the rails is 4^ feet. The railway was at first laid with rails weighing twenty-eight pounds to the yard, but these have been found much too light, and the whole is now in pro- cess of being laid with rails weighing forty pounds per yard. No passenger waggons are allowed on this railway. It is connected with the Ballochney, and Glasgow, and Garnkirk railways in the south, and these penetrate into all the great mineral deposits in Lanarkshire. Great quantities of coal and iron are transported by this railway to the depot in the Forth and Clyde Canal. The coal is of very superior quality, and is laid down in the town of Kirkintilloch, at the rate of 15s. per waggon of 48 cwt. In 1835, about 49,000 tons of coals, and 3325 tons of pig-iron were ship- ped on the canal from the railway. The Forth and Clyde canal runs for about six miles along the northern border of the parish. It was commenced in 1768, by virtue of an act, 8 Geo. III. cap. 73, but was not finished till 1790. The total length from sea to sea is thirty-five miles. The highest point at Windford Loch is 156 feet above the level of the sea. The average width at the surface is 56 feet, at the bottom 27 feet, and the depth of water is nearly 10 feet. Vessels of 19 feet beam, 68 feet keel, and drawing about 10 feet water, can pass along the navigation. In its course, the canal passes over 10 large aqueduct bridges, and 33 smaller ones ; and 33 draw- bridges are thrown over the navigation for the crossing of public and private roads. In all, there are 39 lochs, each 74 feet long between the flood-gates, and 20 feet broad. The canal is s up- plied with water by eight reservoirs, covering 721 acres. The ca- pital stock of the company in 1820 was L. 519,840 ; the income in 1836, was L. 63,743, 16s. 7d. The total original expense was L, 345,618, 12s. Allowing eight acres of land to a mile, the mere ditch of the navigation in this parish will occupy 48 acres. There are seven swift iron-boats on the canal for the conveyance of passengers, which travel at the rate of ten miles per hour. The following is the number of passengers booked at the drawbridge jof Kirkintilloch, near the manse, for the periods specified, in 1837 : 204 DUMBARTONSHIRE. Mon ths 1837. First week. Second week. Third week. Fourth week. April, - - 559-887 - 891 - 467 May, .. 888-420 -490 -886 June, . . 463-461 - 486 - 551 July, - - 481-505 - 598 - 643 August, - - 472-257 - 579 - 699 October, - - 826-549 - 889 - 519 January, . - 604-229 - 323 - 449 The total number of passengers by the canal passage boats from this station alone in seven months is 18,516, or at the rate of 193^ per month, and 23,170 per annum. There is also a daily coach to Glasgow from the Washington Inn at nine morning. In 1832» and for some time before and after, there were five iron steamers with the paddle-wheels in the stern plying on the canal. Their names, tonnage, and power of engines were as follows : Tonnage. Power of Engines. Lord Dundas, 40 - 16 Cyclope, - - 50 - - 16 Manchester, - 50 - - 35 Edinburgh, - 40 - - 16 Union Tug Boat, - 25 - - 12 These steamers are now discontinued. It was on this same sheet of water, in March 1802, that Mr Symington, in a large ves- sel with a steam engine of more than twenty horse power, passed over a distance of nineteen miles in six hours, the steamer dragging two loaded vessels after her, and having Lord Dundas, and Mr Speirs of Elderslie on board. It was here also that Mr Symington ini- tiated the American Fulton in the mysteries of steam navigation, two years before he sailed for America to carry his projects into effect. Gas^Wbrk, — A gas- work has lately been erected for the purpose of supplying the town with gas. The whole is to cost L. 1600 at L. 3 a share, of which 1000 shares are sold ; L. 2 a share is only re- quired. The mason-work cost L.421, the carpenter-work 1^88. The roof is of iron. The main stalk is square, and 50 feet high. The tanks or cylinders are 28 feet diameter, and 10^ feet from the top of the cap to the spring of the foundation. There are 6 retorts ; the main pipe is 4 inches diameter. Ecclesiastical State* — The parish church of Kirkintilloch is * The inhabitants of Kirkintilloch, with the neighbouring parishes of Cadder, Cumbernauld, and Kilsyth, participated largely in the well-known revival of religion which took place at Cambuslang and various other parts in Scotland in 1 742. The first appearance of the impressions which were afterwards so largely vouchsafed to many individuals in this district, are recorded by Mr Robe, then minister of Kilsyth, and also by Mr M*Laren, the minister of this parish. They are so very remarkable that they are worthy of being here held up to their ** succeeding race,** where poHHcal re- ligion too much predominates over the vital and spiritual godliness which actuated 3 KIRKINTILLOCH. 205 situated in the centre of the town, which, being near to the western angle of the parish, is not more than a quarter of a mile distant from one extremity, while it is fully five miles distant from the op- posite extremity. It is situated conveniently, however, for the major part of the population. As already stated, the present pa- rish church was formerly the Chapel of the Virgin Mary, and, from a stone above one of its windows, it appears to have been built in 1644, or about fifteen years before the separation of this parish fronr the parish of Cumbernauld. The ruins of the old pa- rish church is near to Oxgang, where there is still a burying- ground. The present church is in a very miserable state of dis- repair. The walls are time-worn and ungainly ; the timbers, in general, fragile and insufficient ; the galleries inconvenient and crazy, one of them having been lately taken down in case of the danger of its coming down at an inconvenient season ; the seating is fast crumbling into ruins ; the walls outside filled up with dust of former generations to the height of four or five feet from the spring of the roofing, and with the walls and flooring, of course, intolerably damp. Under these circumstances, the Presbytery of Glasgow, some years ago, gave a deliverance enjoining the heri- tors to provide the parish with a new parish church ; but a few of the heritors objecting, carried the matter to the Court of Session, where the decree of the Presbytery was reversed. In this case the architect reported, that the existing fabric might be repaired so as to be a serviceable church for from twenty-five to thirty-five years, at an expense of L.660, while a new church of the same size would cost L. 1280. Mr Dunlop, advocate, is of opinion, that the same decision would have been given here as in the case the faithful in olden rimes. The narrative of the above reverend fathers informs us, that, about April 1742, ^< sixteen children or thereby, in the town of Kirkintilloch, were observed to meet together in a barn for prayer ; the occasion of which was, that one of them said to the rest. What need is there that we should always play ; had we not better go and pray ? Wherewith the rest complied. The minister at that time, the Rev. Mr Burnside, who was succeeded immediately after by Mr McLaren, as soon as be heard of it, carefully inquired after them, and met frequently with them for their direction and instruction. And as I am informed, (says Mr Robe), they make progress and continue in a hopeful way. This made much noise in the coun- try side, and deep impressions both upon young and old.** On Sunday, 20th May following, Messrs Robe and McLaren preached at Kirkintilloch. Mr Robe says, ** There we saw Zion*s mighty King appearing in his glory and majesty, and his arrows sharp in the heart of his enemies. Many were awakened there, and brought under great spiritual distress.** Some time after we are told, that, in the parish of Kirkintilloch, there were known to the minister tp be about 120 under a more than ordinary concern about their salvation, including the praying young, who were now increased to a greater number than formerly mentioned. Mr Whitefield preached about this time both here and at Cumbernauld and Kilsyth. In the latter of theae paruhef there were at least dOO awakened, in the parish of Cumbernauld, 14 ot 15. I 30() DUMBARTONSHIRE. of Roskeen, had the architect reported in regard to Kirkintilloch church, that, in consequence of raising the level of the floor, which was required there as in Roskeen case, it would be necessary to heighten the walls, in order to afford proper accommodation to the sitters. The architect, however, had omitted all notice of this matter in his report ; and when the chargers, on the cause com- ing into the Inner- House, proposed to put additional queries to him to bring out the facts as to this matter, the Court held them foreclosed, by their not having previously objected to the report, and refused to allow additional queries to be put. It was on this point that the case for the Presbytery was lost ; and the church, accordingly, remains in its present ruinous condition.* It contains about 800 sittings, and is generally crowded every Sabbath. The regular communicants average 700. No free sittings, and only a very few pay for their seats. The glebe amounts to 8 acres, including the garden. About 6 acres of the glebe were lately let for L. 14, 10s. per annum. ^ The Report of the Commissioners for Religious Instruction in Scotland calculate the teinds as follows : — Gross amount of teinds belonging to proprietors: — Meal, 1 boll, 2 firlots, 1 peck, 2 lippies, at L. 1, 6s. 6d. ; money, L. 904, 5s. total, L. 905, lis. 6d. Applied to ministers' stipends and communion- elements out of the gross teindS: — Meal, 123 bolls, 1 firlot, 1 peck, at L. 102, 9s. 4d. ; barley, 121 bolls, 2 firlots, 3 pecks, 2 lippies, at L. 133, 4s. 5d.; money, L.26, 7s. 6d. total, L.262, Is. 3d. Value of the unappropriated teinds belonging to other persons, L.643, 10s. 3d. The church-lands in the parish are, Vicarland on the East croft of Kirkintilloch, 2 acres ; Priestland, 2 acres at Auchinvole, held anciently of the prebends of Biggar ; Lady-yard, half an acre in middle of burgh-holm, held of chaplains of Kirkin- tilloch. The new church of St David's, upon the Assembly's Church Extension plan, was erected in 1837. It is fitted to contain 1012 sittings, and was erected at the cost of L. 2300. It was opened on Sabbath, 8th June 1837, and the present incumbent was in- ducted 3d May 1838. St David's is the only church in town purely on the voluntary principle. All the rest are more or less endowed, as under : United Secession, Rev. Andrew Marshall. — House valued at L.26, 12s.,' land, L. 4, 7s. 6d. ; feu-duties, lis. 8d. ; total an- * Since the above went to press^ the Church has undergone a thorough repair. KIRKINTILLOCH. 207 side, nual endowment, L. 42, 7s. 6d. The stipend is about h. 100 per annum. Original Burghers, Rev. William Tannahill. — House, L.24; land, L9. Total, L. 3a Besides the above, the United Seces- Mon congregation have a place named Orchardyard, worth L.2 per annum; and the Original Burghers have houses and feus worth I*^9s, per annum. The comparative number of Churchmen VmI Dissenters is as follows : , Districts. 1- Bsrr, ^ Shim. jEistride, ^ High Street, north side, f Wett High Street, south « Hinhesdr J» Waterside, 8, Gartsbore, 9» Middlemuir, 10. Cowgate, il. Tovnhted, 12. Omitted in Townhead, IS. GallowhiU, i4. Cordskt, Bellfidd, &c. 3583 1^4 903 "^ The proportion belonging to the Established Church is 610, more than the half of the whole population ; the proportion be- longing to the United Secession is 305 less than the fourth; those belonging to the Original Burghers are scarcely a sixth, and those belonging to the Methodists are only about one-seventeenth. The following is the state of church accommodation in the above districts, the names of which will be ascertained by the corre- sponding 6gure8, as above : — Estab. Ch. United Sec. Old Burg. Dtfeth 239 21 24 29 164 12 19 , , 328 108 98 1 371 125 82 13 86 27 23 10 349 209 74 2 225 8 114 , 190 35 38 «• 64 4 24 .^ 682 900 169 18 717 242 213 12 11 ... 3 M. 111 ..M 5 _^ 46 43 17 .MM Districts. Seats taken. Proprietors. CommunicantA 1. 82 49 78 2. 7 8 52 a 70 10 102 4. 75 4 84 5. 15 46 22 6. 110 40 127 7, 28 41 77 a 23 18 76 9. 6 38 18 10. 214 54 154 11. 151 i.. 234 12. 1 4 1 la 3 .» 27 14. 10 •^ 11 765 342 1055 The parish has lately been divided, quoad spiritualiaj into the parish of St David's and the old parish of Kirkintilloch. The 208 DUMBARTONSHIRE. boundaries of the new parish are as follows : From the bridge leading from Campsie on the north, along the coal-road, and then up the High Street to the Cross ; thence along the Cowgate and down the Broadcroft to the river Luggie, and by it to the canal ; then across the canal by the Hillhead-bridge, onward by the Longmuir road to the Twechar road; then up the Bord-burn and onward to the Moss*water ; it is then bounded on the east and north by the parishes of Cumbernauld, Kilsyth, and Camp- sie. It contains a population of about 2700 souls; a number suf- ficient for the strongest man's superintendence. Education. — The instruction at the parochial school consists of English, writing, arithmetic, book-keeping, mathematics, geo- graphy, Latin, Greek, and French. The present very able and efficient teacher is the Rev. Andrew Love, a licentiate of the Church of Scotland. The salary is L. 34, 4s. 4^. paid by 144 heritors. The average wages may be about L. 30 ; other emolu- ments about L. 4. The Rev. Mr Love informs me, that his ave- rage number of scholars, summer and winter, falls little short of 124. There is also a subscription school, taught by Mr Hendry, and anotherwitharemarkablyelegantfabricatGartshore, taught by Rev. Mr Donald, which is upon a charitable foundation, and was erected by the munificence of a lady of the family of Gartshore. There are, in all, nine schools in the parish, one parochial school, as above, two endowed schools, and the rest unendowed. In 1833, the num- bers and ages of those attending school were as follows : numbers of children taught to read under five years of age, 2 ; five to fifteen, years of age, 480 ; to write, from five to fifteen years of age ; 199 children at parochial school, from Lady-Day to Michaelmas, 124 ; children at schools not parochial, from Lady- Day to Michael- mas, 522 ; from Michaelmas to Lady- Day, 545. The number of children under twelve years of age attending school in the various districts of the parish in 1837, according to the Church Commission Returns is, Barr, 321; Shirva, 11; High Street, north side, 53 ; West High Street, south side, 19; Hillhead, 49; Waterside, 31; Gartshore, 28; Middle- muir, 11; Cowgate, 102; Townhead, 109; omitted in Town- head,2; Gallowhills,8; Cordalet, Bellfield,&c. 18, total 472. The total number of scholars, as far as can beascertained, may be in all 669, of whom 472 are under twelve years of age, which is at the rate of 9} J S ths of the whole population. Children twelve years of age and up- KIRKINTILLOCH. 209 wardsformabouthalfthe population, which inthisparish willbed078» — ^those under twelve, and of course not reaching that age, will be about 2500 ; of these 472 are attending school, which is about a- third of the number, or one-thirteenth of the whole population. There are two libraries, namely, a parish library and a subscrip- tion library. Poor and Parochial Funds. — The Gartshore mortification in fa- Tour of orphan children was originally about L. 1100. Each or- phan is allowed a firlot of oatmeal at a time, or one boll annually. The sum received by each is in no case to be less than L. 1, or more than L. 5 per annum. Some get Is. 8d. per week in money. The oatmeal in December 1836 was 5s. lOd. per firlot ; in July 1837, it was 5s. 2jd. ; in December of the same year, 4s., and in June 1838, it was 4s. 4d. per firlot There were lately 23 or- phans on the charity, 1 2 of whom were boys. The following was the state of accounts in 1836 and 1837: Receipts 1836, received from Miss Galloway, L. 9, I3s. 4d. ; lifted from Ship Bank, Li. 10 ; lifted all the money from Ship Bank, L. 20 ; interest on above sums, L. 3, 13s. 4d. ; total L. 43, 6s. 8cl. Receipts for 1837, received from Mr Gordon, factor at Gartsliore, L. 35. Some time ago, L. 1000 Sterling was left by John Adam, Esq. London, the interest of which is to be devoted exclusively to the sup- port of the poorest of the poor, or part may go for the education of the sanae class. The trustees are the heritors and kirk session. The sum has not yet been realized, but the principal, with interest when it arrives, will amount to a considerable capital. In 1837, there was collected for coals at the parish church, L. 9, 16s. ; at St David's, L. 5, Os. 6d. ; from Mr Calder, 10s. ; total, L. 15, 63. 6d. Paid at Glen Collieries, L. 12, 16s.; Cowgate toll, 13 carts, 2s. 6d. ; tolls, lis. ; horse, 16s. ; total, L. 14, 5s. 6d. An assessment for the poor was only imposed in 1831. It amounts to twopence per pound : 1835. 1836. 1837. Paupen on permanent roll, 39 39 41 Persons not on permanent roll, . 130 134 123 Funds. 1835. 1836. 1837. Amount of assessment for ^^ jg g L.98 14 9 L. 100 support of poor, The average number of poor is 168, and the average amount of assessment, L.98, 10s. 4d. DUMBARTON. O 210 DUMBARTONSHIRE. 1835. J 836. 1837. The actual amount of free) funds distributed among i L. 145 12 L. 146 14 5 L. 151 7 2 paupers on permanent roll, j Total annual amount of funds distributed, L. 17^, 17s. 8d. The highest rate of relief is L. 5, 4s. ; the lowest, L. 1, 6s. per annum. Before the litigation about the parish church before alluded to, the weekly collections at the church door were on an stverage L.1, 10s. per week, or L. 62 per annum. On the heritors, who were the chief profilers from these collections, refusing the people who paid them, proper church accommodation, the church door collections fell off to 12s. per week, or L. 89 per annum, which is a diminution of 18s. per week, which has ended in a permanent poor's rate, and a new church must follow in due time to the boot Such are the unhappy consequences of mutual misunder- standings. The pensioners in the session 1st August 1837, were 41 in all, 27 of whom were females, and 7 widows. The rates per week were 1 at 6». ; 1 at 2s. 6d. ; 1 at Is. 8d. ; 3 at 2s, ; 7 at Is. 6d. ; 19 at Is. ; 7 at'6d. &c The weekly sum paid was L.2, 9s. 2d. The effects of a poor stent may here be watched with great ad- vantage ; and it is desirable that some 6ne would take the trouble of making the results known to the public. Fairsy 8fc, — There are three fairs held annually in the burgh, chiefly for the sale of cattle, namely, on 2d Tuesday of May, the last Thursday of July, and the 21st of October. The market-day is on Saturday, but is not much observed. The lintseed Saturdays were formerly great marts for the sale of the commodity, from whence they derived their names ; but flax is not now so much cultivated as formerly, and these markets have accordingly declined with the cause which produced them. The revenue from the post-office is about L, 230 per annum, but is much less since the Campsie post was withdrawn. Letters from Glasgow arrive by a mail gig every morning at six o'clock, and are dispatched at eight o'clock. Letters arrive from Falkirk at eight o'clock, and leave at six o'clock. There is a receiving- house in Cowgate, which closes at half-past seven. Inns and Alehouses. — There are about 40 inns and alehouses in the parish. These are too frequently viewed as the causes of the corruption of morals among the lower orders, whereas they are only the effects. KILMARONOCK. 211 The town of Kirkintilloch lies 49 miles west of Edinburgh, 20 south-west of Stirling, 16 east of Dumbarton, 7 north of Glasgow, 5 south-west of Kilsyth^ and 8 south-east of Campsie. The pa- rish is destined to receive an additional advantage from the Edin- burgh and Glasgow Railway, which is to pass throughout its whole length. It begins in the west near Pinkerton-hill, runs north by Coulstone, Bishopriggs, Corshill, Miremailing, Gladdens, Cadder- moss, Lochside distillery, and Mountain-moss, and enters Kirkin- tilloch passing Garngebber, near which it crosses the Monkland and Kirkintilloch railway, passes on by Wamflat, crosses Luggie water west of Drumbreck, and runs on by Mosside, Drumgrew, and Basterboard, where it leaves the parish, and enters Cumber- nauld* June 1839. PARISH OF KILMARONOCK. PRKSBTTBRY OF DUMBARTON, SYNOD OF GLASGOW AND AYR. THE REV. W. B. S. PATERSON, MINISTER.* I. — Topography and Natural History. Name. — The name evidently signiBes the cell, chapel, or bury- ing-place of St Marnoch. Extent and Boundaries. — The south part of the parish of Kil- maronock is situated at 56** of north latitude, and 4*^ 30' of west longitude. If reduced to the form of a parallelogram, it would measure about 5 miles in length, by 8 in breadth ; and, conse- quently, its contents are about 15 square miles. It is bounded on the north and east, by the River Endrick ; on the south-east, by part of Finnich Glen and Drymen parish ; at the south point, by Dumbarton parish ; on the south-west, by Bonhill parish ; and on the north-west, by Lochlomond. Topographical Appearances, — The parish is adorned with a great variety of wood, both natural and planted, hedge-row and detached trees, chiefly oak, beech, ash, and larch ; and it is watered by several springs, rivulets, and the River Endrick. The land of the parish is mostly arable, there being but little of it hilly or moorland, for the * Drawn up by Mr Peter Bain, Parochial Schoolmaster of Kilmaronork. 212 DUMBARTONSHIRE. pasture of sbeep and cattle. The three most elevated parts of its surf&ce vary between 500 and 1000 feet above the level of the seai which are the highest part of the little range of hills on the west, commonly called Mount Misery, Duncryne or Duncruin, in the cen- tre, and the elevation towards Dumbarton moor on the south. The western range beginsat Balloch, in Bonhill, on the south, and extends northward to Ross along the south-east shore of Lochlomond ; and is, at the highest part, about 900 feet in elevation. The part on the north end, which belongs to Mrs Macdonald Buchanan, is mostly planted with larch, oak, &c, but the rest is unplanted. From the summit of Mount Misery, there is to be had an exten- sive and splendid view. Toward the south, are to be seen the vale of Leven, with the numerous public works along its classic stream, the town and castle of Dumbarton, and part of Clyde and Renfrewshire; on the west, in the distance, the lofty hills of Cowal, in Argyleshire, rising beyond those of Cardross, Row, and Roseneath ; and the extensive and apparently continuous range along the west side of Lochlomond, in Luss and Arrochar, crowned at the north end by the lofty Benlomond, and in the same direction the intervening lake, interspersed with its many wooded islands ; on the north-east, Benledi in Perthshire ; and closer at hand, the hills of Buchanan, with the river Endrick intervening, and meandering through the plain along the wOods and pleasure grounds around Buchanan House ; and on the east, and toward the south, the greater part of Strathendrick, with the Ochill, Fintry, Killearu, Strathblane, Campsie, and Kilpatrick hills, along the horizon. The hill which I would next no- tice is Duncryne. Its original orthography was Duncruin, being composed of dun^ signifying bill, and cruirij round ; and it was pro- bably thus named from its round or conical shape. It stands in the very centre of the parish, and is a conspicuous, beautiful, and rather a fantastic object. It rises rapidly from the plain on the west and north sides, to the height of about 450 feet, and, on the south-east, it is only about 250 feet high, whence there is a gradual descent to the plain extending for about a quarter of a mile. The area of the base on which it stands seems to contain about two acres, from which it gradually tapers to the summit, till it contains only about two roods of surface, which is pretty level. The ascent is rendered easy by means of a pathway approaching the hill from the north-west, and winding along the north, east, and south, till it reaches the top, on the we5t. It is most* RILMARONOCK. 213 ly all eoTered with soil, and the bare rock appears only in -t' Yery few places. It is now the property of the Duke of Mon- trose, and is covered with young oak, larches, &c« having been planted a few years ago by the late Duke. The body of the hill seems to be chiefly composed of a kind of trap rock, which is rendered softish by exposure to the action of the atmosphere ; while, in the rest of the parish, with the exception of some trap dikes (running from south-west to north-east,) and limestone,* ihe rock is composed of a red or grey sandstone of a very solid and compacted grain. From the top of this hill, there is also a very fine view to be had of almost the whole parish, and all the objects seen from Mount Misery, with a very few exceptions. The third elevation that remains to be noticed, is that toward Dumbarton moor. This rises to a height considera- bly greater than any of the other two. Some good limestone has been found in this moor ; and there is also a cascade of conside- rable size and beauty in the glen which runs northward through the fiutn of Gallengad. This moor has been rendered notorious for some time by means of a dispute which arose between the ma- gistrates of the burgh of Dumbarton, and some proprietors in Kil- maronock, respecting the marches between their properties. The matter was litigated for about seventy years, and various decisions were given with regard to it in courts of law'; but it was lately brought to a final decision by Mr Alison, Sheriff of Lanarkshire, to whom the matter was referred, and to whose judgment all par- ties agreed to submit. In the hollow part which lies between this moor and Duncryne Hill, there are a few farms containing pref ty good land ; but the greater part is of inferior quality. There is also in it a large extent of peat-moss stretching from south-west to north-east, and containing nearly 100 acres. This is so soft and deep, that a great part of it has been hitherto considered unfit for cultivation. Hydrography. — From Drymen Bridge to where the river En- drick runs into Lochlomond, the distance is scarcely four miles in a straight line ; but by following its numerous windings, the dis- tance is nearly doubled. It thus flows sluggishly along its mazy course, there being only about ten feet of rise from the level of Lochlomond, when the lake is at its ordinary height, to about 100 yards below Drymen Bridge. It is navigable at times for scows or other flat-bottomed craft;, for all this distance : and coals are thus conveyed up, and wood or other commodities down the river, and 214 DUMBARTONSHIRE. bence to Leven and other distant markets. At its junction with the lake it is often about two feet deep in su^-nmer, and for about two miles next the lake, the average breadth is about 80 feet, and the depth usually 10, butfarther up it is rather narrower and shallower. The principal kinds of fishes to be found in this part of the river are, the pike, perch, braize, eel, and some trout toward Drymen bridge. A large extent of deep and excellent land, but in gene- ral only a few feet in elevation above the level of the lake, lies on each side of the river; and hence, crops are often injured or car- ried off by being overflowed with water ; and in some parts it is useful only for meadow hay or pasture- Sometimes in winter, in- deed, when the lake is at its greatest height, and the river is much swollen by heavy rains and the melting of snows, this plain to the extent of some hundreds of acres, would have all the appearance of an extensive lake, were it not for some trees standing up from the water. The better part of the land in the parish seems to lie along the Endrick, and from Ross southward to the boundary at Blairnyle. II. — Civil History. Land-owners, — The chief land-owners are the following : The Duke of Montrose, principal heritor in point of valuation, or valued rent ; Mrs Macdonald Buchanan of Ross and Drmnmakill ; John Buchanan, Esq. of Ardoch ; R. D. Mackenzie, Esq. of Caldar- van ; and Robert Macgoune, Esq. of Mains. Parochial Registers, — These consist of registers of baptisms, pro- clamations or marriages, minutes of kirk-session, and accounts of poor's money. The oldest book is a collection of detached leaves, perhaps fragments of several old books, which are now kept within two old boards, and contain entries of all matters connected with the management of the parish. The earliest date I have disco- vered in it is 4th April 1647. The next in point of antiquity is a book containing minutes of session, unsigned by the moderator or clerk, the first date of which is 20th January 1710, and the last 11th December 1771. No book for minutes of session has been kept from that date till *23d February 1834, the date of the ear- liest entry in the new minute book. The only minutes that have been kept during all that interval, and preserved till this time, are written on a few loose leaves : they do not exceed five in number, and are unsigned. The next in order is a register of baptisms, com- mencing 4th August 1731, which, with two other books, contains a continuous register of baptisms down to the present date. The KILMARONOCK. 215 entries in these books are not always made according to the exact order of their date, and many children in the parish have not been registered at all. They cannot, therefore, be said to be regular- ly kept The only book containing a register of proclamations or marriages, and preserved to the present time, has for its first date 15th November 1755, and contains a regular and continuous re* gister to the present date. These, together with a book and some loose papers, containing accounts of money transactions relative to the poor's fund, form the entire records of church matters in the parish. Modem BuUdingt.^^The modern buildings in the parish of any consequence are the following : I. Baturrich Castle, belonging to John Buchanan, Esq. of Ardoch, which was completed about five years ago. It is built on part of the ruin of the ancient castle of Baturrich, on the rising ground about half a mile from Loch Lo- mood, near the western corner of the parish ; and from it, there is a very fine view of the lake, beautifully studded as it is with its numerous wooded islands, and also of the whole vale of Leven to the river Clyde ; 2. Ross Priory, to which a considerable addition was made about thirty years ago, by the late Hector Macdonald Buchanan, Esq. and which is now the residence of Mrs Macdonald Buchanan. It is also beautifully situated on the south-east bank of Loch Lomond, at about two miles distance northward from Ba- turrich Castle, and surrounded by a lawn but little elevated above the level of the lake, and finely interspersed with a variety of trees, some of which are old and of great size and beauty. The house faces the north-east, and an avenue of about three-quarters of a mile in length leads to it in a straight line ^from the south-east, shaded on each side by a row of fine tall oaks, beeches, &c. ; 3. Catter House, though not a modern building, I may here mention, as it is an admirable old mansion-house, and it is now the resi- dence of Stewart Jolly, Esq. factor to the Duke of Montrose. It is finely situated on an eminence near Drymen Bridge, on the river Endrick, and faces the north. From it there is a splendid view of the lawn and woods around Buchanan House, belonging to the Duke of Montrose, and westward across Loch Lomond along the numerous windings of the slowly flowing Endrick. There are two churches in the parish, viz. the parish church, which was built in 1813, and the Reliefmeeting-house, built about 1774. There are three meal mills in the parish ; Catter mill, Mavie mill, and Aber mill. There are no manufactories. 216 DUMBARTONSHIRE. HI. — Population. ^' Amount ofpopulation in 1801, 879 1811, . 898 1821, 1008 1881, . 999 The population at present, as ascertained by the minister in visiting the parishioners, amounts to 950 Number of fkmiUes in the parish in 1891, 175 chiefly employed in agriculture, 80 trade, manufactures or handicraft, 27 The number of illegitimate births in the parish during the last three years is I. IV. — ;Industry. AgricaltuT€n — There are in the whole parish about 660 imperial acres under wood, besides a great many detached trees in hedge- rows, fences, and elsewhere ; of which the following is a statement : On the lands of the Duke of Montrose, all planted by the l.ite Duke, : 180 acres. On those of Mrs Macdonald, including the wooded islands of Craeinch and Torrinch, Lochlomond, ...... 280 On those of John Buchanan, Esq. of A rdoch, . . . 200 On those of R. D. Mackenzie, Esq. of Caldarvan, . . 40 On those of the other proprietors, . . . . .10 Imperial acres in all, 660 The average rent of land is 1 8s. per acre. The moorland part of the parish grazes only about 500 sheep, which are of the black-faced or Highland breed, and a few cattle of the Argyleshire breed. A few sheep of the Cheviot or Leicester sort are sometimes kept in low parks. The cattle on the low grounds are of the Ayrshire breed. Considerable attention has been paid of late to the improvement of all these sorts of cattle. Part of the lands, being the inferior sort, is kept in cultivation by being four years under pasture, and two under oats; but the bet- ter part of the land is cultivated by a six years^ course of crops and pasture ; thus, 1^/, green crop ; 2(/, grain crop ; d(/, hay ; Ath and bth^ pasture ; and 6/^, oats. Considerable attention has been paid, of late years, to the improvement of inferior or waste lands, in some parts of the parish, by the new modes of draining, &c. ; but a considerable part, perhaps more than a third part of the arable land, is incapable of a high state of improvement under ordinary tenants, either on account of the shallowness or peculiar qualities of the soils ; from rocks, chiefly of sandstone, want of proper declivity, or other obstacles to thorough draining ; or from the difficulties there are in driving manure and other commodities from and to distant parts and markets, owing to the bad roads through the parish, which are kept so chiefly from the want of proper metal or materials KILMARONOCK* 217 ivithiD any ordinary distance for repairing them* Yet, in spile of all these difficulties and hindrances, a spirit of industry and enter- prise, now observable among a great proportion of the agricultu- rists, is leading them on to many useful improvements. V. — Parochiax EcoNOMy. There is no village in the parish : there are not even four dwel- ling-bouses in it closely contiguous. Means of ComTnunication, — Neither is there a post-office; but the penny-podt from Dumbarton to Dry men passes daily through the parish. The Dumbarton and Drymen turnpike-road passes through it from south-west to north-east for six miles ; and the Drymen and Glasgow road passes through the east end of it for about one mile. A public coach travels from Drymen to Glasgow, and returns in the evenings on Wednesdays and Saturdays in winter, and on Mondays additional in summer, and there are two carriers, one from Buchanan, and another from Drymen, who pass through this parish once a-week on their way to Glasgow on Tues- days, and return on the Wednesday. The only bridge worth mentioning is that across Endrick, the boundary of the parish, on the road to Drymen, which is an old one containing four arches. The fences are generally thorn hedges or stone dikes. The hedges in inferior soils are generally bad and insufficient for fences, and require to be frequently repaired with other materials ; but in the better soils there are some good thorn fences. The stone dikes are, in some places, new and good, but in others old and in a falling state, and insufficient for fences. I think that I may state generally, that their condition is somewhat worse than in most neighbouring parishes. There are no canals, railroads, or harbours. Ecclesiastical State. — The parish church is situated almost at the northern extremity of the parish, and is not convenient for the greater part of the population, as its distance from the eastern extremity is two miles, from the western by the roads six miles, and from the southern, five miles. The church was built in the year 1813^ and is at present in a very good state of repair. There is no benefection on record except one from Mr Maurice Car- michael, of Bromley, to the poor of the parish, amounting to L. 50 Sterling, and made by him in the year 1790. The church affords accommodation for 400 sitters. The sittings were divided among the heritors, as is usual in all parish churches in the country, and they are occupied by their respective tenantry and others, free of 218 DUMBARTONSHIRE. expense. The communion table seats, containing 40 sittings, are free to any who may choose to occupy them. The manse was built in 1804. It has since undergone some trifling repairs at diflerent times ; and it is now, on the whole, in a good state of re- pair. The glebe consists of 7 imperial acres, and may be worth L. 1 per acre of yearly rent. The stipend consists of 96 bolls meal ; 64 bolls barley ; and L. 43, 10s. lOd., which includes L. 8, 6s. 8d. allowed for commu- nion elements. There is, as before said, a church belonging to the Relief body, to which I believe there are 20 acres of land at- tached, which, with collections and seat-rents, make up the minis- ter's stipend. There are 60 families, and 240 persons of all ages attending the parish church. There are about 100 families, and 400 persons of all ages atteading the Relief meeting-house in the parish, and other Dissenting places of worship out of it. The parish church is, on the whole, well attended, and, so far as I can learn, the Dis- senting one also. It will be observed from the above statements that the number of Dissenters in the parish considerably exceeds the number of churchmen. And it is perhaps proper here, to state, that this was caused about sixty- five years ago, by an unfortunate difference arising between Lord Stonefield, who was patron at that time, and the people, regarding the settlement of a minister ; when the people taking offence, left the Established Church, and built for themselves a meeting-house in connection with the Relief body, to which the greater number adhered ; while others went to Dis- senting chapels in other parishes. And owing to that unhappy disagreement, and perhaps to the Dissenting chapels being more conveniently situated for the bulk of the parishioners, the greater part still continue Dissenters, though after the lapse of sixty-five years, and the ministry of two incumbents in the parish church. It is right, however, here to state, that a disposition to return to the church has lately shown itself among some Dissenters, and that the number of churchmen has been for some time increasing. As a proof of the correctness of this statement, I may mention, that, in 1835, the roll of male heads of families communicants contained 41 names, whereas in 1838, it contained 51, which shows an increase of 10 names in three years. There are about \5fi communicants in the Established Church. KILMARONOCK. 219 The amount of yearly collections for the poor averages about L. 26, and about L. 7, 10s. for religious and charitable objects. EducaiiofL — There are three schools, one parochial school, no endowed schools, except the parochial one, and two unendowed schools. The salary of the parochial schoolmaster is L. 31 per year, and the school-fees amount to about L. 25. The amount of school- fees to each of the other two teachers may be somewhere between L. 10 and L. 15. Poor and Parochial Funds. — There are 10 paupers constantly on the roll, who receive the average sum of I6s. each per quarter, or L. 3, 4s. per year ; and besides these, there are several fami- lies who, though not upon the roll, receive occasional relief. The collections in the church, as formerly stated, amount to L. 26 yearly, and the mortcloth and proclamation dues to L. 4 ; which, together with the interest at four per cent, arising from the sum of L. 300, lent on bill from the poor's fund, and the interest from L. 40, deiK>sited in bank, amount to about L. 43. No disposition to consider it degrading to seek parochial relief is shown, except in rare cases. In this parish, as in most others in Scotland, that spirit seems to be fast wearing out. Library. — A parish library, got up by means of subscriptions and donations of books from heritors and others, was instituted in this pariah in June 1838, and is kept in the parish school, the schoolmaster being librarian. It is under the management of the kirk-session, and now contains 160 volumes. Fairs. — There are two fairs held within the parish, one for horses at Craftammie, on the second Tuesday of February ; and another, chiefly for milk cows,' at the fiirm of Ardoch, on the last Thursday of ApriL Alehouses. — There are eight taverns or alehouses, whose injuri- ous eflFects on the morals of the people appear in some instances, though not to any considerable extent. Puei, — Fuel consists chiefly of peats and coals. Peats are cut from some mosses within the parish, and sold rft the rate of 3s. for an ordinary cart. Coals are carted from Garscube, Kilpatrick, or certain places on the river Leven, and the price has varied for some years between 9d. and Is. per cwt., including cartage and all other expenses. July 1839. PARISH OF BONHILL. TBEBBYTBRY OF DUMBARTON, SYNOD OF GLASGOW AND AYR. THE REV. WILLIAM GREGOR, MINISTER.* I. — Topography and Natural History. Name, — Chalmers supposes that the name of this parish is a corruption of the Gaelic word Bogh rC ui% signifying foot of the rivulet. The oldest spelling is Buchnull, which occurs in the fourteenth centurj'. Afterwards, it was long spelled Bulhill, and subsequently Bunnull. This parish was enlarged in 1650, by the annexation of TuUif- ebewen, Stockragent, Cameron, and Aucheiidennan, from the parish of Luss ; and of Balloch, Milton, Blairquhois (now Wes- terton), Ballagan, and Ledrestbeg, from the parish of Kilmaro- nock. The annexation was effected by the Commissioners for the Plantation of Kirks, at the desire of the heritors and the presbytery. Before this event, there had been only 120 communicants in the parish. Boundaries^ Extent^ S^c. — Bonhill is bounded on the north and north*east by the parish of Kilmaronock and Loch Lomond ; on the east, by the parish of Dumbarton ; on the south and south- west, by the parish of Cardross ; and on the west by Luss. It is 4^ miles in length, and 4 in breadth, forming nearly a square. Hydrography. — The river Leven issues from Loch Lomond at Balloch, and falls into the Frith of Clyde at Dumbarton Castle^ after a course of about nine miles in length. The tide comes up the river more than a third part of its length, and the stream is navigable in its whole extent It produces excellent salmon, and a variety of other fish. Remarkable A&h Tree. — This large tree stands in the church- yard, and has been long regarded as one of the most remarkable of the species in this country. In the year 1768 it was measured by Mr Beevof, who found it to be 16 feet 9 inches in circumfe- * Drawn up from notes furnished by a residenter in the parish. BOMllLL. 221 renc6 at the height of 5 feet. Id September 1 784, according to Dr Walker, it measured 17 feet 9 inches ; but at the height of one foot above ground, it was found to be no less than 33 feet in girth. At the height of six teet the trunk divides into three great arms. In the Agricultural Survey of Dumbartonshire, published in 1811, the circumference of the trunk where smallest is said to be upwards of 1 8 feet This venerable tree is going rapidly to decay. The trunk is hollow, and the branches, though clasped, may soon be expected to give way. It still, notwithstanding, an- nually produces luxuriant foliage. Another remarkable ash-tree, of even greater dimensions, is also to be seen in this neighbourhood. It is thus described in the edition of Gilpin's Forest Scenery by Sir Thomas Dick Lauder, publisfaed in 1834:/^ Near the house of Bonhill, in Dumbar- tonshire, there is a very ancient and remarkable ash. This tree has been surrounded by a sloping bank of earth to the height of about three feet. A little above this artificial bank, or about four feet above the natural surface, it measured 34 feet 1 inch ; at tlie height of four feet above this baiik, it measured 21 feet 3 inches, and at the height of twelve feet from the ground, immediately under the three great arfns into which it divides, 22 feet 9 inches. At the junction of these arms, the leading trunk had, above a century ago, been broken, and in consequence of which the . tree has be^ come hollowed. One of these arms measured 10 feet 4 inches, another 1 1 feet, and the third 12 feet in girth, and yet they seem not to have been original branches, but only pollards formed after the trunk was broken over. Many years ago, the tree being hol- lowed and opened on one side, the opening was formed into a door, and the other part of the tree scooped out. In this way a small room, 9 feet 1 inch in diameter, was formed within the trunk. Its roof is conical, and 1 1 feet high. It is floored and sitrrounded with an hexagonal bench, on which eighteen people can sit, with a table in the middle ; and above the door there are five small leaden windows. Though the tree has decayed in the heart, it has con- tinued to live in the bark, and to form a great arch of new wood. The whole trunk, which is a vast mass, is thickly covered with fresh vigorous branches." — Vol. i. p. 264, 265. II. — Civil History. The whole lands in the parish formerly belonged to the family of Lennox ; but in the fifteenth century the Darnley family by marriage got one-half of the estate and the titles. The other A '222 DUMBARTONSHIRE. half was afterwards divided between the families of Napier and Gleneagles. Darleith was the property of the Darleiths, who are said by tradition to have been hereditary followers to the Earls of Lennox. The family having gone to decay, the estate was pur- chased by Mr John Zuil, writer in Inverary, whose attachment to the Covenant, and sufferings in its cause, are commemorated by Wodrow. Antiquities. — There are very few remains of antiquity of any interest in this parish. At Auchenheglish, on the lands of Auch* indenanrie (now Belretiro), was an old burying-ground, which was used within the last century. It probably belonged to a place of worship which gave name to the field, and the ruins of which are still pointed out when the lake is low, at a short distance from the shore, having been overflowed by the gradual encroachment of the water. A correspondent writes, that he *' should be inclined to doubt the existence of a church or any place of worship on the .island or rather the ^hore off the point of Auchenheglish. In the dry summers of 1825 and 1826, the alleged site was examin- ed with great minuteness, the lake being very low at the time, and aconsiderable part of the shore being uncovered ; but we could not discover the slightest vestiges of any building or any thing in the shape of foundation stone or wrought mason work of any description. The church or chapel, it may be remarked, stood on the high bank, immediately north of the Scotch and silver fir trees on the side of the road, where it quits the shore of the lake at what is called Auchenheglish brae, where I am told that one grave-stone is to be seen, and the appearance of the foun- dations of a building. A cross or other similar erection may have been placed on what was probably, in former times, a low green island, ^ch as the Aberetle is now; but which is. now merely a shoal composed of large stones rounded by the attrition of the water, few or none being of any size. The gradual rise of the waters of the lake is quite undeniable. Witness the trees along the lower side of the road through the Belretiro property. ** There is a collection of ancient tumuli on the high lands of Soromer, on the edge of the moor, which has of late years been planted with birch and Scotch firs ; the graves, of which there may be from twenty to twenty-five, within an oblong of 200 feet by 60, are of the usual description, fenced by rude and undressed stones. The covers have been mostly removed or destroyed. Some 3 UOMIILL. 223 forty or forty-five years ago, I have been told that an investigation of these having been made by my uncle, Mr James Smollett, bones and stone arrow-heads were discovered in them ; but I have never seen any of these." The castle of Belach (or Balloch) was the early seat of the Lennox family, and their charters are often dated from thence in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, before they resided at Inchmurrain. The site is still marked by the fosse, but no re- mains of building have been seen in our time. See as to this a note to the novel of the Spaewife by Gait. The only other fa- mily of note who anciently resided in this parish were the Lind- says of BonhilL Their ancestors were knights in the reign of David IL, and acquired their estate by grant from their relation, the Earl of Lennox, by whom they were also appointed foresters and tosheagers of the earldom. The male line failed soon after the Restoration, and the estate passed to Sir James Smollett, Provpst, and representative of Dumbarton in Parliament, and af- terwards a commissioner of the Union. III. — Population. The population of Bonhill has rapidly increased since the esta- blishment of the bleachfields and printfields, which now form its chief trade and industry. In 1 755, from the returns made to Dr Webster, the population was 901 ; and in 1791, from a list of the inhabitants made up to 1st January in that year, the population amounted to 2310, of whom 562 were under ten years of age. By Uie Government census of 1801, the population was 2460 1811, 2791 1821, 3003 1831, 8874 of families in the parish in 1831, 780 chiefly employed in agriculture, 172 handicraft, 558 IV. — Industry. The valued rent of the parish is L.2180, 9s. 2d. Agriculture* — The lands in this parish, as may readily be con- ceived from the large manufacturing population, are all cultivated according to the most improved methods. Furrow-draining has been adopted to some extent, and with the usual good effects. The subsoil plough has been but partially used, but in instances where it has been tried it has doubled the value of the land. Horses, §*c. — The horses generally used for agricultural purposes are the Clydesdale breed. The cows are chiefly of the Ayrshire 2*24 DUMBARTONSNIUK. variety, and considered to be excellent for the purposes of the dairy. The first printfield on the Leven was begun about the year 1768. At first the printing was almost entirely confined to hand- kerchiefs, and done by what was termed block-printing. Copper- plate presses were erected, and posterior to these, presses to be driven by water. Long before this time, (1728, 1729,) however, the parish had acquired some celebrity for its bleaching processes, from the introduction of workmen from Holland, and the establish- ment of bleachfields on the Dutch method. At the time the for- mer Statistical Account was published, there were three printfields and four bleachfields in the parish. The number of these has since much increased, and both departments are simultaneously car- ried on in the same establishments. The print-works and bleach- fields now in operation are as follows : 1. Dalmonach and FerryfieldL — At the print-works of Ferry field there are employed two steam-engines of 10 and 14 horse power; and one water-wheel of 20 feet diameter, 7 feet broad, with a fall of 20 inches. The total number of persons employed is 416 ; of whom 203 are men, 121 women, and 92 children under twelve years of age. The amount of wages paid from 1st January till 1st July 1809, was L. 5395, 8s. 8d. At Dalmonach there are two engines, one of 10 horse power, the other of 16 horse power, and one water- wheel of 16^ feet in diameter, and 15 feet broad, with a fall of 26 inches. The number of persons employed amount to 565, of whom 252 are men, 169 women, and 144 children under twelve years of age. The wages paid for the first six months of 1839 amounted to L. 5667, 2s. Od. In both these works there are eight printing machines employed, which can print from one to six co- lours at a time, and 1200 yards each in an hour. 2. Dalmonach, — The number of people employed at Dalmonach print-works in March 1835, was 899, of whom 604 were males, and 295 females. 3. Levenfield, — At Leven Geld there is a water-wheel of 16 feet in diameter, 6^ feet broad, with a fall of 3 feet. The number of individuals employed are, 188 men, 97 women, 30 between twelve and fifteen years of age, and 100 children under twelve years of age, of the last of whom all can read, and 56 write. Amount of wages paid from 10th January to 10th July 1839, L.4904, 2$. lOd. 4. Levenbank Print' JVorks. — There is a steam-engine of 15 horse power at these works, with a water-wheel of 22 feet diameter, and fiONHILL. 225 a fall of water of 19 feet The number of persons employed are, of men, 1 19, of women, 50, of children under 12 years of age, 53, in all 221. Amount of wages paid from 10th January to 10th July 1839, L. 3505. 5. Alexandria Works, — There is a steam-engine of 20 horse power at these works, with a water-wheel of 18 feet in diametert by 6 broad, and a fall from canal of 15 inches. The persons em- ployed are, men 192, women, 142, children, 104 — all of whom can read, making a total of 438. The amount of wages paid to these from 1st January to 1st July 1839, was L. 5100. The amount of goods printed for same period waS 1,310,400 yard^. 6. DUUddp and Milbum^ — At these works there is a steam- equine of 14 horse power, but which works up to 16. The diame- ter of Dillichip water-wheel is 15 feet 6 inches, the breadth 11 feet 3 inches ; — the diameter of Milburn wheel, which is an over- shot one, is 23 feet, and the breadth 3 feet. The fall of Dillichip canal is about 12 or 14 inches. The number of persons employ- ed at these works is 565, of whom 103 are women, and 63 chil- dren under twelve years of age. The operations carried on are bleaching, dyeing and printing ; and the wages paid from Decem-» ber 22d to July 6th 1838-9, amounted to L.6820. The goods finished during the same period, were 58,424 pieces of furniture and garments, 11,251 handkerchiefs and shawls, and 10,237 woollens; in all, 2,084,257 yards. 7. BonhiU PrirU-Work. — The mechanical power employed at this establishment is a steam-engine of 18 horses power. The number of persons employed are, men, 1 00 ; women, 32 ; and children under twelve years of age, 58, all of whom can read and write. The amount of wages paid from 1st January to 1st July 1838, was L. 2000, and the quantity of goods finished, 480,000 yards. 8. MilWurn Pyrolignous Works. — These works were established . in 1806; about 15 men are employed at them; and the products ire pyrolignous' acid, tar, pyroxilic spirit, kreosote, &c. A fine Prussian blue is manufactured at these works. 9. Kirkland Works. — At this establishment a steam-engine of 8 horses power is employed. The number of individuals employed in various departments, is 224. Of these, 83 are children under fourteen years of age. The operations carried on are, printing, bleaching, and dyeing. The amount of wages paid from 1 st Ja- nuary to 1st July 1835, was L. 3106, and the quantity of goods DUMBARTON. P 226 DUMBARTONSHIRK. printed and dyed during the same period, was 23,400 pieces, of 28 or 80 yards in length. Ecclesiastical State. — The church is mentioned in a charter of Donald, Earl of Lennox, about the middle of the fourteenth century. The patronage appears to have belonged to this family until the widow of Earl Duncan erected the collegiate church of Dumbarton in. 1450, and endowed it with this church. Number of families who profess to be connected with the Es- tablished Church, 592 ; Relief, 254 ; Old Light Burghers, 75 ; United Secession, 36 ; Roman Catholics, 12 ; Episcopalians, 4; Cameroniaqs, 4; Baptists, 3; Unitarians, 2 ; Methodists, 1 ; Antiburghers, 1; Bereans, I; of no profession, 28; total, 91S» The Independents have since opened a place of worship, and now claim 80 members. Also, there is a considerable number of per- sons not householders, but lodgers, of whose religious profession little is known. Many of these are connected with some one of the various bodies. It is understood that the kirk-session records were extant to a remote period in the time of Mr Gordon Stewart, when Mr Bu- chanan of Ardoch saw them. Education. — There are 7 schools in the parish, two of which are parochial. The average amount of each of the parochial schoolmasters' salaries is L. 21, 7s., with L. 15 of school fees, and L. 7 of other emoluments, being the yearly worth of the dwelling- house, school-room, and garden. Two of the non-parochial schools are taught by females. About seven*eighths of the po- pulation inhabit the Vale of Leven, and are employed at the public works, bleachfields, and printfields : to these works the chil- dren are sent, in too many cases, at and under seven years of age ; and any learning they get afterwards is at the week day evening and Sunday evening schools. (Abstract Education Inquiry, 1837). Poor. — The average amount of contributions for the poor for the three years 1805-86-37, was - - - - - L. 166 5 1 Of this sum, from church collections, - L. 99 16 3 Other volunury contributions, - - 28 10 9 From mortifications, &c. - - - 37 18 1 L. 166 5 1 Benefit Societies. — The following are the societies at present established in this parish, viz. 1. Bonhill Old Friendly So- ciety ; 2. Bonhill New Friendly Society ; a Levenbank Friend- ly Society; 4. Balloch Friendly Society; 5. Bonhill and Bal- 4 BON HILL. 227 loch Uoion Friendiy Society ; 6. Bonhill, Levenbank, and Bal- locE FrieDdly Society ; 7. Bonhill Village Friendly Funeral and Mortcloth Society. They are nearly all similar, and merely differ in the sum paid at the death of a member. The first three ( Ist, 2d, and 8d,) give the sum of L. 1, 10s. to the nearest relation at the death of a member, whereas the next three (4th, 5th, and 6th,) give JL8 at death ; also there is some trifling difference in their way of electing preses, &c. &c. The object of the 7th is to al- low L. 5 and the use of the mortcloth to the nearest relation at death of a member, and each member (when the number of mem* bers exceeds 200), pays 6d. at the death of a member. Every male or female upon admission into this society must be above sixteen years of age, and under sixty; whose residence or employment must be in the village of Bonhill, and pay Is. 6d. as entry-money. There are thus no less than seven benefit societies in the parish, alt nearly similar in their purposes, for providing a weekly allowance to side members, and a sum for the respectable interment of such as die. But, besides these, there exist smaller associations of a like kind among particular kinds of workmen ; as block-cutters, block-printers, engravers, &c And in cases of accident or sick- ness, liberal contributions are often raised. Scarcely a pay day pas- ses without some such subscription. There are no savings' banks in the parish. ^ Mechanic^ Institution, — The Vale of Leven Mechanics* Insti* tution was commenced in 1834, consequently has been in opera- tion for five years. The institution has not yet been able to erect a hall to itself, and consequently is obliged to deliver its lectures in any room, school, or church that can be most readily obtained. The support of the institution is derived to a certain extent from the donations of the surrounding gentlemen, but chiefly from the fees paid by the students themselves ; the fee paid for the whole course is only 2s. 6d. The course generally comprehends about twenty-six lectures, delivered, for the most part, on Saturday night, that being the most convenient for the working population here. The annexed table will show the attendance and increase for the last five years : Seasion 1834-5, the number of studenU was 106, at 58. each. 1835-e, do. 69, at 2s. 6d. 1896-7, • do. 86, at :2s. 6d. 1837-8, do. 142, at 2s. 6d. 1838-9, do. 170, at 2s. 6d. 228 DUMBARTONSHIRE. From a careful calculation of the number of males above eighteen years of age, made in the year I8889 it was found that there were 1176 employed about the Tarious print-works upon the water ; out of that number only 109 were members of the Mechanics' Insti- tution, that is, about one-eleventh of the whole— the remainder consisting of females and persons resident in the district. In this district there are three pretty large villages within a mile of each other — namely, Bonhill, Alexandria, and Ronton, the united population of which may amount to about 6000 ; out of that number last year, the attendance was 170, being equal to 35.29 of the whole. During last session a library of 160 volumes has been procured in connection with the institution. Hitherto the institution has been much indebted to gratuitous lecturers, who, in all cases, have been left to choose their own subjects, the consequence of which has been, that the courses of instruction were more desultory and unconnected than the com- mittee would have liked — an evil which they are endeavouring, as far as possible, to obviate during the ensuing session. Jidy 1840. GENERAL OBSERVATIONS ON THE COUNTY OF DUMBARTON,* Name. — Dunbar or Dtimbar, and Dunbarton or Dumbarton, have long been celebrated in *^ Scottish story/' as national fortres- ses of great antiquity and strength, and from analogy, might boti be plausibly derived from the same Celtic radicals, Dun and^ which by interpretation mean a *^ fort or stronghold on a sunlit or height." This is unquestionably the origin of Dunbar on the Frith of Forth, but the Dunbar-ton on the Frith of Clyde is sup- posed to be a corruption of Dun-briton, the ** fort of the Britons," also formerly called, according to Morris and others, Alclud or Alcluid. In examining the Acts of Parliament published by authority of Government, we find the name frequently rendered Dunbretane, more frequently Dunbertane and Dunbartan, but lat- terly chiefly Dumbarton or Dunbarton, so that no conclusion can be drawn from '* use and wont" in favour of either of the above etymologies. But be this as it may, the town and fort, which have given their name to the county, are of great antiquity, and evident- ly bear the impress of the language of the earliest inhabitants of these northern isles. This district is also occasionally known by the name of Lenox, which is a corruption of Leven-ach^ " a field or district on the Leven," by which latter term we are to under- stand not merely the water of Leven, but also Loch Lomond, for- merly called Loch Leven, which stretches along a large portion of the eastern boundaries of the county, and also washes with its pure and limpid wave many parishes in Dumbartonshire to the south. The Lenox family, now extinct, but represented by the Duke of Richmond, derived their name from the same origin, according to the practice of our forefathers, who named great dis- tricts and great families after each other. • Drawn up by the Rev. William Patrick, Hamilton 230 GENERAL OBSERVATIONS Extent, (J-c. — Dumbartonshire is situated between 55*^, 53', 30* and 56^ 1^,40^, of north latitude; and between 3% 54', 60% and 4% 53', of longitude west from Greenwich. On the east it is bound- ed by the counties of Stirling and Perth, but principally by Stir- ling, from which it is separated through a considerable portion of its extent, as far north as Elengavahana by Loch Lomond, above which the loch is surrounded by the county, including the farms of Doune and Ardletsh on the east, which here march with Perth- shire. Strathfillan in Perthshire is the entire boundary to the north, as Argyleshire is to the west, which last is separated from Dumbartonshire by Loch Long, from the Frith of Clyde to Ar- rochar. The boundaries on the south are Renfrew and Lanark, but principally Renfrew, from which it is separated by the estuary of the Clyde. These boundaries do not embrace the disjoined piition of this county, including the parishes of Kirkintilloch and Cumbernauld, which lie by themselves about six miles east of the Dfiain body of the county, bounding with Stirling on the north and east, and with Lanark on the south and west. Tlie extreme length of Dumbartonshire from Kelvin bridge, at the south-east comer of New or East Kilpatrick to Inverarnan brook, at the north of the parish of Arrochar, is about 47 miles. Its breadth at the southern extremity from east to west is 24 miles ; farther north it is 10; between Tarbet or Loch Lomond, and the head of Loch Long it is only about 2 miles broad, at Upper Inveruglass scarcely so much, and at the northern extremity the widest place is 9^ miles. The detached parishes of Kirkintilloch and Cumbernauld include a district about 12 miles long from east to west, and from 2^ to 4 miles broad. This isolated portion of the county contains 32^ square miles, and the main body of the county 228 — in all 260^ square miles,, and about 167,040 English acres. TopographicahAppearances. — The county of Dumbarton, takea as a whole, like the inhabitants scattered over its diversified soil and varied surface, is in a transition state, between highlands and lowlands. The scenery to the north and all along Loch Lomond is for the most part decidedly alpine, and exhibits all the varieties of the most enchanting and variegated of Highland landscapes. Although the parish of Arrochar, which forms the entire northern part of Lenox, be 15 miles long and on an average 3 broad, and contains about 48 square miles, still so mountainous and irreclaim- able is its soil that not more than about 400 acres are ever sub- ON THE COUNTY OF DUMBARTON. 231 jected to the plough. Here the majestic Ben Voirlich near the north-west extremity of Lioch Liomond rears an alpine peak to the height of nearly 3300 feet above the level of the sea. The pa- rishes of Lass and Row are also decidedly hilly. In the latter of these parishes there are two ridges of hills running north-east and south-west, intersected by a beautiful strath, (the highly interesting and picturesque Glenfruin), which stretches between them upwards of five miles. The height of Finnart, which is washed at its base by the sea, towers above it to the height of 2500 feet. In Luss, Ben Cniachanstean, Corafuar, Shantron, Beneicb, Doune, and many others, attain great altitudes, some of them 3000 feet above the level of the adjoining seas. The lofly hills in Luss and Ar- rochar are strikingly and exquisitely contrasted with the wide ex- panse of the beautifully spread and pellucid waves, of the queen of lakes, the far-famed, and yet scarcely sufficiently admired Loch Lomond. Here savage grandeur, in all the towering superiority of uncultivated nature, is seen side by side with the very emblem of peace and tranquillity, an alpine lake, which the winds reach only by stealth, basking by day under the enlivening beams of the sun, but not subjected to the tidal attractions of the pale silvery moon. Hie parish of Roseneath, enclosed between two lochs or arms of the sea, like Argyle's Bowling Green, a little to the north of it, also adds much to the varied and attractive scenery of Dumbarton- shire. This peninsula in itself is a very striking panorama. It consists principally of one ridge or height rising from the south in undulating wavy lines, till at Tamuahara, it attains an elevation of about 800 feet From almost any part of the intersecting levels, beautiful peeps of sea, mountain, peaceful valley, or rich and ara- ble expanses of fertile lands, may be obtained. Towards the south of the county, the parishes partake more of the lowland cha- racter, and rising, as most of them do, from the' Clyde or Leven, and other intersecting streams, attain no great altitude, and present but few of the more striking irregularities of surface. To this re- mark, there are, however, many exceptions, and these striking ones, as for exs^mple, the rock of Dumbarton, which to the eye of the geologist presents the idea of a coprolite, after nature had ex- hausted herself by her more gigantic eflForts to the north. The Kilpatrick braes, rising to the height of 1^00 feet above the sea, are also a fine range of hills, intersecting a fertile and beautiful lowland country, affording from their summits some of the finest 232 GENERAL OBSERVATIONS • prospects to be had in Scotland ; and doubly interesting by com- bining a view of the summits of the wildest Highland hills, with the rich mercantile highly cultivated districts of Renfrew and Lanark — the workshops of the west of Scotland. No district in North Britain can boast of finer scenery than the county of Dum- barton, and certainly none is more variegated or more frequently visited, or admired by strangers. Hydrography. — This county may truly be termed the land of " lakes and streams." The muse of Smollet has made the Leven familiar to every classic ear; and Loch Lomond presents attractions to the eye with which the fervid anticipations of the most pictures- que fancy are more than gratified. The landscape view of the district, however, comes only partially within the drier definition of statistics. In alluding to Loch Lomond, in all respects the most interesting sheet of water in Dumbartonshire or Scotland, forget- ting the scenery, (or remembering to forget it,) we shall state only a few facts carefully and statistically ascertained. This magnificent expanse of fresh water is, as near as can be as- certained, twenty-four miles in length, (not thirty, as in various po- pular publications,) and in some places six or seven miles broad. Its direction is nearly south-west and north-east, but rather in- clined to north and south. The bed in general is a soft detrital mud, formed from the washings of the adjoining rocks. It is re- markable that where narrowest this lake is generally deepest ; and» from, there being little or no waste of rocks from currents, the in- equalities of depth must be natural, and not from recent artificial acts of abrasion. In the south at Kilmaronock, Bonhill, and in part of Luss, the width is considerable, probably about seven miles. It tapers and twists gradually northwards to near Ardleish, like an eel, where it receives two rivulets of tiny dimensions. North of the Clachan of Luss, the lake is deepest and narrowest, but pro- bably in no place does it exceed in depth 600 feet, namely, oppo- site Alt Gary, and in other places north of the above village it varies in depth from 396 to 480 or 54Q feet. At Faskin it is 66 fathoms, northwards a little 80 fathoms ; two miles north of Tarbet 80 fathoms, and at Alt Garry, as above, 100. In these northern parts, the lake never freezes, being too deep to attain an equal temperature. South of Luss, Loch Lomond is seldom deep* er than 1 20 feet, but with this depth of water frost is seldom strong enough to congeal its surface. In some places, however, a fri- 3 ON THE COUNTY OP DUMBARTON. 233 gorific influence subsists between the islands and mainland, which produces a thick board of ice in severe seasons. The waters of the lake, although much too limited to be affect- ed by tides, are not stationary. At the time of the great earth- quake at Lisbon, November 1st, 1755, a singular commotion was observed in this lake, which shows that its foundations are deeply set, and are connected with'secret and distant correspondents. Its usurping powers at present have evidently a tendency to encroach upon the land. In some places the ruins of the works of man have been overtopped by the waters of Loch Lomond ; and the stepping- stones across the channel of the Falloch, at the north end of the Lake, are now below the surface of the water, many feet, even in the greatest droughts. The effects of heavy rains or the melting of snow are not insensibly felt ; affecting the water level in some instances to the amount of five or six feet. In droughts the de- crease of water is equally perceptible. North of Luss, the banks of the lake are often lofty or precipitous ; but south of that village they slope gradually to the shores of the lake, and flatten down alnoost to a dead level. The family seat of Camstradden, men- tioned by ancient writers as an island or peninsula, with an house and orchard, has been completely overwhelmed, and exhibits only a cairn of stones when the water is very low. A number of head- lands or Rosses, especially along the southern banks, at once en* liven and diversify the scene, which, added to the islands scattered over the surface of the lake like spots on the sun, give a peculiar character to the scenery of Loch Lomond. The principal islands of Loch Lomond in this county are Inch-murin, Inch-lonaig, Inch-ta- vanach. Inch-moan, Inch-conachan, and Inch-galbraith, with nine other islets of inferior size and less importance. The islands Inch- cailach. Inch-fad, Inch-cruin, For-inch, Cre-inch, Clair-inch, and Bue-inch, are in the county of Stirling. The Tom-na-clag in Inch- tavanach, the yew trees and deer park in Inch-lonaig, added to the circumstance of both islets being used as "temperance hotels," for the reclaiming of confirmed drunkards, add at once a moral and natu- ral beauty to the scene. This fine sheet of water empties itself by the river Leven, which pursues the same direction as the lake it- self into the Frith of Clyde, after a sweet and richly varied course of about seven miles. Its waters, like those of the loch, are extreme- ly pure, and are equally well fitted for culinary or manufacturing purposes. To the traders of Glasgow they are invaluable, and 234 GENERAL OBSERVATIONS have invited hither many extensive bleaching and printing esta- blishments, such as those of Bonhill-field, Bonhill-place, Leveo- field, Leven^^bank, Kirkland-field, Dalmanoch-field, Dalgohom, Cordelty &c The same properties have rendered the Leven an equally eligible situatipn.for the scaly tribes/' many species of which *« Cut with tireir golden oart tbe silver stream.** Smollet in his beautiful ode to Leven water particularly alludes to its watery tenants,. y ^^^tit '^' ' In myriads de%fi|}ff|^y8Ul flood ; The springing Crtiijit lit speckled pride ; Tlie salmon monarch of the tide ; Tbe ruthless pike intent on war ; The silver eel and mottled char.** There are besides Loch Lomond, eight or nine small fresh water lakes in Dumbartonshire, but none of them of much importance. Loch Sloy, in Arrochar, upwards of a mile long and a quarter of a mile broad, is interesting as having been at one period the rendez- vous of the clan Macfarlane, whose slughorn, or war cry, was " Loch Sloy," which in Gaelic signifies the " lake of the host or army." There are also two considerable lochs in Old Kilpatrick ; two also at Fannyside, in the parish of Cumbernauld, between which a new public road, projected and accomplished by that in- defatigable road-maker, the Honourable Admiral Fleeming, now passes. The river Clyde, on the southern boundary of the county, is not more beautiful than lucrative to all the districts which its waters intersect or touch upotu At the head of Loch Lomond the waters of Falloch, Inveruglas, Douglas, and Linnhe, are '' brisk bratling mountain streams, exhibiting in inany places small but beautiful cascades. The Kelvin water is part of Kirkintilloch parish, where it resembles a great ditch traversing a meadow, but at Garscube its banks are bold and elevated, and continue to be highly interest- ing, till its embochure in the Clyde at Partick, two miles below Glasgow. Gareloch and Loch Long are two very interesting arms of the sea to the west of the county. Gareloch, i. e. the " short loch," is a small sheet of salt water, running nearly N. W. and S. E. Like Loch Lomond, it is not more than six miles long, and has an average depth of about 130 feet, lying on a fine stiff blue clay, excellent for the anchorage of vessels. Loch Long is a more extensive arm of the sea, running nearly N.E. and S.W., approach- ing Loch Lomond to the north and receding from it to the south. » ON THE COUNTY OF DUMBARTON. 235 It is upwards of twenty miles long, and in some places very deep. Its immense depth gives to the waters a dark blackish, colour, in some degree heightened by the hills which skirt it on either side. The scenery at the opening of Loch Goil *and about Arrochar is peculiarly bold and striking; and from Baremman and Tamnahara, in Roseneath, it is of a character, perhaps, scarcely equalled even in the panoramic assemblage of nature's. gifts in this highly favour- ed district Beautiful. streamv^yi- lakes of less note are plenti- fully scattered over the face ilF^^iiioutiiy ; and springs of whofe- some water gush out in liberai^NPbfusion for the use of man and beast. Geology. — The geology of this district presents a suite of rocks: from the oldest strata, mica-slate, to the limestone and coal forma- tions. The oldest formations are to the north, and the newest in^tbe south and south-east. The generally predominating rock where the primitive strata prevail is mica^slate, — a formation which lies im- mediately above the gneiss, and into which it insensibly passes. This mineral here, as in the neighbouring districts, and through- out the greater portion of the Highlands of Scotland, presents a dtstinct and uniform character. It is composed chiefly of parts adhering together without any intermediate cement, forming plates laid on each other. It is always stratified, and is most- ly composed of mica and quartz, and occasionally felspar. Mica b very abundant, quartz also very abundant, and felspar scarce- ly perceptible. This rock forms the bulk of all the highest and most striking hills in the north of the county. The direction of the strata, as a whole, is nearly N. E. and S. W. At the sum- mits and along the bases of the hills on both sides of Loch Lomond, the strata of mica-slate are distinctly observed cropping out in the usual direction, and in a position almost vertical, irom which it may be inferred that this substance composes the mass of these mountain ranges. The mica-slate of this quarter is distinguished by an abundance of quartz, which in some other districts is gene- rally in small quantity. Towards the summits of some of these mountains, the rock is remarkably penetrated by it, and exhibits veins and masses of every form, but not in regular beds. Indeed, quartz in many instances is so abundant, that it gives the mica- slate a whitish colour, resembling at a distance pure quartz. In some places these rocks are remarkably twisted, as at the foot of Glen Falloch, in Arrochar, where a beautiful section is brought to 236 GENERAL OBSEttVATIONS view by the extensive cuttings for the new road which passes' through Strathfillan. The dip of the strata at the head of Loch Lomond is generally S. E., and the course of the valleys by which the mountain ranges are intersected affect an easterly direction. The principal of these are Glenfroon, Glenfinlass, Glen-du-glass, &c. In some places the mica-slate passes into talc-slate. This is especially the case between Tarbet and Luss, where mica-slate and talc-slate occur, with intersecting beds of greenstone and felspar porphyry. A singular dike of greenstone may also be ob- served at Knockderry, on the shore of Loch Long. The rock in which this intruded mass occurs is for some distance completely altered, so as to assume the appearance of chlorite slate. Besides the mica-slate, this district is also intersected by a clay- slate formation, in a direction south-west and north-east, constitut- ing a part of that great clay-slate formation skirting the Highlands, and found in so many localities. It is wrought in this county, in the well-known quarries of Luss and Camstradden. These slates are frequently traversed by veins of quartz, and abound with iron py- rites, which, in the clay-slate, is always found in crystals, which ge- nerally assume the form of cubes. It is particularly worthy of re- mark, that the islands at the south end of Loch Lomond, where they are only to be found, are in the direction of the clay-slate, and softer transition strata. These islands themselves are formed of the more durable varieties of rocks, while the clay-slate and softer rocks have been washed away, leaving the islets entire, affording a: strong presumption that their present appearance is the result of exten- sive denudation. The lake itself is in fact only a great cavity in mi- ca-slate, &c. at a low level, and consequently filled with water. The probability, therefore, is, that the whole of this remarkable cavity must have been filled up at some prior period by one great mass or line of strata, which, being of a softer structure, and more liable to the wasting effects of air and water, has been gradually broken or worn into its present shape. The slates in this district may be generally termed quartzy mica, and these constitute the greater portion of the primary dis- trict ; clay-slate also abounds, and is found lying on the mica- slate. These rocks frequently pass into talc-slate, as already 3tated, and also into a sort of porphyritic mica-slate, thickly stud- ded with crystals of quartz, and also, in some cases, there occurs a slate so much mixed with lime that it may be safely termed a limestone slate. ON THE COUNTr OF DUMBARTON. 237 A litde to the south of Camstradden slate quarry, and near to Ros-doe, the transition rocks succeed the primary stratified group io the shape of greywacke, and slaty greywackeof a peculiar com* position, and alternating with the older formation to the north; This greywacke is very different in appearance from that general- ly found about Leadhills and the south of Lanarkshire. It seems, for the most part, to be composed of quartz, felspar, and clay^slate, cemented together with a basis of clay-slate, and frequently stud- ded with blue quartz, common quartz, and crystals of felspar. Scarcely anything of the shape of greywacke-slate is to be found, and none of those remarkable alternations of greywacke and grey- wacke-slate, which abound in the south of Scotland, occur here. But the peciiliar feature of these transition rocks is the presence of the black-limestone, not a vestige of which occurs in the greywacke of the south of Lanarkshire. This limestone, of a bluish-black colour, is to be found connected with the slate formation in Ar- denconnel muir, and also in Glenfruin. The same superabun- dance of quartz as in the mica-slate is also another remarkable feature, to which we may add the total absence of flinty slate, or Lydian stone, and those frequent alternations with porphyry, re^ sembling the ehan courses of Cornwall. With regard to the black limestone, it is allowed by Charpentier and others, that it is of later formation than greywacke and clay-slate» When nearest to the primitive formations, the black limestone is subordinate, while in the newest part of the transition formations, clay-slate is only found subordinate to limestone. This is exactly the position in which it occurs here, as may be seen in the localities above al- luded to. It^must be confessed, however, that the remark of Humboldt has much weight, namely, that the constancy of binary or tertiary associations, as connected with the transition formations, are of much more importance than the analogy which the succes- sion of homonymous rocks presents. Thus he observes, that clay- slate and black limestone, clay-slate and porphyries, clay-slate and diorites, and greywacke, porphyry, and sienite, granular lime- stone, and anthracitous mica-slate, are observed to form geognos- tic associations in countries the most remote from one another. Some of these associations, as the clay-slate and black limestone, are to be found in Dumbarton, but not in Lanarkshire, while many of the others are found in the south of Scotland, but not in this part of it. 238 GENERAL OBSERVATIONS. The mica-slate, including also chlorite slate, as on Gare- loch above Row Ferry, on which these transition rocks rest, is an extensive formation, extending from the Mull of Can- tyre, and including the islands of Isia, Jura, and Colonsay. It stretches along by the north of Loch Awe, where it meets with the granite of Cruahan Ben, it then passes on by Ben Lawers to the north of Loch Tay, and may be traced in a thin line as feur east aa Stonehaven. This rests again upon an immense deposit of gneiss, which extends to the north of Scotland, with patches of granite and of old red sandstone, here and there interspersed. The transition rocks here are part of a thin stripe of very inconsiderable breadth, running north-east and soulh-west, passing through the centre of the island of Bute, entering this county near the south-east end of Roseneatb, crossing it by Ros-doe and the Pass of Balmaha it stretches away by Aberfoil, Callander, Comrie, south-east of Dunkeld, passes through Edzel, and terminates in the sea at Stonehaven. Bute is the south-western terminus of the minerals of which the county of Dumbarton is composed, and Stonehaven the north>east terminus* From the same point in the north-east, an extensive formation of old red sandstone, lying to the south, extends also from Stonehaven to the south of Bute, having Montrose, Arbroath, Dundee, Dun- . ning, Stirling, and the town of Dumbarton standing on its south- ern extremities. Like the greywacke, this formation runs due north-east and south-west. As connected with Dumbartonshire, the old red sandstone group appears in the south-west of the pe- ninsula of Roseneath, chiefly as a conglomerate south-east of the vale or dingle, which stretches from Campsail on the east to Port- kill on the south-west. It passes north-east through part of Row parish, including the Cilliter range to the north-west, and the point of Ardmore, including Camis Eskin and Keppoch, and then stretches through Bonhill to Inch-murrin in Loch Lomond, and on to Balmaha and Buchannan. It constitutes, in fact, part of the lower basin of Loch Lomond on its south-east end. It forms also the link between the slaty rocks to the north, and the sandstone, lime, coal, iron, &c. to south ; and may be said, in some degree, to be the basin of the Frith of Clyde. In many places along this noble estuary, there are striking proofs of the sea having once at- tained a higher level, and of having overtopped its present bed thirty or forty feet This is strikingly exhibited in the remarkable promontory of Ardmore, south-east of the entrance to the Gare- ON THE COUNTY OF DUMBARTON. 23^ loch. This rock is of a circular form, composed entirely of old red saodstone conglomerate, containing many rounded water-worn balls, chiefly of quartz, very much resembling the breccia of the Ldmarkshire formations. It is about forty feet high, and seems leh as a pillar to mark the modern subsidence of the waters which once surrounded it. The same conglomerate is found in the Cil* liter range, a little to the north. In other places this sandstone is of a greyish-blue colour, either coarse-grained or 6ne granular* The coarse-grained contains angular fragments and rolled masses of quartz, felspar, grey wacke, and clay-slate, often so large, as in the above instances to constitute conglomeratesi — the fine gra- nular, in some varieties, with a base, in others, with a cement of day, is chiefly composed of quartz, felspar, and mica, minutely aggregated. This formation has, in all respects, the characters of old red sandstone, approaching to greywacke, and very much re- sembles the old red sandstone of Lanarkshire. In some places, jasper is found in considerable abundance ; and in one place, north- west of Cilliter, a dike of jasper of a coarse hard quality occurs. On the estate of Camis Eskan in Cardross, the old red sandstone contains traces of limestone, sometimes pervading the rock as a sort of base, as above Lanark in a neighbouring county, or more fre« quently in the form of contemporaneous veins. Proceeding southwards, and above the old red sandstone, we have, in some places, a reddish sandstone, evidently not of the old red sandstone formation, and in other places a sandstone of a warm cream colour, easily chiselled, but hardening by exposure. The author has paid much attention to these formations on the borders of the old red sandstone, and has no doubt but that they are ana- logous to apparently similar formations in the upper ward of Lanarkshire. Yellow sandstone, of the same sort as is found in Dumbartonshire above the old red sandstone, occurs in Lanark- shire abundantly in Wiston parish, also on Kennox Water, Dou- glas, and near Monk's-head, Lesmahagow. It usually lies in both countiies in thick plies, not far above the conglomerate, and imme- diately connected with the lower limestones. This yellow sand- stone in Dumbartonshire extends, perhaps, as far as Netherton Garscube in New Kilpatrick, not in an uniform mass, but, as it were, incidentally. Above these rocks, limestone and coal, shale and small beds of ironstone connected with the lower limestones occur. These metals, which are wrought with so much advantage 240 GENERAL OBSERVATIONS to the proprietors and public, do not exist to any great extent iir this county. With regard to the geology of the two detached pa- rishes of Cumbernauld and Kirkintilloch, as fiill a description as circumstances would permit is given of that part of Dumbarton- shire, under the article Kirkintilloch. These parishes, however, although about five or six miles removed from the body of the county, are connected naturally with it in Ihe geological features of its south-eastern extremity. Both form part of the limestone series, or lower parts of the coal formations. In the middle and lower wards of Lanarkshire, the coals above the limestone form the great mineral wealth of that county ; but none of the same sort of minerals occur in the county of Dumbarton, unless it be at Grars- cube, in the south-east comer of the parish of New Kilpatrick. The limestone coals are wrought below those at Lawmuir and Castlehill, at a depth of about thirty fathoms. The natural con- nection of the parishes of Kirkintilloch and Cumbernauld with the county of Dumbarton are better exhibited by the expansive suite of their mineral products, than by acts of Parliament and parch- ment charters. The great link indicated by nature between these two districts is the calm limestone^ so fully alluded to in the ac- count of the parish of Kirkintilloch, extending from near the House of Cumbernauld, westward through the conterminous coun- ties of Lanark and Stirling, onwards to Old Kilpatrick at Dunto- cher. At this latter place, the property of Mr Dunn, the calm limestone is at present wrought in a pit of about thirty fathoms. Here the coal and limestone are each about 4 feet 9 inches, with but little separation. The coal is of a caking quality, and is first wrought stoop and room, after which the limestone is blasted. The limestone is mostly burned in old clamp or sow kilns, improved as much as possible by air pens, carried up the sides and ends, and stocked with brushwood. Draw-kilns save one-half. The miners are paid about 6s. per heap of five tons. One ton of coal is re- quired to burn thirty-two bushels of lime, equal to about two of lime for one of coal. The Jime is sold at 15s. per chalder of shells. The men employed in filling the kilns are paid per day ; but the burning alone costs about Is. 4d. per chalder. The coals at Gars- cube dip south-east at an angle of about 8°. The chief alterna tions of the strata are slate-clay, sandstone, clay ironstone, and fakes. UnstraiiJUd Rocks. — These are chiefly the trap of Dumbarton Castle and the Kilpatrick Hills, and certain beds of felspar por- ON THE COUNTY OF DUMBARTON. 241 phyry found among the older rocks of mica-slate. There are also dikes of trap and porphyry both in the mica-slate and greywacke. The Kilpatrick braes form the most interesting features in this dis* trict connected with the igneous formations. These beautiful hills range nearly east and west, and form a sort of continuation of the CSampsie Fells, from which they are separated by the straths of the Blane, and the Allander; while on the west they terminate abrupt- ly in the remarkable eminence termed Dumbuck, a sort of mimic of the Dumbarton rock. These hills are more or less connected with the parishes of Old and New Kilpatrick, Dumbarton, Bon« bill, and KilmaronocL They consist chiefly of greenstone, amyg-« daloid, trap-tuff, wacke, and basalt, incumbent on alternate strata of slate-clay and limestone to an unknown depth. Columns of basalt are found at Auchintorlie, also in the Glenarbuck grounds, and near Craigton. There is also in one part of the hills what seems to have been the remains of an extinct volcano. The eastle rock of Dumbarton, like the beautiful and romantic Kil- patrick braes, is composed of various sorts of trap. It forms the southern point of the parish of Dumbarton, and stands on a small jpeninsala at the junction of the Leven and Clyde. Like another remarkable hill, (Parnassus,) this rock has two summits; that to the west being highest, or about 206 feet above the level of the sea. The trap of these formations contains a great many of those aluminous silicious products, which constitute the zeolite family. The principal species are the mesotype of Hauy, and the Preh- nite. Besides these there are other new species, such as Thom- sonite, Hewlandite, &c A rare mineral, named Edingtonite, in honour of Mr Edington of Glasgow, occurs associated with the Thomsonite. The sulphate of barytes has also been found ; but no metal seems to accompany it This district is rich in mineral products. The trap of Dumbartonshire is part of that irregular mass which extends in length from St Andrews to Largs, and from Dunbar to Ayr, and in breadth from Stirling to near Peebles, including the limits of the great coal-field extending from the German to the Atlantic oceans. This trap in Dumbartonshire occurs only among the Umestone which lies at the bottom of the coal-fields. ' The felspar-porphyry in the mica-slate generally runs in dikes or masses parallel to each other. In some instances it effects a slaty structure, and seems to contain crystals of hornblende and pista- JDUHBARTON. Q 242 GENERAL OBSERVATIONS cite, with small portions of cblor ite, aad oecasiooally common gar- net and pyrites. Organic JUmains. — Connected with the limestones and day ironstones there are yarious organic remains; but none except those peculiar to similar formations elsewhere. These are chief* ly spiri&rs, producta^ terebratuLae, paludinse, &c. The sand deposits in the south of the county also oootain Ta- rious beds of petrified shells, particularly at Dalmuir, so fully al- luded to by Mr Thomas Thomson in the Records of General Science. The geology of the eastern and detached portion of the county will be found under the article Kirkintilloch. Meteorology. — As connected with the geology of the district, we may also mention the science of meteorology. The climate of ^ country depends much upon its alpine groups, its vales, and its forests, and the whole are materially influenced by their vicinity to the sea. There can be little doubt but that the broad stripe of coal and lime abounding everywhere, with great masses of iron in beds, balls, or dissen^iqated, which extends from the Atlantic be^ tween Arraq and the mainland, including the Frith of Forth, as far as tho Bass aqd Fifeness, materially influences the climate of this portion of the west of Scotland. It is universally admitted that the winds blow fropa the Atlantic, or frum a westerly direc^ tion, ajt least nine months in the year. This gives a sufficient cause for the direction of the winds, with the course of which the phenomena of rain is also intimately connected. The quantity of rain which falls along the coast from Greenock to Ayr has long been remarked to be much greater than in any corresponding dis- trict in Scotland. But the difference is not so much in the quan- tity of rain that falls, as in the number of days on which it actu- ally rains. It is generally supposed that temperature, and rain, which is the creature of temperature, are intimately connected with those subtile and generally invisible agents, the magnetic or electric fluids. It is to the presence of these in one form or other that we owe the greater part of the phenomena of rain. If clouds then be of magnetic or electric origin, it is very possible they may have some connection with the attractive influences of the im- mense iron deposits which stretdi in a north-easterly direction from Greenock to St Andrews, and from Ayr to Dunbar. The iron in the above deposits no doubt^ attracts the magnetic clouds, and these coming in contact with the high hills on the western coast, there precipitate their contents. The cause of the same ON THE COUXTV OF DUMBARTON. 243 phenomena not happening along the iron-bound coast on the east* arises from the wind more seldom blowing from the east ; but nine months of the year, as has already been stated, the winds are in a westerly direction, which accounts for the greater access of rain on the western coast. Ayriadture. — The north of the county is very narrow and mountainous ; indeed, from Tarbet on Loch Lomond side, to Ar- rochar on Loch Long side, there is only a small isthmus of about two miles long, having great altitudes to the north and south. The shores of Loch Lomond are mostly sandy and flat, and towards the north occasionally rocky. The soil on the mountainous part of the parish is mostly light, and composed of the detrital parts of the mica-«late on which it rests. In the south-east of the pa* rish of Luss, there is some flat land, especially along the lake, from the southern boundary of the above parish to Ross-dhu. Among the hills to the north there are also some beautiful straths, such as Glenfruin. The banks of Loch Long are mostly hill pas- ture, but on the Gareloch, cultivation has extended a considerablo way up the sides of the hills which skirt it. Much arable flat land is also to be found at Ardincaple, and on the barony of Mil- lig. The parishes to the south and south-east of the county con* tain much fertile and valuable land, especially along the Leven, and throughout Kilpatrick Old and New. The soil, generally speaking, near to the streams of fresh water, along the Clyde, the Leven, the Endrick, and such like waters is the best In the north, gravel with sand or gravelly loam mostly prevail ; in the more fertile parts of the district, fine black loam is a prevailing soil The soil and surface of Dumbartonshire may be stated as follows : — English ticres Deep black loam, 6,050 Clay on a subsoil of till, . 30,970 Gravel or gravelly loam, 25,220 Green hill pasture, - 3.750 Mountains and moors, - 99,400 Bog, 720 Islands in Loch Lomond, . 930 ToUl English acres, 167,040 The landed properties in this shire, not large in itself, fre- quently occupy a large surface, while they yield but a small re- turn in produce. The proprietors are few, not exceeding 150, exclusive of feuars and portioners in towns, whose number docs not exceed 400. The rental of the highest heritor is only about 244 GENERAL OBSERVATIONS L. 4500. The farms in some places do not exceed 20. or 30 acres in extent, but in some instances they amount to 600 or 800 acres. The smaller farms are occupied by smaller tenants, mi- serably fed, living upon land over-cropt and miserably cultivated. In the best parts of the county, the cultivation equals the best style of agriculture known in the west of Scotland. In the north, the average rental of arable land is L. 1, 10s. per acre, the ave- rage grazing of an ox or cow L. 2, and of a sheep from 2s. 6d. to ds. A little farther south the price of grazing is somewhat higher; but the rental of cultivated land is much the same. The Highland breed of cattle is grazed on the hilly pastures. The milch cows on the low grounds are mostly of the cross breed between Highland and Ayrshire, and on the low and sheltered land pure Ayrshire. The indigenous horses are of a small size between the cart-horse and the Highland poney, combining the faults and blemishes of both. The prevailing breed of sheep are the south of Scotland black-faced sheep on the hill pasture, and occasionally the Cheviot breed on the low grounds, with some pets of the English breeds. In some places farther south still, the general character of the husbandry is improving, chiefly by inclosing and draining on the modern system. Nearly the whole of the cultivated ground is inclosed by hedges and stone dikes, and waste lands have in some places been reclaimed to a considerable extent. Within these few years a great deal has been done in the freeing of the land from moisture, by the modern improvements in draining. But much yet remains to be done, before the parish be greatly im- proved in this way. In the better cultivated places, the average rental of land is L. 1, 15s. per acre in the higher and wilder parts, and from L. 2 to L. 2, 10s. and L. 3 in the more fertile grounds. On pasture farms, the average rate of grazing a cow or ox is h»^ .. and near towns and villages, L. 5 are taken for a milch cow for the season, and about 8s. for a sheep. The husbandry in the south-east of Dumbartonshire includes a good deal of green cropping, and in the best places with a six years' shift; namely, 1. oat^; 2. potatoes, or a little turnip ; 3. vvheat with rye-grass and clover ; 4. hay ; 5. and 6. pasture. In most instances, however, no regular rotation is observed ; and the practice of taking two white crops in succession is still in too com- mon use. Wages. — The average wages of the best ploughmen is about ON THE COUNTY OF DUMBARTON. 245. L9 per half year, which is at the rate of Is. per day ; the best dairy maids have seldom more than 6d. per day, or L. 4, 10s. per half year. Inferior servants have wages at a lower rate. If meal be reckoned at Is. 6d« per peck, the food of a male servant will cost bis master L. 7 or L. 8 more, so that his whole charge will be about L. 26 per annum ; and, allowing L. 4 more for board and lodging, about L.dO. This is nearly at the rate of a labourer's wages at Is. 8(1. per day upon an average through the whole year. This may appear a small sum, but it is perfectly sufficient for the condition of those who enjoy the pure physical necessaries of life, without any superfluity. Manufactures. — The two great sources of improvement in this as in neighbouring districts are chiefly attributable to two circum- stances: 1. The growth of the trade of Glasgow, Greenock, and Paisley, and the increase of their wealth, industry, and inha- bitants, have supported the prices of corn and cattle for many years past ; and it is to be hoped for the interest of this county, and of Scotland at large, they will not for many years, at least, much diminish. 2. The great and constant employment at present given to the lower classes of our industrious inhabitants, throws ready money into their hands, with which they go to market, and paying down, purchase at the lowest rate. Formerly they took from landlords, farmers, and manufacturing employers, goods and the means of subsistence upon the credit of their future services, which by the good was granted as an act of charity, by the bad as a most usurious and oppressive loan. A great change, however, took place on the introduction of man ufactures on a larger scale than formerly upwards of fifty years ago, when regular fair wages for labour were first introduced. So early as 1728, two public bleachfields were established in this county, one at Dalquharn on *• the Leven, and another at Cawesser on Loch Lomond, at both of which Dutch bleachers were employed. In 1810, there were nine bleachfields for whitening cotton goods. The gross value of the works was about L. 14,000; they employed about 150 men and women, whose wages amounted to near L. 3000 per annum, and consumed about 1800 tons of coals. There was also a field for bleaching linens, which employed 30 persons, and consumed 1100 cart loads of coals per annum. There were then also other bleachfields for printed goods, in all employing 1700 hands, at a yearly amount of wages approaching L. 50,000. The machinery was estimated at L. 140,000; and they con- 246 GENERAL OBSKRVATIONS sumed annually 9600 tons of coals, worth L. 6000. The difference at the present period will be best seen by referring to the accounts of the respective parishes in which they occur. The same may be also stated as to the bottle-works, glass-works, and other public works in the county. Population^ 8fc. This county extends to about 260^ square miles, the valuation in Scots money being L. 33,327, 19s. The popu- lation in the following years was as under : 1801. 1811. 1821. 1831. 20,710 24,189 27,317 33,211 In the first ten years there is an increase of 17 ; second ten 13 ; third ten 22. The population of the twelve parishes at present is as under — Arrocharin 1831, - 560 Cardross, in 1831, - 3566 Cumbernauld in 1831, - 3080 Dumbarton in 1831, . 3623 Kilpatrick New in 1831, - 3000 KilpatrickOidin 1831, . 5879 Kirkintilloch in 1831, - 5888 Lussin 1831, . 1181 Hoseneath in 1831, - 709 Row in 1831, . 2037 Kilmaronock in 1831, - 999 Bonhillin 1831, . 3874 Of its establishment as a shircy its past and present condition^ ffc. — From the chartulary of I^ennox, ands everal other records, it appears that there had been a judge or justice of Levenax in the reigns of William the Lion and Alexander II. In 1271, as ap- pears from Hole's Sutherland, (ch. 1 p. 6,) Walter Stewart, Earl Menteith, the foul betrayer of Wallace, was Sheriff of this county, and constable of its castle. The parishes of Kirkintilloch and Cumbernauld were first detached from the sheriffdom of Stir- ling and annexed to Dumbarton by Malcolm Fleemiqg, father of Sir Malcolm Fleeming, first Earl of Wigton, as appears from the chartulary of Lennox (1, 38.) In the Acts of Parliament pub- lished by authority of Government, Dumbarton is not once men- tioned in the reign of James I. During the reign of his succes- sor James 11. this shire seems to have come into greater notice. In August 1440, " the castell of Dumbertane, with the lands of Cardross, Roseneathe, the pensione of Cadzowe, with the pensione of the Ferme-Mill of Kilpatrick," seem to have been annexed to the Crown. About five years before this, Lord Erskine was in possession of Dumbarton Castle, and agreed to give it up " to the advice of the King and the three estates," upon his being ^^ freely ON TKK COUNTY OF DUMBARTON. 247 entered iDto the Caslell of Kildrummie." On the occasion of the flmrriage of James III. in 1467, James Douglas and William Artbiinon were appointed by the estates to uplift the tax in Dum- bartonshire. At this time the Scots groat of the crown, which passed for Is. Id., was to pass for Is. 2d., and the half groat at 7(1. Item» the ^^ auld Inglisgrote to pass for 4d., and new grote'of Ed- ward for dd." In 1488 (temp. Joannes IV.) many of the western counties were in a very unsettled state, and the strong arm of the law was required to put down ^^ thift, reff, and uther ennormities." For this purpose the Lord of Montgomery is appointed for *^ Dumber- tane, the Leuenax, Bute, and Arran." Lennox and Dumbarton are here mentioned as constituting separate districts. In the same year some attention seems to have been devoted to the trade of Dumbarton, ^* it is statut and ordanit that in all time to come all manner of schippis may come to such free burrowis as Dumber* tane.^ In 1489, and for some years after, the Castle of Dumbar- ton was held by Robert, Lord Lile, and Malho Stewart, ^^ agane our sovreigne lord," also the castles of Cruikston and Duchel, Lennox and Lile were confederated to revenge the &11 of their late sovereign. They were finally routed at Gartalunan, near Tilly Moss on the Forth, after which Dumbarton Castle was besieged for six weeks and surrendered to the king. In 1503, it is statute that the " landis of Buchquhanane, Fyntres, Campsy, Strablane, Buthrane, Drymane and Inchcalesch," should be held as attached to the sheriffdom of Dumbarton, and that their inhabitants should appear at the ^^ fef courts of justice" there. During the reigns of James IV. and V. Dumbarton was the chief naval station in the west. September 2, 1545, at the instance of Henry Lauder, Queen Mary's Lord Advocate, '^ Matthew Earl of Lennox, was sumond for certane poyts of tressoun and lese majestic at the croce of Dumbertane." This was for seizing 30,000 crowns with arms and ammunition sent from France for the use of the queen. Shortly after this period, renewed privileges seem to have been granted to the principal sea-ports in the west. In 1555 it is forbid to carry out of the kingdom " victuallis, talloun, or flesche," except that it "sal be leiful to the inhabitantis ofthe burrowis of Air, Irevin, Glasgow Dumbertane, and uthers at the west seyis (seas) to have bakin bread, browin aill, and aquavite (some spirituous liquor) to the ilis (isles,) to betour (or barter) with uther, merchandise, and this act to be extended to maisters and skipparis of sic veschillis, &c.'' Great 248 GENERAL OBSERVATIONS encouragement seems also at this period to have been given to thef^ herring fisheries in Loch Fine and in the western seas. In the* same year it is stated, that the "hail burrowis of the westcountrioy sic as Irevin, Air, Dumbertane, Glasgow, and uther burrowis has zeirly in all times bygane, resorted to the fishery of Loch Fyne and other lochis in the north ilis for making of herring and uther fishis." To encourage this trade, no exaction was made " except the payment of the fishers." Some of the greedy lawless lairds on Loch Fyne, however, raised a heavy tax or custom on every " last of maid herring," — an impost very properly put down by act of Parliament. Between February 1547 and July 1548, the un- fortunate Queen Mary was in safe keeping in the Castle of Dum- barton, till she was embarked in the French gallies and conveyed to France. She visited the castle again in 1563. During the troubles which followed her dethronement, the castle of Dumbar- ton, 1568, was in the keeping of John Fleeming of Boghall. On the 2d of April 1570 (not 2d May 1571 as stated by Chalmers,)the Castle of Dumbarton was surprized and taken by escalade. The principal aK!tors in this affair were John Cunninghame of Drumquhassil, Matthew Douglas of Mains, Captain Thomas Crawford of Jordan- hill. In the reign of Charles 1. 1641, these seven parishes ** Inch- calleoche, (Buchannan,) Drymen, Balfrone, Fintrie, Kilbirnie, Strablane, and Campsie, as settled by the 73d Act of James VI., and, for a long list of reasons given besides, were annexed to the sheriffdom of Dumbarton. In 1649, the parish of Kilpatrick was divided as at present. The title of the act is " Act in favours of the parish of Dumbartane anent the dividing the parish of Kilpatrick." The county of Dumbarton was particularly involved in Argyle's invasion in 1685. On the 11th June of that year, the Marquis of Athol, with 300 of the king's troops, engaged about 400 of Argyle's men, killed many of them, and put the rest to the rout, which obliged Argyle to make a similar march to Allangreg Castle, where he staid till the 15th of June, when he marched 6000 men to <* Lennox in Dumbartonshire," and thence to Killearn, within four miles of Dumbarton. Here Lord Dumbarton, commander-in- chief of the king's troops, was within three miles of Argyle's army, who, when he saw Dumbarton's army so numerous and well-mar- shalled, at night made fires over all his camp, and, by the light of them, decamped and dispersed all his people to their respective ha- bitations. The subsequent history of the unfortunate Earl is well known. He was taken by a private trooper in the water of Inch- 3 ON THE COUNTY OF DUMBARTON. 249 idiMiDy brought a prisoner to Glasgow, and from thence to Edin- burghy where they made his Lordship come out of his coach at the Water-gate, and, with a halter round his neck, he was led by the. common hangmen, up the Canongate and High Street, and into the Castle ; and on the 1st of June, suffered by being beheaded at the Cross of Edinburgh* The inhabitants of this county made no particular display at the time of the Union ; and its history since may rather be said to be agricultural and commercial than political. General Remarks. — In a commercial point of view, Dumbarton- shire is of considerable importance, on account of various branches of industry, particularly for its bleachfields, cotton-spinning, glass- works, andalso foritsship-building. In its agriculture great improve- ments have of late taken place; the high demand from the Glasgow market having unquestionably operated as an inducement to under- take the improvement of the county lands. For this purpose, both proprietor and tenant have been obliged to enclose and lead manure^ lime especially, which has greatly augmented the demand for day labourers, the consequence of which has been a rise in the price of daily labour, as compared with former times, and also in the wages of country servants. The necessary result of all is a very conside- rable rise in the rent of land. And as the high price of grain, on the one hand, has animated the inhabitants of the country, so, on the other, it has excited the jealousy of those in the city, who conclude that, since high prices are very advantageous to the landed interests, they must be hurtful to trade. This idea, though perhaps an erroneous one, has, however, been attended with some advantages. It was for the purpose of cheapening the price of county produce that county roads were first thought upon ; and to accomplish the same object, the Clyde was deepened, and the Forth and Clyde Canal projected and carried through. It was in con- sequence of such speculations that agriculture itself, and a spirit for improvement of all sorts, began to be spread over this county. Spots, indeed, had been improved by individuals ; whereas now we often see an acre not worth half-a-crown formerly, let for L.3 or L.4 or even L. 6 per annum, for three crops. A few proprietors then improved for their pleasure ; the body of our farmers are now be- ginning to follow their example, and seem to wish they were able to improve for gain. It may here be observed, that debauchery and drunkenness pre- 250 GENERAL OBSERVATIONS vail but little in the county ; and were none allowed to sell beer and spirituous liquors, but such as take out licenses according to law, they would still prevail less than they do. The women, as in all districts, form a considerable class, and, from their industrious habits, many of them, when young and unmarried, are decently ornamented with the little superfluities of dress ; which they hold out probably as a fund at their disposal for the mainte- nance of children, in case any young admirer should choose to fancy them. Were it not, therefore, for the use of ribbands, and such Kttle ornaments now in fashion, a country lad could form no judg- ment of the industry and frugality of the young women of the pa- rish* Some shallow observers and pepper-corn politicians scout at the gaudy dresses of the country maiden, and abuse her for try- ing to *^ mimic a lady." This is a short-sighted policy. I call the buying of such superfluities as ribbands the greatest proof of frugality ; because every unnecessary expense must be cut off be- fore they can purchase an ornament, which, from the wedding day, the husband expunges out of the list of his wife's expenses ; as she had formerly expunged all other superfluities in order to acquire, what now she flnds to be superfluous. This county in its natural phases, and in its social character, is one of the most interesting in Scotland. In those beautiful arms of the sea. Loch Long and the Gare Loch, ■ ■ " The Dolphin sports upon the tide, Displays his beauties and his scaly pride ; His various-coloured arch adorns the flood, IJkc a bright rainbow in a watery cloud.*' Her streams and lakes the most beautiful in this island, " A various rare supply, The bright-eyed perch, with fins of Tyrian dye ; The silver eel in shining volumes rolled, The yellow roach in scales bedropt with gold ; Swept trouts, diversified with crimson stains. And pikes the tyrants of the watery plains.'* To these agreeable features, <( -his proud head the airy mountain hides. .J- 1.1 1 ij J 1 • • « ' Amons the clouds, bis shoulder and his sides A shady mantle clothes.*' Among these woods, " The luscious pine, of humble growth, indeed. But of majestic form its mitred head Uprears.'* The oak and many other trees abound, all contributing, with the beautiful retreats of men, to add beauty and interest to the scene. ON THB COUNTY OF DtlMBABTON. innniaj') 'cls, 13, 32, 60, 80, 92, 152, 206, 218, 226 Douglas of Mains, family of, 42 Douglas water, 96 Dmmry peel and chapel, ruins of, 48 R 254 DUMBARTONSHIRE. Dugalstone loch, 37 Dumbuck, village of, 29 Dumbartonshire, origin of the name, 1, 229 — general observations on, 249 — agriculture, 243 — mountains, 230 — rivers 232-— lakes, 232 — geology, 235 — past and present state, 246 — gene- ral view of its ecclesiastical state, 251 i— fiars' prices for, 252 Dumbarton abbey* ruins of, -6 — castle, 1 — its history, 4 — moor, 213 — parish of, 1 — town of, 5, 11 — glass works, 9, 11 Dumfin fort, remains of, 161 Duncruin hill, 212 Dunglass castle, 16, 22 Dunlop of Keppoch, family of, 86 Duntocber glen, 16 — remains of Roman fort at, 21 — village of, 29 — quoad sacra parish of, 31 Easter house, 119 Ecclesiastical statistics, 12, 30, 60, 79, 92, 127, 152. 166, 204, 217, 226 Ecclesiastical statistics of the county, tabular view of, 251 Education, statistics of, 13, 33, 61, 81, 92, 100, 129, 153, 167, 208, 219, 226 Endrick water, the, 211 Erskine house, 16 Faifley mills, 26— village, 29 Fairs and markets, 14, 166, 210, 219 Falloch wnteTf 96 Faunyside loch, 137 Faslane castle, 73 — chapel, ruins of, 75 Finlass water, 156 Finnart hill, 66 Fish, shower of, at Castlehill, 37 Fisheries, herring, 98, 125 — salmon, 10, 91, 125 Fleming of Cumbernauld, family of, 138 Forth and Clyde canal, the, 138, 203— termination of, 16 Freebaim, Rev. John, 8 Freestone, see Quarries . Froon or Fruin water, the, 70 Galbraith of Gartconnell, fumily of, 42 Gallowhill, the, of Roseneath, 104 Gareloch, the, 67, 70, 110 Garscadden house, 49 Garscube house, 38, 49 Gartshore, family of, 191 Gartiihore mortification for orphans, 209 Geology and mineralogy, 17, 38, 70, 84, 96, 110, 135, 158, 173— of the coun- ty, general outline of 235 Glass works, the Dumbarton, 9, 11 Glassford of Dugalstone, family of, 45 Glenarbuck bouse, 16 Glenfinlas, valley of, 156 Glenfruin, battle of, 74, 156>— valley of, 66 Glorat house, 184 Haco of Norway, his invasion, 160 Hamilton, archbishop, capture and death of, 5 Hardgate mills, 26 — village of, 29 Helensburgh, town of, 79 Heiring fisheries, 98, 125 Husbandry, systems of, 55, 197 — dairy, 25,56 Ichthyology, 112 — see also Zoology Inchlonaig isle, 156 Inchtavanacn, 156 Inns nnd alehouses, and their effects, 14, 35, 62, 82, 101, 131, 168, 210, 219 Inveruglass water, 96 Islands, various, in Lochlomond, 156 Ironstone at Duntocber, 20 — Stron and Barrhill, 179— Westerwood, 136 Keith, Viscount, bequest by, for poor of Cumbernauld, 154 Kelvin water, the, 38, 172 Keppoch house, 87 Kiliter hills, the, 84 Killermont house, 49 Kilmahew house, 87 Kilmardinny house, 49 Kilmaronock, palish of, 21 1 Kilpatrick, New or East, parish of, 36 ministers of, from first settlement, 41 — Old, parish of, 15 — Braes, 16, 36 village of, 15, 29 Kilsyth, site of the battle of, 142 Kirkintilloch, parish of, 168— collieries and iron mines in, 175 — town of. 200 — ^its manufactures, 195, 199 gaa works, 204<— mortality from cholera in, 186 Knockderry, remains of Danish fort at, 116 Law, Rev. Robert, 41 Lennox, family of, 73 Lcnzie, district of, 173 — its geology, 173 — reversed coal basin in, 175 Leven water, 2, 220— navigation of, 11 Libraries and literature, 13, 34, 62, 93: 131, 154, 167. 219, 228 Live-stock, breeds of, 24, 54, 90, 124, 150, 164,223 Limestone, see Quarries Lochlomond, 95, 157, 232— depths of, iu various places, 95, 232— encroach- raents of, on the land, 233 — ishuids in, 156 Lochlong, 66, 70, 95 Lochs, the Bord, 1 73^ Dugalstone, 37 — Fannyside, 137— Gareloch, 67, 70 —Lomond, 95, 156, 232— Long, 67, 70, 95— St Germains, 37— Sloy, 284 Longevity, instances of, 124 Love, John, 7 Luggie water, the, 137, 172 INDEX. 255 Lurg chapd, ruins of, 49 LuMy paiisb of, 155 — village, 165 — water, 156 M'Laurin, Rev. John, 160 Manufiustures, cotton, at Duntocher, &c- 25 — at Kirkintilloch, 199 — various, 29,58 Manufactures of the county, general out- line of, 245 Markets, see Fairs Mechanics* institute, the Leven, 227 Menteith, Sir John, the betrayer of Wal- lace, 4 Meteorological annals and tables ^m 1704, 170 Meteorology, see Climate Milngavie, or Millguy, village of, 50, 59, 64 MUton, village of, 29 Miltonfield, print and bleachfield at, 28 Mineralogy, see Geology Minerals, list of, found in the Kilpatrick braes, 19, 89 Monkland and Kirkintilloch railway, the, 202 Moore, Mrs, bequest by, for poor of Car- dross, 93 Mountains and hills — Ben Vorlich, 94 — Cantpsie, 170— Dalnotter, 16— Dun- cruin, 212— Finnart, 66— Kiliter, 84 Kilpatrick, 16, 36— Mount Misery, 212, of the county, 231 Murroch glen, 2 Nemthor, site of, 36 Netherton, quarries of, 57 Norwegians, invasion of the, 160 Paper mills of Dalmuir, 27 — Kilpatrick, 58 Pauperism, see Poor, Plantations and planting, 53, 90, 184 Poor, management of the, 14, 34, 62, 81, 93, 100, 129, 153, 167, 209. 119 Population returns, 8, 23, 50, 76, 88, 97, 121, 148. 162, 189, 216, 223 Popidation, character of, see Character Printfields, various, on the Leven, 224 Quarries, freestone, 2, 57, 164 — lime- stone, 2, 135 — slate, 1 64-— whinstone, 19 Railviiiys, the Edinburgh and Glasgow, 211 — the Monkland and Kirkintilloch, 202 Rebels, the, at Kirkintilloch in 1745, 186 Rent of land, rates of, 10, 24, 53, 78, 98, 124, 163 Renton, village of, 88, 91, 228 Riots at Kilpatrick in 1797, 41 Rivers and waters — Allander, 38 — Bord, na^Buthhind, 173— Clyde, 15, 234— Dalmuir, 17— Douglas, 96 Endrick, 211— Falloch, 96— Finlass, 156 — Froonor Fruin, 70— Inveruglass, 96— Kelvin, 38, 172— Leven, 2, 11, 220— Luggie, 137, 172— Luss, 156 Roman altar at Nethercroy, 141 — fort at Duntocher, 21, 188 — remains at Cas- tlehill, 47 — at Dumbarton, 4 — at Kilpatrick, 20, 22— wall, the great, 140, 186 — its termination at ClMipel- hill, 20, 47 Roseneath castle, the old, 1 1 7 — the new, 118 — parish of, 102— improvements in, 132 — scenery of, 104 Ross priory, 215 Ross-dhu house, 156, 161 Row, parish of, 65 St David's, quoad sacra parish of, 207 St Germains' loch, 37 St Mackerisog, martyrdom and memori- als of, 161 St Patiick, birth-place of, 15 Salmon fisheries, 10, 90, 125 Savings banks, ^1, 154, 167 Schools, see Education Sbandon castle, ruins of, 75 Shells, bed of fossil, found in the sand- stone, 18 Ship-building, establishments for, at Bowling, 29 Slate quarries, 164 Sloy loch, the gathering-placc of the * Macfarlanes, 234 SmoUet ofBonhill, family of, 86— Sir James, 6 — the novelist, 7 Society, the agricultural, of Luss, 164 Societies, friendly and benefit, 14, 34, 154, 226 Stewart, Rev. Matbcw, birth-place of, 121 Stuart, Rev. Dr, 160 Towe hill, remains ut, 142 Towns and villages-i-Alexandria, 228 Bonhill, 228— Bowling. 29— Bridg- end, 88, 91— Cardross, 88 — Cumber- nauld, 151 — Dalmuir, 29 — Dumbar- ton, 5, 11 — Dumbuck, 29— Dunto- cher, 29— Fuifley, 29— Hardgate, 29 Helensburgh, 79— Kilpatrick, 15, 29 — Kirkintilloch, 200— Luss, 163— Milngavie, 50, 59— Milton, 29— Ren- ton, 88, 91, 228— Yoker, 15, 29 Trees, remarkable, 40— at Bonhill, 220 Tumuli, ancient, at Dasholm, 47 — at Sommer, 222 Wages, rates of, 10, 24, 54, 98, 124, 163 Wallace's leap, tradition relating to, 116 Woods, see Plantations Yoker, village of, 15, 29 Zoology, 2, 40, 71, 96, 111, 137, 183 PRINTED BY JOHN STARK, ALV ASSEMBLY CLOSE, EDlNBURdiii. STIRLING. CONTENTS. AIRTH, ALVA, BALDERNOCK, BALFRON, BOTHKENNAR, BUCHANAN, CAMPSIE, DENNY, DRYMEN, DUNIPACE, FALKIRK, FINTRY, GARGUNNOCK, KILLEARN, KILSYTH, KIPPKN, LARBERT, LOGIE, . ML'IRAVONSIDE, POLMONT, SLAMANAN, STIRLING, ST NINIANS, STRATUBLANE, PAGE 28 175 169 288 201 89 234 115 99 379 1 38 48 60 138 264 340 214 205 191 273 390 303 71 .. flL.t^K^ PARISH OF FALKIRK.* PRESBYTBUY OF LINLITHGOW, SYNOD OF LOTHIAN AND TWEEDDALE. THE REV. WILLIAM BEGG, ) THE REV. THOMAS GORDON, 2rf Cof^regation, [ Ministers. THE REV. JAMES W. TAYLOR, Grangemouth, ) I. — Topography and Natural History. Nanuj Boundaries^ Sfc. — Falkirk appears to have been a town of some note in the eleventh century. The origin and etymology of the name are involved in much obscurity. The town is supposed to have been at one time denominated EccUsbrae^ or the C^iurch on the Brow, as descriptive of its situation. In the Gaelic language it is called Eglais bhrisf or the fallen church, and sometimes Eglais hhreCf signifying the spotted church. The name last mentioned has been translated Fario SacellOf and as such appears in charters of a comparatively recent date, supposed to have arisen from the colour of the stones used in the building, or from the diffe- rent kinds of architecture of which it was composed. Another sup- position is, that the present name is formed of the Latin word ra/- Adr, and the Saxon, kirk, originating in the circumstance, that the church stands on or near the line of the ancient wall of Antoninus. The parish of Falkirk is situated in the eastern division of the county of Stirling, is separated from the Frith of Forth by a small part of the parish of Polmont, and extends about nine miles in lengthi and from two to 6ve in breadth. It is bounded on the east, by the parishes of Polmont and Muiravonside ; on the south, by Muiravonside and Slamannan ; on the west, by Cumbernauld and Denny ; and on the north, by the river Carron, which di- vides it from Dunipace, Larbert, and Bothkennar. The course of the Carron, however, having, many years ago, in several places^ been altered, some parts of this parish are now on the northern side ; and certain small parts of the parishes of Larbert ud Bothkennar are on the southern, or Falkirk side of the river. * Dimim up by John BurnB, Esq. Writer, Falkirk. tnRUNOk A PARISH OF FALKIRK.* PRESBYTBUY OF LINLITHGOW, SYNOD OF LOTHIAN AND TWEEDDALE. THE REV. WILLIAM BEGG, ) THE REV. THOMAS GORDON. 2d Cor^regation, V Ministers. THE REV. JAMES W. TAYLOR, Grangemouth, ) L — Topography and Natural History. Namej Boundaries, Sfc. — Falkirk appears to have been a town of some note in the eleventh century. The origin and etymology of the name are involved in much obscurity. The town is supposed to have been at one time denominated Eccksbrae, or the C^iurch on the Brow, as descriptive of its situation. In the Gaelic language it is called Eglais bhris, or the fallen church, and sometimes Eglais bhrec, signifying the spotted church. The name last mentioned has been translated Fario SacellOf and as such appears in charters of a comparatively recent date, supposed to have arisen from the colour of the stones used in the building, or from the diffe- rent kinds of architecture of which it was composed. Another sup- position is, that the present name is formed of the Latin word ra/- lum, and the Saxon, kirk, originating in the circumstance, that the church stands on or near the line of the ancient wall of Antoninus. The parish of Falkirk is situated in the eastern division of the county of Stirling, is separated from the Frith of Forth by a small part of the parish of Polmont, and extends about nine miles in length, and from two to five in breadth. It is bounded on the east, by the parishes of Polmont and Muiravonside ; on the south, by Muiravonside and Slamannan ; on the west, by Cumbernauld and Denny ; and on the north, by the river Carron, which di- vides it from Dunipace, Larbert, and Bothkennar. The course of the Carron, however, having, many years ago, in several places, been altered, some parts of this parish are now on the northern side ; and certain small parts of the parishes of Larbert and Bothkennar are on the southern, or Falkirk side of the river. STIRLING. * Dravrn up by John Burns, Esq. Writer, Falkirk. A 2 STIRLINGSHIRE. The parish is of an oblong shape, stretching from the north-east to the south-west ; and about four miles to the south, it is indented by parts of Polmont and Cumbernauld on the east and west, in nearly opposite directions. Topographical Appearances. — From the eminence on which the town is situated, northward to the river Carron, forming about a third part of the parish, the ground is perfectly flat, and consists of fertile carse soil in the higrhest state of cultivation. For a con- siderable space southward from the town, the country rises gra- dually to the height of about 600 feet above the level of the sea. Of this district the greater part is arable, and is diversifled by wood of natural growth, and by thriving plantations. Near to the southern boundary, there is an extensive moss, which gives to that part of the parish a dreary aspect. To the east and west of the town the ground is of an undulating shape, and is in general in an improved state. From the heights on the south a view may be obtained, scarcely excelled in Scotland for richness, variety, and extent. In the north-west, and at the distance of thirty miles, are to be seen Benledi and Benvoirlich, raising their lofty heads in wild sublimity. Within a more contracted range, circumscribed by the high grounds above Kilsyth and Denny, and by the Ochils and the Salitxe hills, many interesting objects meet the eye in a landscape studded with stately mansions, and with several towns and villages, while the broad expanse of the Forth intersects, en- livens, and beautifies the scene. When viewed from the north also, the town and wooded rising-grounds behind are picturesque and imposing. Climate^ Sfc, — The climate of the parish, upon the whole, is mild and temperate, although cold easterly winds generally prevail in spring and the beginning of summer. These have been the cause of great injury to vegetation, and render the fruit crop very pre- carious. In some seasons the verdure of the hedge-rows on the sides exposed to the north and east, has been entirely destroyed. Near the centre of the parish, there is more warmth than either to the north or south. At Grangemouth, when the wind blows from the sea, the air is extremely cold, while it is mild in the interior. On the approach of winter and during the early spring months, snow frequently covers the ground in the higher parts, when it is unknown in the lower. The parish is remarkably healthy. There are no diseases peculiar to it, and many of the inhabitants live to a good old age. At one time, fever and FALKIRK. 3 ague were prevalent to a considerable extent, especially in the Carse ; but now, from the superabundant moisture being drained off, and probably from the condition of the population being im« proved, ague is quite unknown. Mineralogy. — Coal is found in the higher districts, in such abundance as not only to be sufficient for home consumption, but quantities are sent by the Union Canal for the supply of the me- tropolis. Ironstone, limestone, and sandstone are found in the same districts with the coal, one stratum of limestone being often found above, and another below a stratum of coal. Veins of ores of silver, copper, lead, and cobalt are said to have been raised at diffe- rent periods, but not in considerable quantities. In some parts of the Carse, borings have been made, not to such a depth as to enable us to speak with certainty respecting the mineral contents ; but as the locality is almost in the centre of the great northern coal basin, there is every i*ea8on to believe that coal may there be found, and oS good quality. Hydrography.'^ h& already stated, the parish is bounded on the north by the Carron. This river, famed in Celtic antiquities, and rendered classic from its connection writh incidents in Scottish history, takes its rise in the central parts of the county. It flows in an easterly direction with a sinuous course for about fourteen miles, and joins the Forth a little below the port of Grangemouth. At full tide, it is navigable for vessels of 200 tons burden, as far as the village of Carronshore, which may be two miles from its embou- chure. Above this it is a transparent stream, and abounds with trout, perch, eels, &c. ; but farther down it has a muddy bed, by which the water is discoloured. ^ It seeks its way to the Forth through a deposit of the richest alluvial matter. A rivulet at Castlecary divides the parish on the west from Cumbernauld, in the county of Dumbarton. Here there is a cas- cade of eighty feet in height, embowered in overhanging woods. A little to the northward, the rivulet joins Bonnywater, separating this parish from Denny and from a part of Dunipace. This stream falls into the Carron, about a mile below the village of Bonnybridge. The Grange-burn divides the parish from Polmont for two miles on the east. It has its rise in the upper part of the parish of Pol- mont, and, running northward, unites with the Carron near Grange- mouth. Formerly its junction was at that*town, but, by a recent alteration, afterwards described, the stream joins the Carron far- ther down. 4 STIKJLINGSHIUE. There are several other small rivulets or bums which 6nd their vray to the Carron. The only one of these worth noticing, is the; Light-water-burn, near to the village of Camelon. This streamlet flows in the centre of what, to all appearance, must at some remote period, have formed the bed of a considerable river. The regular banks on each side, with the different windings, distinctly show this, and in the vicinity the face of the country has every appear- ance of a sea coast. Bays, headlands, and other similar indications may be easily traced. Close by, is the site of the ancient city of Camelon, which tradition represents to have been a sea-port, and where fragments of anchors and ancient boats have been found imbedded in the soil. The sea is now four or five miles distant. There are three small lochs in the upper parts of the parish, but in regard to them nothing remarkable can be stated. II. — Civil History. Historical Events, — Situated on the boundary betwixt the Ro- man possessions on the south, and those of Caledonia on the north, many sanguinary encounters took place in ancient times in this parish. Among these, there was one in the year 415, in which Robert Graham, a commander under King Fergus II., fell, while repelling the Roman forces ; and from this event the Wall of An- toninus, originally formed in a. d. 140, is supposed to have re- ceived the appellation, which it bears to this day, of Graham's Dyke. From the inscription upon a slab of marble found at taking down the old church in 1810, it appears that Graham was buried in the adjoining church-yard. On the north of the town, and near to where the village of Grahams- ton now stands, a battle was fought on 22d July 1298, between the forces of Edward I. of England, and the Scots, led on by the patriotic and undaunted William Wallace. The attack on each side was violent, but, overpowered by superior numbers, the Scots retreated, and, crossing the river Carron, marched northward. In this battle Sir John Graham of DundaflF and Sir John Stewart of Bonkill, commanders in the Scottish army, were slain, and were both interred in the church-yard, where their grave-stones are still to be seen. In the reign of James III. the town was for some time occupied by the army of the discontented Lords, who had risen in rebellion against that monarch. His Majesty intended to have attacked them there. They, however, anticipated his purpose, and met him at FALKIRK. 5 Sauchie-burn, near Stirling, where the conflict took place, which terminated in his defeat and death. While Queen Mary was yet an infant, Henry VIII. cherished the hope of subjugating Scotland by her union in marriage with his soq^ Edward. The ELarl of Arran, then Regent, favoured the scheme ; but Cardinal Beaton and the Earl of Murray were its determined opponents. These personages agreed to have a meet- ing at Falkirk on 4th September 1543 ; and at Callendar House a treaty was signed, which put an end to the proposal. This celebrated but unfortunate ^ovdreign appears to have been on an intimate footing with the iamily of Callendar. On the 1 2th of August 1562*, she dined there with a part of her train on her way to the north ; and on 1st July J 565, she stood godmother to the inbnt Baron of Callendar, son of William, sixth Lord Livmg- stone. She slept at Callendar with the infant Prince James, on the night of the Idth January 1567, and again on the 24th of the same month, when on her way to visit her husband Darnley, then ill of the small-pox at Glasgow ; with whom she returned to Fal- kirk on the 28th, and proceeded to Edinburgh on the following day. Soon after this, Mary was a captive at Lochleven. After her escape from thence, Lord Livingstone was one of those who welcomed her on her arrival at Niddry Castle ; and on the field of Langside, distinguished himself by his gallant conduct at the head of his vassals, composed of inhabitants of Falkirk. He rode with the Queen from that fatal field, and, along with her, was confined in different prisons by Elizabeth. At Bolton they were joined by Lady Livingstone, who, with her husband, were for several years the principal attendants, or rather companions, of the captive Queen. In 1573, they were both released from their sufferings by death, and their remains were conveyed to Falkirk for inter- ment In the nonage of James VI., Scotland was for some time go- verned by the Earl of Morton, a function which, from the unpo- pularity of his measures, he was induced to resign. Having, how- ever, obtained possession of the King's person, and of the Castle of Stirling, his friends came to his assistance, and the Earl pitched his camp at Falkirk. Thither the army of his enemies soon re- sorted. When ready to engage, a truce was agreed to, followed by a treaty, which was published .at the market-crosses of Stirling and Falkirk, on 14th August 1578. The year 1638 was remarkable as the period in which the 6 STIRLINGSHIRE. Solemn League and Covenant was subscribed by persons of all ranks throughout the Lowlands of Scotland. The measure was opposed by Charles L, and the Covenanters had recourse to arms. Voluntary contributions in aid of the cause were collected at the doors of the parish churches. The sum of L.158, 1 Is. 2d. Scots was raised by this parish, and from thence numbers flocked to join the army. Among these were Alexander Livingstone the Laird of Bantaskine, and Mr Thomas Spittal the minister, the former of whom fell in battle. In Falkirk the Covenant was subscribed with much solemnity. A table was placed before the pulpit on which the deed lay, and the elders were stationed at the entrances of the church, who ushered in the intending subscribers.* James, the first Earl of Callendar, was a staunch adherent of King Charles, and became a commander in the army which march- ed to relieve him when a prisoner in the Isle of Wight, being at- tended by a body of his Falkirk retainers. His army having been discomfited, the Earl retired to Holland; but his Falkirk troop valiantly forced their way through the victorious republicans. On their return home, they were summoned before the congregation, at the instance of the kirk-session, and were publicly ** admonish- ed'' for being upon what is called *^ the late unlawful engadge- ment." The session record contains the names of seventy-seven of the persons so dealt with. Among these, the names of Sir William Livingstone of Westquarter, and of other gentlemen ap- pear. The plague which broke out in Scotland in 1645, raged with great violence at Falkirk. It was supposed to have been introduced from Edinburgh. Those infected were confined to their houses tty command of the kirk-session, and were not al- lowed to have any intercourse with their neighbours. These re- strictions continued until the pestilence had disappeared, and their houses, clothes, and furniture been fumigated at the change of the moon, by " smeikers and cleansers," who were brought from Lin- lithgow and Borrowstounness. The session ordered that no per- son without testimonials should enter the bounds of their juris- diction from Leitb or Edinbuigh. The dead were interred in * On this subject there is the following entry in the records of the kirk-session . October 31 st 1648 : ** It is ordained that on Sunday, when the Covenant shall be subscribed, the persons following shall attend the several parts of the kirk, vis :— - To attend the north aisle, "Wastquarter and Patrick Grindlay ; to attend the wast end of the kirk, John Monteath and John Wyse ; to attend the east end, Walter Soott and Patrick Guidlat; to attend the wast loft, Alexander Watt and Hew Hidl; to attend the east loft, Robert Burn and Patrick Guidlat." FALKIRK. 7 Graham's Muir, on the north of ihe town, each grave being cover- ed with a flat stone, and the whole were enclosed with a stone- walL The relics were removed, about fifty years ago, by the then occupier of the field. After the fatal battle of Dunbar, Crom- well marched to the Torwood in this neighbourhood, in pursuit of the army of Charles II. On his way he stormed and took posses- sion of Callendar House, where the King had a garrison. The slaughter was great, and on removal of the old gates by the late proprietor, numbers of human bones were dug out, probably the remains of those who had fallen at the siege. The republican troops were guilty of many excesses, — plundering the houses, and turning the churches into stables for their horses. The church of Falkirk shared the general devastation. ^* September 23d, 1655, Ordains those whose seats were broken down in the kirk in the tyme of the troubles, should com and own thaim, and repair thaim, otherways the session will dispone upon them." This, and similar notices to be found in the parish records, illustrates the manners of the times and the effects of war. Alexander, second Earl of Callendar, was a zealous Covenanter, and a copy of the Solemn League is still preserved in Falkirk, bearing his signature, with that of many others. On two different occasions, the troops of Government took possession of his house ; but, in the last of these, in 1678, a mob from Falkirk put the in- truders to flight. The other branch of the Livingstone family ad- hered to the Royal cause, and members of it were engaged at the battle of Bothwell Bridge, and otherwise against the Covenanters.* The events connected with the chivalrous attempt of Prince Charles Edward to regain the throne of his ancestors, next made this parish conspicuous in history. On 17th January 1746, a battle was fought on the moor about a mile south-west from the town, on ground now traversed by the Union Canal and the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway. The parties were the Highlanders under the Prince, and the Royal forces commanded by General Hawley. Both armies were well matched in point of numbers, each con- sisting of about 8000 men, and the day terminated in the total defeat of the Government troops, with 280 killed and wounded. The irregular nature of the ground and other causes led to the discomfiture of Hawley ; but after the battle of Falkirk, Charles's • Tlie writer has been indebted lor scrcral of the foregoing statements to the p^es o£ the FaUdrk Magazine,— a publication which issued from the local press in 18^7 ; but was discontinued after reaching the seventh number. 8 STIRLINGSHIRE. success terminated. Amongst the slain in the Royal army were Sir Robert Munro of Foulis, Baronet, and his brother Dr Munro, to whose memory a splendid monument was erected near the cen- tre of the church-yard. Many incidents in regard to this eventful day have been handed down. One of these may be mentioned. On the day following^ a son of the chief of Glengarry, who had been engaged in the conflict, was accidentally shot from a window in the principal street of the town. He was carried to his lodg- ings in the near neighbourhood, in a house then possessed by an ancestor of the writer of this article, where he lingered for several days, and, after every attention paid to him, he expired, and was interred in the church-yard.* During the revolutionary excitement which pervaded the lower orders in the year 1820, a skirmish took place on a rising ground four miles westward of the town, which has been called the battle of Bonnymuir. On Wednesday, the 25th of April, a party of armed Radicals, chiefly from Glasgow, were overtaken near to the scene of action by Lieutenant Hodgson of the 10th Hussars, and Lieutenant Davidson of the Stirlingshire Yeomanry Cavalry, with a detachment of their respective corps. On observing this force the Radicals cheered, and advanced to a wall, over which they commenced firing at the military. They were soon, bow- -jfmVf overpowered, and nineteen of them were taken prisoners and lodged in Stirling Castle. In the- encounter Lieutenant Hodgson received a pike wound through the right hand, and a sergeant in the Hussars was severely wounded by a shot in the side and by a pike. Several of the Radicals were also wound- ed, and three horses. In this aflair, five muskets, two pistols, and about one hundred round of ball cartridge were taken by the military. The result showed the hopelessness of any attempt on the part of the Radicals to cope with regular troops, and the dis- turbances of that period speedily subsided. Eminent Characters. — The family of Livingstone has been long distinguished in this quarter. It is supposed to have had its ori- gin about the year 1075, and to be of Hungarian extraction. In course of time, it branched out into the three families of Lin- lithgow, Callendar, and Kilsyth. At the period of the Rebellion * The bouse from which the shot came was scTeral years ago taken down and re- built by the writer of this account. The death of this young officer was occasioned by one of his own men whose gun had missed fire during the engagement ; and while cleaning his piecci the shot went off '* at the expense of a life he would have done much to save." 3 FAI.KIRK. 9 in 17 15, the titles of Linlithgow and Callendar centred in James, fifth Sari of Linlithgow, and fourth Earl of Callendar. He and William, third Viscount Kilsyth, having joined in that rebellion, thOT^ estates were confiscated and their titles forfeited. The Earl escaf>«d to the continent, where he died. Sir Thomas Livingstone of Westquarter and Bedlormie, Bart., is said to be his lineal de- scendaot The estate of Callendar was sold about the year 1720 to the York«Buildings Company, whose affairs having become disordered, it was brought to sale under authority of the Court of Session in 1783^ and was purchased by the late William Forbes, ^•» merchant in London, father of the present proprietor. William Boyd, fourth Earl of Kilmarnock, married I^dy Anne Livingstone, only surviving child of the above-mentioned James ^1 of Linlithgow and Callendar. He connected himself with tue Rebellion of 1745, and having been convicted of high treason, ^&s beheaded at London on 18th August 1746, in the 42d year ^f bis age, and his remains were interred in the Tower. While ^ Estate was the property of the York-Buildings Company, they S^'^ted a lease of it to the Earl and his Countess^ which expired ^^t, the year 1777. ''^oe estate of Kerse, now belonging to the Earl of Zetland^ was formerly the property of the family of Hope."^ In 1688, JJ '•''^^ purchased by Sir Thomas Hope, King's Advocate, from /^."^ AVilliam Livingstone of Kilsyth. By destination it fell to ^ ^^cond son, Sir Thomas Hope, one of the Lords of Session, , ^^ afterwards Lord Justice-General. The estate was purchased f^^'^Jf years ago by Lawrence Dundas, Esq., merchant in Edin- -."'Si), who was created a Baronet in 1762: and, in 1794, his son, ^ Thomas, was advanced to the Peerage under the title of Lord ^das. He died in 1820, and was succeeded by his son, Law- ^'^^^ who, in 1838, had conferred on him the title of Earl of ^*^nd. In consequence of his death in the following year, the ^^t« and honours devolved on his son, Thomas, the present Earl. ' "^^mes Wilson, D. D., minister of the parish, was a native ^ '^iQLnarkshire ; became pastor of a Dissenting chapel at Stock- P^^ in England ; was translated to Mid-Calder in 1793, and to ^^^Virk in 1794 He died in 1829. In 1801, he published a "^^ry of Egypt in three volumes, and, in 1819, Prayers for Fa- O^^W and Individuals. Besides these, he was the author of some soudler publications. He had a numerous family, all of whom 10 STIRLINGSHIRE, predeceased him, excepting one son, the present minister of Irvine who is the author of several works in Theology. Mr William Symington of the Wanlockhead mines, invento of a method of moving wheel-carriages by steam, constructed in 1802, a steam-vessel for the Forth and Clyde Canal, wbici towed two loaded sloops of seventy tons burden each, from Loci No. 20, to Port Dundas, a distance of 19^ miles, in six houn against a head wind. It appeared, however, that the agitation o the water would destroy the canal banks, and the design was laii aside. Mr Symington lived many years in Falkirk, and died ii London a few years ago. The Rev. John Brown Patterson, A. M., was ordained ministe of this parish in 1830. He was a native of Alnwick, in North umberland. He became distinguished as the author of an Essay oi the National Character of the Athenians, which gained the priz of one hundred guineas, offered in 1827 by the Commissioner for visiting the Universities of Scotland. He died in 1835, am his remains lie interred in the porch leading into the churcli where an elegant monument has been erected to his memorj Since his death, memoirs of his life, with a selection from his dis courses, have been published in two volumes ; and, more recentl} a volume of lectures. * Henry Belfrage, D. D., was a native of this parish, being a soi of the Rev. John Belfrage, minister of the Associate Congrega tion in Falkirk. He was ordained colleague and successor to hi father in 1794, and died iu 1835. He published several volume of sermons and other theological works. James Walker, Esq., LL. D., the celebrated engineer, Lon don, was born and educated in Falkirk. His father was a re spectable merchant in the town, and was proprietor and occupie of an extensive farm in the neighbourhood. The Rev. James Burns, A. M. was a native of Falkirk. Whil at college he gained several prizes. He was ordained to the firs charge of the parish of Brechin in 1798, and was the author of th Account of that parish, which appeared in the firstnumber of thi work, — besides other publications. He died on 2d January 1837 Commodore Charles Napier was born at Merchistonhall in thi parish. He is renowned for the part he acted in the late brillian affair of St Jean D' Acre, and for other martial achievements. * He was succeeded as minister of the parisli by the Rev. Alexander Melvi]lc who was ordained on 2*2d January 18d6| and died on 2d December 1839. 4 FALKIRK. 11 Land'Cumeri, — The chief land-owners are, William Forbes of CaHendar ; the Earl of Zetland ; Sir Thomas Livingstone, Bart ; Henry. Stainton, Esq. London ; Carron Company ; The Union Ca- nal Company; Heirs of Joseph Stainton, Esq. ; John R Ralston ofEllrig, John Strachan of Thornton, Yorkshire; John Callan- der of Woodbum ; Alexander Macfarlane of Thornhill ; Robert Russell of Dalnair, Thomas C. Hagart of Bantaskine ; Andrew Speirs of Lochgreen ; Thomas Marshall of Broomhill ; General Straiten of Underwood ; John Baird of Camelon ; Henry Salmon of Bonnyside ; and the Rev. Thomas Sworde, Rector of Thetford. Parochial Registers* — The date of the earliest entry is 4th Ja- nuary 1594. They are voluminous, and have been regularly kept until the present time. i!ha^ecary, the remains of one of these forts is still to be seen. ^ey cover six acres of ground, now forming a grass field, being v^Ited underneath. Part of the foundation of the fort still con- tinues, and many of the square stones of which it was built are ^^ in the enclosure of the field. At Roughcastle, two miles ^ward, another of these forts was placed, but of which no ves- ^%^ can be discovered ; and its situation is only marked by a slight elevation of the ground. About half a mile north-west of the mo- by the Earl of Callendar on his return from the exile into which he had gone with Charles II. Within the wood there is a mausoleum erected by the late Mr Forbes, in which his remains are deposited. It is of a circular form, ornamented with Doric columns. Over the door there is a Greek inscription, which has been translated thus : *' All things we mortals call our own Are mortal too and quickly flown ; But could they all for ever stay, We soon from them must pass away !" Kerse House, the seat of the Earl of Zetland, is pleasantly si- FALKIRR. 13 tuated in the middle of a finely wooded park, and is the chief or- nament of the eastern Carse. The original part of the building is ▼ery ancient, but successive additions have been made to suit the confenience or taste of the possessor. Its present appearance is that of a mansion of the Elizabethan times. Bantaskine House, the residence of T. C. Hagart, Esq., is an elegant and substantial mansion of modem architecture. It stands oo an elevated spot, half a mile south-west of the town, and partakes of the fine prospect which has already been adverted to. The grounds are encircled by luxuriant plantations. Modem Buildings, — The office and dwelling-house for their agent, lately erected by the Commercial Banking Company, in the High Street, is a superb structure, and beautifies the part*of the town where it stands. The meeting-house of the Secession at the east, and the Relief Church at the west end of the town, are large plain buildings, and do not contribute advantageously to the appearance of the place. IIL — Population. The population of this parish in 1755, was 3932 1792, 8020 rlBOl, 8838 1811, 10,395;..,. ,4; 1821, 11,536 1831. 12748 1835, 13,037 The gradual increase may be ascribed to improvements in agri- culture and the extension of trade and manufactures. Id 1881) the number of inhabitants residing in the towns and Tillages of the parish was 10,294 in the country, ..... 2454 12,748 Average of births for the last three years, 252 deaths, . . 255 marriages, . . 110 There is only one nobleman (Earl of Zetland) who has a dwel- ling-house in the parish, but who resides chiefly in England. The number of individuals or families of independent fortune, and not engaged in business, may be seven. The proprietors of land of the yearly value of L.50 and upwards, may be estimated at forty in number. The people are, in general, contented with their si- tuation and circumstances ; and the great proportion are moral and religious, in so far as can be judged from regular attendance at public worship and outward decency of conduct. Poaching in game is practised by some individuals. Smuggling may be said to have entirely ceased. Pawnbroking is carried on to a small extent, although there is none licensed Cor that trade. 14 STIRLINGSHIRE. IV, — Industry. Agriculture. — The number of acres, standard imperial roeasurei cultivated or occasionally in tillage, may be computed at . . . .11 j(a)0 Number of acres never cultivated, and constantly waste or in pasture, . 1900 undivided common, . . . ' , none under plantations, . . . - . 1800 The trees planted or indigenous are, oak, Scotch fir, ash, larch, beech, hazel, and birch. The wood of Callendar is believed to be the remaina of the Caledonian forest, with which a great part of the country was covered at the Roman invasion. Rate of Labour. — Farm labourers have, in summer and winter, 86. and 9s. per week, with victuals. Masons and carpenters, 2s. and 2s. 6d. per day besides victuals. Ploughmen have L. 16 per annum, with bed and board. Breeds of Cattle. — Of these few are reared, supplies being ob- tained from the North and West Highlands. There is nothing peculiar to the husbandry of the upper parts of this parish. Of the method of labour practised in the Carse district, we here insert an account, which has been furnished by an intelligent and scientific farmer, Mr David Hardie, Westkerse, and which may be viewed as applicable to the parses of this county in general. ^< Owing, probably, to the small size of the farms in the dis- trict, which, till within the last fifty years, were much smaller than they now are, improved modes of management were later in being introduced, than into many parts of the country. Since then, how- ever, great changes have been efi'ected ; improved breeds of cattle have been introduced ; agricultural implements have been perfect- ed ; farm-ofiices improved ; and the fields have been levelled and laid off in straight ridges. " Greater facilities have also been afforded by the harbour of Grangemouth for procuring sea-borne manures, which have been largely used. '' The greatest alteration, however, has undoubtedly been effected by draining, — the first agricultural improvement of modern times, and one admirably adapted to the state of the soil. For the latter operation, drain^tiles, of which there is a manufactory in the dis- trict belonging to the Earl of Zetland, are universally used, and nearly all the farms have been either wholly or partially drained with them. The rotation of crops has also become better under- stood, and tbe particular shifts which are best suited to call forth' the energies of the soil, have been ascertained. Indeed, most of FALKIRK. 15 tbe tenantry are bound, in their covenants of lease, to follow a par- ticular system of cropping ; but as it is^ one which experience has proved to be best adapted for the land, it is very rarely departed from, e?en in cases where the tenant is at liberty to do so. It is as follows : First year, fallow ; 2d, wheat ; dd, beans ; 4th, barley ; 5tb, clover and ryegrass ; and 6th, and last of the rotation, oats. According to this system of alternate cropping, it will be seen, that, in order to secure a proportion of each kind of crop, as well as an equal distribution of labour throughout the season, it is necessary that each farm be divided into six equal parts, one of which is al- lotted to each of the above-mentioned crops. It has been objected to, on account of the frequent recurrence of fallowing ; but the ad- hesive nature of the soil, and the circumstance of its being much infested with root-grasses, seem to render this necessary. A crop of beans, indeed, is occasionally taken in place of fallow, in which case the land is manured and ploughed as soon as possible after the last crop of the previous rotation has been removed, and the beans are drilled in the month of February or March following, at the rate of six bushels per Scots acre. The land never admit- ting at that early season of being formed into drills, the drilUma- chine merely follows the plough, depositing the seed in every al- ternate furrow, at the distance of from eighteen to twenty^two inches betwixt the rows. They are usually twice hand-hoed in the early part of the summer, and if the land has been sufficiently manured, and the beans got off in time to allow it to be properly prepared for the wheat, the crop is not unfrequently equal to that which has been preceded by a bare fallow. In consequence, how- ever, of the late season at which beans ripen in this climate, they are seldom harvested in time to allow the land to be so prepared, and a bare fallow is therefore generally preferred. *< In this case, the land receives from four to six ploughings in the course of the summer, and is reduced to a fine tilth by a plentiful use of the harrows and roller. On account of the tendency of the wheat crop to lodge, manure is rarely employed in its culture. Ume is, however, occasionally applied, at the rate of ten to fifteen cart loads of shells per acre, although it is not so largely used, as, from its beneficial effects on the soil, might have been expected. " The seed is universally sown broadcast, and the season generally preferred is from the beginning to the middle of October. Tbe quantity of seed varies from two to three bushels per acre. The varieties in greatest esteem are Hunter's, and white and yellow 16 STIRLINGSHIRE. Essex, although numerous others are in use. As early as possible after the wheat crop has been harvested, the manure which ^ai been collected during summer is applied to the stubble land, foi the following crop of beans, and the process is continued during frosty weather until the whole has been gone over. The quantity laid on varies probably from twenty<^four to forty cart*loads pei acre, and the expanse, exclusive of the carriage, from L. 6 to L.10. If intended to be sown in drills, the same method u pursued which we described above in the case of their being sub* stituted for fallow as a preparation for wheat ; but by far the greatei breadth of them is sown broadcast In the latter case, the ground is not ploughed till the month of February, and the crop is sown if possible about the beginning of March, at the rate of six bushels of beans, with one to two pecks of fitches per acre. The seed is then harrowed in, and the land rolled down, to preserve the mois- ture, as soon as it is sufficiently dry to permit of it. The land ia again ploughed, shortly after the bean crop has beto got off, and allowed to lay in the winter furrow, till the month of March or April following, when it receives two more ploughings, with a vigorous application of harrows and roller, to prepare it for the re- ception of the barley and grasses which are sown at the same time for the succeeding year's crop of hay. From three to four bushels is the ordinary allowance of seed for the former, and from half to 9 bushel of ryegrass seed, with about eight pounds of red clover per acre for the latter. The common two- rowed barley, or, as it is sometimes termed, English barley, from its having been first intro- duced from England, has long ago superseded Scotch bear or bigg, and is the only variety now in use. The land is again ploughed in the winter succeeding the removal of the hay crop, for the last crop of the rotation, viz., oats, which are sown at the rate of six bushels per acre about the end of March. The varie- ties sown are numerous, but that most in favour, and which, from the abundance of its produce, and early season at which it ripens, seems best deserving of it, is the Friesland oat, so called from having been originally introduced into this country from that pro- vince. The same course is again commenced by fallowing, the above being the only crops grown to any extent in the parish. '* It is difficult to ascertain with precision the average amount of produce throughout a district ; but it may be stated generally that forty bushels of wheat ; forty-eight of barley ; thirty "six of beans ; sixty of oats ; and two tons of first crop, with one ton of second FALKIRK. 17 crop hay per Scots acre, are considered as a fair return. Much more is occasionally reaped, but the above quantities will certainly exceed rather than fall below the average. ** Grain rents, now so generally in use, are universal through- out the district. The principle, however, is not carried out to its full extent, wheat being the only article of produce by which the value of the rents is estimated ; in other words, the farms are univers^illy let for a certain number of bushels of wheat per acre. Ten is by much the most usual number, although a few of the farms are held at nine bushels per aci'e. The value of the wheat is, of course, determined by the fiars' prices of the county, and varies, frequently to a very considerable extent, yearly. In order, in some measure, to regulate this — to prevent the rents from rising too high in scarce years, and falling too low after plentiful harvests, it is becoming usual to fix a maximum and mi- nimum price at which the wheat shall be convertible into money, when the fiars' prices exceed or fall below them. Of late L.d, 16s. has in several instances been agreed on as the maximum, and L.2, 10s. per quarter as the minimum price, preventing a ten bushel rent from falling below L.«3, 2s. 6d., or rising above L.4, 7s. 6d. per acre. But as the average of the county fiars for the last seven years, does not quite reach L.2, 10s. per quarter, the former of these sums may be taken as the average rent of the parish." Agricultural Society. — The Agricultural Association of the Eastern District of Stirlingshire was formed here two years ago. The Earl of Dunmore is patron, and Mr Forbes, president Its object is to promote scientific and practical improvements in agri- culture. Two cattle shows are held annually in the immediate neighbourhood of the town, at which premiums are awarded. Horticuliural Society. — There is also a Horticultural Society in Falkirk, under respectable patronage. The members have four exhibitions of fruits and flowers in the course of the summer season. Manufactures. — The Falkirk Iron Works are situated half a mile from the town, on the south of the Forth and Clyde Canal, and connected therewith by a basin. They employ about 500 men and boys in ihe manufacture of every description of small castings and cast-iron articles ; such as pans, pots, kettles, stoves, grates, &c. for home and export sale. Most of the workmen arc employed in moulding these articles, and are paid according to the quantity of work they perform. The industrious and sober STIRLING. . B 18 STIRLINGSHIRE^ . can earn wages sufficient to enable them to live comfortably with- out overworking themselves. Others are employed in making patterns for the moulders, in dressing the articles when moulded, in fitting their various parts together, and finishing them for sale. They are not generally so well paid as the moulders. No branch of these employments is considered more detrimental to health than other trades, and no disease is peculiar to them. The most common complaints are, fever, a disease called blackspit, and other epidemical disorders ; but to these they are subject only in rommon with other workmen in the neighbourhood. Many of them attain an advanced period of life. * Nail Manufactories. — Of these there are two in the village of Camelon, being the chief branch of trade carried on there. It was introduced about fifty years ago by Mr Cadell of Carronpark, who brought persons from England versant in the business, and who, by teaching others, have handed it down until the present time. About 250 men and boys are employed. The men get out nail-rods from the master, and return the produce in nails. The shops and all working tools and utensils are furnished by the employers, who also provide dwelling-houses for the married men and their families. The men work from five to five and a-half days in the week, each day consisting of ten hours. The remu- neration to nailers is as follows : — A man by himself gains from 9s. to 14s. per week; a man and boy under him, 14s. to 16s.; a man with two boys, L.l to L.I, 2s. ; a man with three boys, L. 1, 8s. to L.1, lOs. They, however, find themselves in coals, which may cost each man 6d. per week or thereby. The em- ployment is by no means unhealthy, and the workmen are less subject to disease than those employed in cotton or similar facto- ries. The morals of the nailers have been improved within the last few years. In particular, drunkenness and habits of impro- vidence are greatly on the decrease. In 1 833, the cholera cut off so many of this class of people, that Mr Fairbairn found it necessary to advance L.40 for the purpose of interments, which has been repaid from the earnings of survivors, and a fund to the same amount accumulated to answer future emergencies, -f Collieries. — In the parish, there are three of these in operation, all to the south of the town of Falkirk. At one of them, the min- ing operations and the making of charcoal are carried on to such an * Conimuiiicatioii from G. Hardic, Esq. t CoiiiiDunicaUon from G. Fairbairn, Esq, FALKIRK. 19 extent, a^ to employ 170 persons, who are paid according to the quantity of work they perform. They earn on an average L.1, 5s. per week each. Quarries. — There are seven freestone quarries working at pre- sent on a line near the middle of the parish, as far as Castlecary, fi>r furnishing stones for the railroad and viaducts connected there- with. In these quarries about 160 men are employed. There is also a whinstone quarry opened, for furnishing blocks for the rail- way, in which thirty men are employed. The weekly wages are from 15?. to L.1, Is. Brick and Tile- Works, — There are three of these in the parish. The largest is at liOck No. d» on the south bank of the Forth mnd Clyde Canal. It belongs to the Earl of Zetland, who carries ^n the work under the direction of a manager, and employs about 9 dozen of men. The average weekly wages are 16s. Asteam-^ <€Ogine of six horse power, for grinding clay, was lately erected here, being an improvement in the process of brick-making. The other two brick and tile works are about a mile west from the above, and also adjoin the canal. The one employs fourteen men, and the other ten. Average wages, 14s. per week. Saw-MiUs.—Oi these there are three. One at Castlecary employs sixteen men, another at Bonnyside, fourteen. The weekly wages are from 14s. to 18s. The saws used in both are circular, driven by water, and cut up wood for staves, packing-boxes, lath, roofing, and joisting. Formerly they were corn-mills. The other is upon a large scale, and is situated on the north bank of the canal, betwixt Bainsford and Grangemouth. It is constructed on the principle of Macdowall's patent, and is wrought by three steam- engines of eighteen, twenty, and forty horses' power. The saws used are both upright and circular, and cut for general purposes wood of anv lenorth or diameter. About fifteen men and boys are ge- oerally employed at from 6s. to L.1, 5s. of weekly wages. Wood' Yards. — There are four wood-yards in the parish. Taken together, ten pairs of sawyers are employed, who use the frame-saw for cutting up the wood. They are paid by the foot Pyroligneous Acid Works. — In Grahamston, there are two esta- blishments for distilling wood. In one of them, the distillation is used in making iron-liquor for printfields, and in the other for making vinegar. Coru-Mills.—Oi i\\Qse there are six, four of which are driven 20 STIRLINGSHIRE. by water. The other two go by steam-engines of twenty and tbirty- six horse power. Distilleries. — Of these there are two. One of them at Bonny- muir paysL.150 per week to Government, and employs twelve men. The other at Camelon employs five men. Breweries. — There are four in the parish. Three of them are comparatively upon a small scale. The other makes ales and porter of various degrees of strength. It has a groat home con- sumpt, besides sending large quantities to London and elsewhere. It is situated in the town of Falkirk, and employs twenty men. Tan-warks. — There are four tan-wdrks, which are all situated in the vicinity of the town. Currying, as well as tanning, is per- formed in three of them ; and in one of these the process of taw- ing sheep and lamb skins is carried on. They employ, in whole, forty-two men. Weaving. — Muslin and coarse linen weaving are carried on here to a very small extent. In the town there are only forty persons employed in this trade. The muslin-weavers get all their work from Glasgow. The coarse linen-weavers work only at home- made cloth, that is, cloth made by families in the neighbourhood. Ten years ago, five times the present number were employed. They are decreasing every year, from the miserable wages made at the trade. Nurseries. — There are four in the neighbourhood of the town, which occupy a considerable extent of ground, and supply a large district with forest-trees of all kinds, as also fruit-trees, ornamental shrubs, bushes, &c. They are all kept in excellent order. Ship^Building. — This is carried on to a small extent, near to Lock No. 16. The vessels built are for the canal trade. Twelve men are employed. V. — Parochial Economy. Markei'Town. — Falkirk is the only market-town in the parish^ and is estimated as containing nearly 5000 inhabitants ; but within the bounds of the Parliamentary burgh, the population was ascer- tained in 1836 to be 7445, The town consists of a principal street, extending to three-quarters of a mile, from east to west, forming part of the turnpike road betwixt Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Stirling. The street is rather narrow at the extremities, but it gradually widens in approaching the centre, where it attains a respectable breadth. There are besides, other streets and lanes, some of which branch from, and others run parallel with, the prin- 3 FALKIRK. 21 cipal one. Among these, the Kirk-Wynd strikes off from the main or High Street, and connecting with a range of elegant new houses in the same line, unites the town to the villages of Graham- ston and Bainsford, forming a continuous double line of houses of upwards of a mile in length. Situated on an elevation, with a gentle declivity on each side, and having a small stream or bum at each end, the town is easily kept dry, and has a free circulation of air. Within the last half century^ many of the houses have been Tebuilt, generally in a handsome style. An elegant spire, 140 feet in height, containing a clock and a couple of bells, one of them large and full-toned, is both ornamental and useful. It was built in 1813 on the foundation of an old steople, which had been taken down in 1803, and originally erected in 1697. The shops and the town are lighted with gas, and a good supply of water, is obtained from the high grounds to the south. The bustle of bu- smess is observable to a degree rather beyond that of ordinary country towns. This is the case particularly on market and fair- days, and on occasion of the great cattle trysts which are held on Stenhouse-muir, in the parish of Larbert, three miles to the northward. From its vicinity to these markets, a large proportion of the dealers make Falkirk their head-quarters, and they thus draw to if, periodically, a considerable influx of strangers. With the exception of leather, no goods are to any great extent manufac- tured in the town, it being chiefly supported by an extensive inland trade, and by the iron-works, canals, and collieries in the vicinity. There is a market for butcher-meat to which, for its well known excel- lence, resort is had from all parts of the surrounding country. The grain market is also well attended, and it has now ample accom- modation. The trade of the place is assisted by a branch of the Bank of Scotland (which a few years ago came in place of the Falkirk Bank), also by branches of the Commercial Bank of Scot- land, the National Bank, and the Clydesdale Banking Company. Police^ Sfc. — Falkirk was erected a burgh of barony by King James VI. in a. d. 1600, by a charter in favour of Alexander Lord Livingston. In 1646, it was erected into a burgh of Re- gality by Charles I., and the different trades acquired certain pri- vileges, which were united by commissions or seals of cause from the baron. The rights which these conveyed are now entirely obsolete^ The office of stent-master, still retained by delegates chosen annually by each of the trades, is supposed to have ori- ginated in the powers formerly enjoyed by the burgesses. When 22 STIRLINGSHIRE. the feudal jurisdictions were taken away in 1745, Falkirk again became a burgh of harony, under the government of a bailie ap- pointed by the proprietor of Callendar; but for many years past no person has held that office. For a long period, the only dis- pensers of law in the town, were the Justices of the Peace, who held monthly courts for the recovery of small debts, &c. and the suppression of riots. There was no jail or place of confinement for criminals, and the inconvenience and expense of sending these to Stirling, the county town, was severely felt At length mea- sures were taken for relieving this populous district from the hard- ships under which it had been labouring, and the matter having been represented to Government, a resident sheriff-substitute was appointed, who opened his court in Falkirk in July 1834. This arrangement has been of great advantage to the place, the more especially as, since then, apartments in the town steeple have been fitted up and legalised as a prison ; and it is now only necessary to convey to the county jail, such criminals as may be committed for trial before the Court of Justiciary. By the Reform Act, Falkirk is constituted a Parliamentary burgh. Its boundaries are defined; and, along with Airdrie, Hamil- ton, Lanark, and Linlithgow, returns a representative to Parliament By a subsequent act, the municipal government of the burgh is vested in a provost, three bailies, a treasurer, and seven council- lors ; but, having been called into existence without being provided with the means of defraying*the necessary expenditure, the magis- trates exercise no jurisdiction, nor have they as yet interfered with the town's revenue. This is managed by the stent-masters, who, from use and wont, have exercised the power of levying an annual assessment from the inhabitants, for supplying the town with water, and other public purposes. The feuars are a separate body, who annually choose office-bearers, and who, in consideration of their surrendering about forty years ago certain privileges which they held over the extensive moor or commonty on the south of Falkirk, in order that it might be cultivated, acquired right to some heri- table property, besides the town's customs. Their funds are ap- plied towards objects of local improvement Hitherto this system has been held sufficient for managing the affiiirs of the town. The police of the district is maintained by the county at large, by whom several criminal officers are stationed in the place. Villages. — Beginning at the west end of the parish, the first we notice is Bonnybridge. It is situated on the Glasgow turnpike FALKIRK. 23 road, four miles from Falkirk, and contains about lOOinbabitants, who are employed as artisans and labourers. In the neighbour- hood, there is a small burying-yard. There is a school which has a small endowment, and the teacher is appointed by the kirk-ses« sion of the parish. Camelon is on the same turnpike road, and about a mile west from Falkirk. The population in 1831 was 809, and the inhabit- ants are chiefly engaged in nail-making. It has two schools, one of which was built by subscription, and a Sabbath school supported hj a society. A handsome church has been recently built at the west end of the village, seated for 660 persons.* .The ground for the site, and a liberal donation besides, were given by Mr Forbes of Callendar, and the remainder of the expense was made up by con- tributions under the Church Extension Scheme. Baiosford, a mile north of Falkirk, is now a suburb of that tows, and forms part of the Parliamentary burgh. In 1831, it contained 791 inhabitants, a great proportion of whom are employed at the well-known Carron Iron Works, which are in the neighbourhood, but in the parish of Larbert. A|basin communicating with the Forth and Clyde Canal, accommodates the Carron Company's vessels 10 the Liverpool trade, and a railway connects it with the works. Some of the inhabitants are also engaged at a rope-walk at this place. The village contains one school. By the canal, over which there is a drawbridge, it is disjoined on the south from Grahams- ton, which in 1831 contained 1288 inhabitants. It is also a suburb, and j>art of the burgh of Falkirk. It consists of modern stone- buildings, occupied as dwelling-bouses and shops. The labouring part of the population are chiefly employed at the Carron Works, and at the Falkirk Iron Works in the neighbourhood. From its vicinity to the canal, there is a considerable traffic in timber and grain; and vessels with dried fish from the north resort thither, which command a ready sale. There are four schools ; some of them under female teachers. Laurieston is about a mile and a-half east from Falkirk, on the Edinburgh road. In 1831, it contained 1306 inhabitants, who are employed chiefly in weaving, nail-making, and in agriculture. There are also various artisans, such as stone masons and shoe- makers. This place has been laid out on a regular plan on the sides of the highway, having a square in the centre, with lanes in the same direction on the south and north, and intersected by cross • This church was opened for worship on Sabbath, 28d August 1840. 24 STIRLINGSHIRE. Streets. It was originally called New Mercbiston, having been feued out in 1766, by Francis Lord Napier. It received its pre- sent name in honour of the late Sir Lawrence Dundas, who be- came its feudal superior, and it still holds under his descendant, now Earl of Zetland. There are three schools ; also a church in connection with the Reformed Presbytery, built in 178a The place is elevated, and commands an uncommonly beautiful view of the Carse of Falkirk, and more distant mountain scenery. For the sake of arrangement we classify Grangemojuth among the villages ; but in reality, it merits the denomination of a town, being a sea-port, and the centre of a district lately erected into a quoad sacra parish. Grangemouth * is situated at the junction of the Forth and Clyde Canal with the Carron, a little above the union of that river with the Forth. The town derives its name from the Grange bum, which, winding past the Grange, or home farm of the ancient and now demolished Abbey of Abbotshaugh, formerly emptied itself into the Carron, close by the site of the town. Recent improve- ments, by giving a new direction to the course of the rivulet, have deprived the name of its original significance. A new cut of nearly a mile in extent was opened in 1838, to connect this stream with the Forth in a more easterly direction, and thus to secure its for- mer outlet for the formation of the extensive wet-docks which are now in progress. The town was commenced in 1777 by Sir Lawrence Dundas, in the prospect that its connection with the canal would raise it into consequence as a sea-port. The streets are regular, having been built upon a plan, and the appearance of the place, from the flatness of the surrounding country, the canal, and the frequent sea-dikes, suggests the idea of a Dutch village. The canal is the object of principal importance. When it reaches Grangemouth, it has traversed a distance of twenty-nine miles from Port Dundas. The rise from Grangemouth to Lock 20, which is the summit of the navigation, is 156 feet. The rise is effected by means of locks of 20 feet in width and 74 in length, every one of which has 8 feet of fall. Its width upon the sur- face is about 60 feet, and at the bottom 27. Its depth is 9 feet. The canal terminates at Grangemouth in extensive wood-ponds, in a basin and harbour. It admits vessels of ninety tons burden. The wood-ponds are receptacles for the timber which is im- • The account of Grangemouth has been furnished by the Rev. Mr Taylor. FALKIRK. 25 ported. They are two in number. The largest is bonded^ and forms a square of about three acres. Norway, Prussia, and Ame- rica are the countries with which this branch of trade is maintained. It forms a principal part of the traffic of the place. The basin and harbour afford accommodation to the vessels until they pass through the canal, or discharge their cargoes. The larger class unload here, and the proportion of their goods destined for Glasgow are carried through by means of lighters,—- boats built expressly for canal navigation. There are, besides these, three private wharfs on the banks of the Carron. The want of accommodation at the port has been long com- I>lained of. Proposals and plans of enlargement were made many 'drears ago, when the canal did not yield a fifth of its present re- '^^enue. In 1838, effective measures were adopted. The late ^Barl of Zetland and the Forth and Clyde Canal Committee em- "^loyed Mr Macneill, civil-engineer in London, to take surveys, ^uid to submit a report of improvements. His report has been dopted, and, since April 1838, 200 artificers and labourers have n employed in working it out.^ The report embraces the fol- lowing particulars, 1. the changing of the direction of the Grange lum. 2. The formation of a wet dock on the south-east of the present harbour, 27 feet in depth, and of such dimensions as to contain forty sail of the largest class of steam and merchant ves- sels. The sea lock, to shut the dock, is proposed to be 300 feet long and 70 broad. The formation at Bristol of a lock a few feet larger, deprives this one of the boast of being the largest in the world, and leaves it only the second place. 3. The deepening of the River Carron, so as to allow canal traders drawing nine feet of water to arrive and depart at low tide. 4. An enlargement of the easter timber basin, and a junction betwixt it and the wet dock by means of a canal ten feet deep. Above twenty acres of land have been allotted for these improvements; and, by 1843, they are expected to be in such a state of forwardness as to admit vessels into the wet dock. The facilities afforded to shipping will thus be greatly increased ; and as Grangemouth has every local advantage from its being the east port of Glasgow, and its close communication with the German Ocean, it will possess every accommodation to invite the resort of commerce. The canal does not communicate immediatelv with the Forth, but is connected with it by the river Carron. The course of this river has undergone many changes. At one period it flowed 2C STIRLINGSHIRE. about half a mile east of its present course, giving name to the farm of Carron Flats, and encircling in its windings the Inches, Easter and Wester, More recently, its course was north and west of the town. Its bed in that direction may be distinctly traced. To secure a ready approach to the canal, the river was straightened by means of a cut The alluvial matter, through which the Car- ron flows, has been accumulated in a long progress of years, and invites the labours of enterprise to convert it into fertile fields. It was lately contemplated to reclaim the ground on both sides of the river, and surveys have been taken, extending frum Bo'ness to Higgins Neuck, which hold out the stimulating prospect of 2800 acres of the richest soil. The distance from the quay at Grangemouth to the outmost beacon at the mouth of Carron, is reckoned about a mile and a- half. Vessels entering the canal were formerly conducted up the Carron by pilots. About fifteen persons generally held' license of pilotage from the Trinity House of Leith. The occupation of this class is now, however, superseded by the employment of small steam-boats, which tow the vessels from the water mouthy thus rendering them less dependent upon tide and wind. Two steam- boats are used for this purpose. Grangemouth was made the seat of a custom-house in 1810. It extends over the out-stations of Alloa, Stirling, and Kincardine. Its officers consist of a collector, comptroller, clerk, two landing- waiters, locker, six tide-waiters. The following tabular views of the nature and extent of the trade, convey a more correct idea of it than any description which could be given, of the total number of ships, &c. &c Number of Vessels which passed through the Canal during the year laSO to 1839, inclusive: 1830. 1831. 1832. 1833. 1834. To Port Dundas, From sea to sea. Inter mediate. 1421 184 221 1402 165 222 1210 151 211 1314 182 214 1402 226 239 1826 1789 1472* 1710 1867 1835. 1836. 1810 267 328 1837. 183a 1839. To Port Dundas, From sea to sea, Intermediate. • 1478 239 285 1710 224 348 1705 244 423 2204 276 479 2002 2405 2282 2372 2959 * 1831 being a year of great commercial distress in Glasgow, may account for tlie great decrease in 1832. FALKIRK. 27 Average of first five years, Average of second five years, Average of the ten years. 1732A 2404 2068i^ Number of Vessels and Tons of Grain which entered the Port of Grangemouth during the following years : — Vessels. 1830. 1831. 1832. 1833. 1834. British, Foreign, Vea, Tons. 594 28834 43 8283 V. T. 389 19077 49 10250 V. T. 408 12789 4 617 V. T. 489 162i3 5 761 V. 428 8 436 18£ T. 16756 1187 637 37117 1835. 438 29327 1836. 407 13406 1837. 494 16974 1838. 17943 )9. Britiab, Foreign, V. T. 525 25394 4 457 V. T. 736 40^ 5 713 V. T. 590 30256 22 2762 V. T. 721 88728 13 1012 V. 1021 72 1093 T. 54402 7806 529 25851 741 41277 612 33018 734 39740 62208 Average of first five years, Average of second five years. Average of the ten years, 481 1 vessels, 22953| tons. 742| 404221 612^1^ 31686^ Tons of Pig- Iron brought east by the Canal from Kirkintilloch Bailway during the years 1835. Tons. 5379 1836. Tons. 4248 1837. Tons. 4834 1838. Tons. 9535 1839. Tons. 9295 There are regular traders on the canal from Port Dundas to the principal ports on the east coast of England and Scotland, say to London, including the Carron Company's vessels, 12; Hull, 4 ; Newcastle, 6 ; Leith, 1 i ; Dundee, 8 ; Aberdeen, 5 ; Montrose, 2 ; Arbroath, 3 ; Alloa, 3 ; and to Rotterdam, 3. Their return cargoes consist principally of, porter, flour, yeast, seeds, &c. from London ; oil, iron, and paints, from Hull ; colours, lead, mill-stones, and glass, Newcastle ; grain, ale, &c. Leith ; bag- ging, osnaburgh, and yarn, Dundee; worsted, woollens, and granite, Aberdeen ; grain, Montrose ; pavement and grain, Arbroath ; ale, bottles, and aqua, Alloa ; Geneva, cheese, &c. Rotterdam. The officers of the Canal Company at Grangemouth are, a collector, overseer of works, and harbour-master. Number of Ships, with their Tonnage and Men, including their repeated voyages, that have arrived at the Port of Grange- mouth with Cargoes from Foreign Ports, in the year 1839, dis- tinguishing each kingdom and state, and the general description of goods imported therefrom : 28 STIRLINGSHIRE. Kingdom or State. Russia, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Prussia, Germany, ' . Holland, • Belgium, Canada, New Brunswick, Ships. Tons. Men. General Description of Cargoes. 12 I 25 33 30 16 12 1 7 15 2164 R9 Corn, tallow, flax, hemp, mats, tar, bristles,, and wood goods. 75 5 Manganese ore, pitch, and linseed cake. 2873 165 Wood goods. 2416 160 Com. . 5418 237 Com, flax, timber, and other wood goods. 980 63 Corn. 945 56 Bark, cheese, madder, and Genera. 82 4 Bark. 2859 116 / 4915 191 I '^™^'' ^^^ other wood goods. Total, 152 An Account, as Grangemouth, with Ships. Kingdom or Sute. 22727 108^ above, for Vessels that have sailed from their Cargoes, for the year 1839. Tons. Men« General Description of Cargoes. Russia, 5 Sweden, 1 Norway, . 2 Denmark, . 37 Prussia, . 9 Germany, 19 Holland, . 4 Belgium, • 4 France, . 15 Portugal, 1 luly, . 1 Turkey, I Van Dieman's Land, 1 Canada, 8 New Brunswick, 5 Brazil, ^ 1 749 75 166 2660 1576 1349 38 5 11 180 72 89 388 19 271 1293 162 191 242 433 3088 1886 184 16 78 8 9 12 18 140 80 9 > Coals, glass, and bricks. Pig and wrought iron. Coals, pig-iron, soap, and woollens. Pig and cast iron. Coals, beer, pig and cast iron, and cotton manu&ctures. Pig-iron, linen-yarn, and alum. Coals, pig-iron, glass, and bricks. Glass, woollen and cotton manu&ctures. Coals, bricks, cordage, woollens and, cot- tons. Coals, beer, glass. ! Total, 114 14713 784 An Account of Duties received at the Port of Grangemouth (including the Sub-Port of Alloa) for the years 1837, 1838, and 1839:— 1837, L. 30,267; 1838, L. 25,054; 1839, L. 38,238; average, L.3 1,186. An Account of Registered Vessels belonging to the Port of GrangemoOth (including the out-stations of Alloa, Kincardine, and Stirling) at 31st December 1839: — Number of vessels, 179; tonnage, 25,561. Grangemouth has been, for many years, favourably known for its shipbuilding. The general size of the vessels which are built varies from 90 to 250 tons. In 1839 the first steam-boat built in the port was launched, being a towing vessel for the port of Me- mel. To favour this branch of employment, an excellent graving dock was built by Lord Dundas in 1811. It is capable of taking in FALKIRK. 29 two vessels of 300 tons each, and has a depth of water at spring- tides of fourteen feet. The manufactory of sail and rope is also carried on here, and considerable exports of these commodities made to the colonies. The parish recently attached quoad sacra to the church of Grangemouth contains, exclusive of the ground occupied by the town and harbours, about 1035 acres Scots measure. The policy around Kerse- House comprises about 100 of these, and the remainder is divided into sixteen farms, giving an average of 58 acres to each. The aspect of the parish is that of a per- fect plain, and no part of it exceeds eight feet above the level of the highest tides. With the exception of some plantations around Kerse-House, and a few trees at the farm-steadings, the district is totally destitute of wood, for the growth of which,. from the unkindly nature of the subsoil, it is but indifferently adapted. The soil, to the depth of from 6 to 12 inches, is exceedingly uniform in its character, consisting of a rich and stiff alluvial clay intermixed with a very small proportion of fine white sand. Its quality, however, is considerably affected by the nature of the sub- soil, which consists, to the depth of from l^ to 3 feet, of very hard and retentive ferruginous clay or till, which, when not broken up by the spade, is very slowly pervious to water. This is suc- ceeded at a depth, varying from 1^ to 4 feet, by a layer of a few inches of shells interspersed with sand', underneath which is a bed of blue clay or till, in which the remains of larger marine animals have occasionally been found. The town of Grangemouth is three miles from Falkirk, of which parish it forms a part. The distance made the want of a church and burial-ground to be much felt So far back as 1814, L.750 were subscribed for the purpose of erecting a place of wor- ship. The proposal was ultimately dropped, from a want of sup- port on the part of the parish incumbent, whose church politics were opposed to the erection of chapels of ease. In 1 827 the at- tempt was renewed, but also proved unsuccessful. No stated pro- vision was made for the spiritual instruction of the town, until 1837» In that year, the late Earl of Zetland, from a due regard for the spiritual interest of the district, erected a substantial and commo- dious church. The edifice is of the Norman style of architecture, similar to that of Kerse House, from which it is not far situated. Accommodation is afforded for 700 sitters, the front gallery being reserved by the Noble founder for his family and dependents. No 30 STIRLINGSHinF, free sittings are formally set aside for the poor ; but an application to the kirk-session or local factor is all that is needed to secure scatsior any who are not able otherwise to procure them. Ground to the extent of a Scots acre has been allotted for burial. As no vessel is permitted to pass through the canal on Sabbath, the town generally contains a greater proportion of unemployed sailors on that day than on week days; and, if a portion of the church, as in some other sea-ports, was appropriated for them, it might be the means of preserving them from spending the day in idleness and dissipation, and of inducing them to attend upon religious or- dinances, as they could thus occupy these seats with the confi- dence of right, and might feel an interest in seeing them filled. The average attendance of hearers is betwixt 500 and 600, and the number who joined in communion in November 1839, when the sacrament was dispensed for the first time, was 200. There is a parochial district attached to the church, extending from one mile to one mile and a half, in each direction, and containing a population of about 1430. This district has been chiefly de-> tached from the parish of Falkirk ; a small portion having been taken from the parish of Polmont, which forms the eastern boun« dary. The incumbent holds a bond from the Earl of Zetland, guaranteeing an annual stipend of L.80, to meet which the seat* rents and collections are applied. L.20 of the collections are, by the voluntary arrangement *6f the session and managers, annually distributed for the relief of the poor of the district Here dis- sent has obtained a long and a firm footing. The number of Dissenters fully exceeds that of Churchmen. There are a few adherents to the Episcopalian, Reformed Presbyterian, Scotch Independents, and Baptist persuasions, but the great body of Dis- senters is divided betwixt the Relief and the United Secession. Some of the present householders, who are engaged in the public works, are Roman Catholics. The parish is amply provided with the means of education. In 1827, there was erected by the late Lady Dundas, an elegant building containing a school-room for boys, and another for girls ; an ante-room, which is used as a library, and dwelling-houses to the teachers. It is of the English cottage order, and is surround- ed with extensive play-ground. There are few parish schools su- perior to this, in point of comfort and neatness of appearance. Sa- laries of L. 10 and L. 5 have been secured by the Noble founder to the teachers, and an yearly allowance is made for the education FALKIUK. 31 of poor children. The munificence of the family also enables the teachers to distribute prizes for the encouragement of me- rit. English reading, grammar, Latin, French, writing, arithme- tic, book-keeping, geography, and practical mathematics, are the branches taught in the boy's school. The average number of pu- pils is seventy. The fees vary from 4s. to 6s. per quarter. Eng- lish, reading, knitting and sewing are taught in the female school ; the average attendance at which is 36. Fees from ds. to 5s. Both of these schools undergo examination by the presbytery of the bounds. Besides those two, which are endowed, there are other three at present in the town, at which the ordinary branches of (education are taught One of these is intended chiefly for females. The charges in each are from ds. to 4s. per quarter. The average number of children who enjoy the benefit of education is 206. The general evil of early attendance and early withdrawal from ichool is much felt here. They enter at four and a-half years, and withdraw at ten ; thus entering before they are capable of profit- ing, and leaving when they begin to enjoy the benefit of instruc- tioD. There is a library in the town supported by subscription. A public reading-room has also been in existence for many years. The town is lighted with gas. There are an Auxiliary Bible So- ciety, a Temperance Society, and a Female Missionary Society, bU in active operation. Means of Communication. — There are several post-offices in the parish, a principal one being in Falkirk, and another in Grange- mouth. Camelon, Grahamston, and Laurieston, have each its sub- ofiice. There are two daily posts to and from Edinburgh, Glas- gow, &c. and also daily posts to Stirling, Alloa, and other neigh- bouring towns. Letters are delivered in Falkirk twice a day, and runners are dispatched to the country parts of the parish every morning. The inhabitants enjoy great facilities for travelling. During the summer, passage boats ply on the Union Canal to Edinburgh, to which there are three different opportunities every lawful day, and an equal number of night boats on their way be- twixt Edinburgh and Glasgow. In winter, however, there are only two day boats besides the night ones. To Glasgow by the Forth and Clyde Canal, boate leave Lock Ho. 16, a mile from Falkirk, four times a day. Two coaches pass through the town 32 STIRLINQSHIRE. every day for Edinburgh, two for Glasgow, two for Stirling, one for Alloa, and one for Dunfermline and Kirkaldy. Roads, — There may be about teu miles of turnpike roads in the parish ; besides which, it is intersected in all directions by other public roads maintained from the Statute Labour funds. Bridges. — The parish is connected with Larbert by two bridges over the Carron ; with Denny by one over the water of Bonny ; with Polmont by several bridges, and with Bothkennar by a draw- bridge over the Carron, of thirty feet wide, to allow vessels to pass on the river. There are also bridges over different streamlets, and all are generally in good condition. The line of the Forth and Clyde Canal, in passing through the parish, is crossed by five drawbridges. Several highways are carried over the Union Canal by arches of stone. Fences. — These in the upland parts consist chiefly of thorn hed- ges and stone dikes. In some of the subdivision hedges, oak, elm, and beech trees have been planted. This occurs particularly on the grounds of Mr Forbes of Callendar. In the Carse, ditches prevail in a great degree, which serve not only for the division of fields, but also for the draining off the superabundant moisture. Here also, there are hedgerows of thorn; and the willow tree abounds, attaining a considerable size. Canab. — The Forth and Clyde Canal was begun in 1768, — opened to a certain extent in 1775, and completed in 1790. It commences at Grangemouth, and, passing westward through the whole length of the parish, leaves it half a mile to the west of Cas- tlecary drawbridge, where it enters the parish of Cumbernauld. For the first three miles, it runs through a dead level of carse ground, but the rise then becomes so rapid as to require an ele- vation of twelve locks within the space of little more than a mile. The turnpike road formerly passed under the Canal, about a mile west from Falkirk, but, by a recent alteration of that road, the Canal is now crossed by a drawbridge. The Union Canal, begun in 1818, and finished in 1822, runs through this parish to its termination at Lock 16 of the Forth and Clyde Canal, a distance of three miles. Here it falls 110 feet by means of eleven locks, within the compass of half-a-mile. At the same distance south from Falkirk, it passes through a tun- nel cut out of the solid rock, nearly 1000 yards in length. This canal is used for the conveyance of passengers and of goods, coal, manure, &c. FALKIRK. 33 BaUway. — The line of the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway passes through this parish for about eight miles, entering from Polmont on the east It is to have a branch to the town of Fal* kirk, which is within half-a-nrile ot the main line. The ope- rations commenced in this neighbourhood early in 1839, and with- in the parish they consist of works of considerable magnitude. ^moDg these, may be mentioned a bridge consisting of seven arches, of great height, going at once over the burn at Castlecary and over the turnpike road there, and a viaduct of three arches, one of ^hich, being 130 feet span, crosses the Union Canal near to its western termination. A tunnel also is, at present, in the course of iformation, which, when finished, will extend to 845 yards under ground, will be 26 feet in width, 22 feet in height, and arched ivith brick. It is expected that this great undertaking, understood to cost a million of money, will be finished in 1842. EceUsiagdcal State. — The parish church is advantageously situated for the inhabitants of the town, and none of the villages, with the exception of Bonnybridge and Grangemouth, (which last, as already stated, has been erected into a parish quoad sacra) are . more than a mile and a-half distant. . In some of the country parts of the parish, the population may be still five miles from the church* But for upwards of a century past, considerable parts of it have been annexed quoad sacra to the neighbouring parishes of Slama- nan and Cumbernauld. Ancient documents show that, at one time, Denny, Slamanan, Muiravonside, and Polmont, formed parts of the then existing par- sonage of Falkirk. Of the period when the three first of these parishes were disjoined, no record has been found ; but Polmont was created a distinct parish in 1724. The church of Falkirk was founded by Malcolm Canmore in A. D. 1057. It was rebuilt in 1810. The ancient fabric consisted of four lofty arches, with extended aisles in the form of a cross, the centre forming the area or body of the church, and surmounted by a steeple. The present church contains sittings for 1500 hearers. It is a square building, with windows of a Gothic form, and a circular gallery. The internal arrangements are convenient. The old arches and steeple were allowed to remain, and the former area now serves as a porch for the present church. The greater part of the pews were apportioned amongst the heritors ; and one of them was set apart as free sittings for twelve poor persons. Benefaction, — Some years ago, the sum of L.500 was bequeathed STIRLING. c 34 STIRLINGSHIRE. to the kirk-session for behoof of the poor, by the late William Simpson, Esq. younger of Plean. The interest only of this sum is distributed, in terms of the will of the donor. The manse was rebuilt in 1746, and since then it has under* gone many alterations and repairs, particularly in 1 835, when it ' received a considerable addition. The house and offices are now in good order, and contain ample accommodation for a family. Adjoining is an excellent garden. Being in the town and near to the church, the manse is convenient for the incumbent and the parishioners. The glebe is somewhat less than the legal quantity of four acres, but the difference is made up by a portion of adjacent ground, which is rented by the heritors and possessed by the minister* The stipend being payable in grain, varies in its amount, and may be estimated on an average at L.400. There are no Chapels of Ease, but there are two additional churches, one at Grangemouth and another at Camelon, whereof notice has been already taken. There is also a church in the town, formerly of the Old Light Associate Synod, now connected with the Establishment, to which iio parochial district has been as- yet assigned. There is no Episcopal chapel. At present, while the railway is forming in the neighbourhood, a meeting of Papists is held monthly in the town, where Service is conducted by a priest from Stirling. The audience is chiefly composed of Irish labourers. There are several Dissenting chapels, one of which has already been noticed under the head of Laurieston. In the town, there are two of the United Secession Synod ; one of the Relief, and one of the Baptist persuasion. Of the three former, the ministers are paid from the seat-rents, and their stipends may be estimated at from L.100 to L.200, including the value of their manses. Of the latter, the services are conducted by laymen, and the sittings are free. The Congregational church, a few years ago, became extinct, and their place of meeting is now occupied by the Baptists. The average number of communicants at the Established Church, twice in the year, is from 600 to 700. Divine service there, and also at the Dissenting chapels, is, in general, well attended, which can scarcely fail to be the case in such a numerous population. It is to be lamented, that some in the more respectable walks of life give only a partial attendance, while multitudes in the lowest ranks of society are altogether care* less about the matter. FALKIRK. 35 There is at present no general Society for religious purposes. The Established and the Dissenting churches, however, contribute liberally for these objects, in connection with their own congre- gations, or with the ecclesiastical bodies to which they respectively belong. Education.— There are 25 schools in the parish, exclusive of Grangemouth. They are attended by about 1200 children. Two of these schools are parochial. In the one are taught Latin, Greek, and French. The salary is L.17, with a dwelling- house and garden ; the school fees 78. 6d. and lOs. 6d. per quar- ter. In the other, are taught English, at 3s. 6d. per quarter ; writing and arithmetic, at 4s.; botany, geography, and animal physiology, at 5s. 6d. Salary, L.34. In this department, there is great want of school accommodation; the room being only eighteen feet square for 110 scholars. Some of the other schools have small endowments. At Bonnybridge, the teacher has L.4 per annum, arising from L.100 left by a Mr Scott for that pur- pose, about sixty years ago. He has also a school, dwelling-house, and garden, rent free. At Craigburn, the teacher has L.10 an- nually from Mr Forbes, besides a school and dwelling-house, rent free. At Laurieston, the teacher has a school and dwelling- house, besides L.5, 5s. of yearly salary from the Earl of Zetland. For the common branches of education, the fees are from 2s. 6d. to 4s. per quarter. Where the higher branches, such as geography, navigation, land-surveying, and mensuration are taught, the fees are 7s. 6d. and 10s. 6d. per quarter. One of the schools in Fal- kirk is for poor children exclusively, being usually attended by eighty, who are educated gratis. On Sabbath evenings, the chil- dren assemble for religious instruction. The teacher receives a salary of L.40 per annum, which is made up of an annual evening collection at the parish church ; on which occasion, service is con- ducted by a Churchman and a Dissenter alternately, and any de- 6ciency is supplied by private donations. It has existed since the year 1812, and has been of great benefit to the place. The people, in general, appear to be alive to the advantages of education ; and there are no parts of the parish so distant as to prevent attendance at one or other of the schools. Literature. — There are in the town of Falkirk several public libraries. The principal one, instituted in 1792, contains about 8000 volumes; a circulating library, 1200 volumes; andallelief church librar}', 1000 volumes. A School of Arts commenced in 1827, in which there are weekly lectures during the winter seasov\« 36 STIRLINGSHIRE. In 1839-40, lectures on Natural History were delivered. It has a library of about 600 volumes. There are two public reading- rooms for newspapers. There is at present no periodical work published here, although there are two printing establishments. Charitable Institution, — The only one is an hospital for the maintenance of four aged persons. . It was founded and endowed in 1640, by Lord Livingstone of Almond and Callendar. There belongs to it an acre of ground near the town, which is* let for gardens, &c. Each of the inmates receives from the proprietor of Callendar ten firlots of oatmeal annually, besides a small sum in money. He has the right of filling up vacancies as they occur. There are several private associations for the support of the sick, the infirm, and the aged. There was a savings' bank some years ago, but it does not now exist. Poor and Parochial Funds, — In 1833, the poor's roll contained 160 persons. At present (1840), they amount to 250. All these receive regular supply, according to their circumstances of destitution, from Is. 6d. to I6s. per month. Another class receive ds. and 4s. per week. Besides these, sums to a large annual amount are bestowed in occasional relief. In the winter season, shoes and clothing are given in addition to pecuniary donations. In the course of the year ending June 1839, L.693, 14s. 3d. were expended in these different ways. The fimds requisite for these <^upplies arise from the interest of L.600 lent out by the kirk-ses- sion about fifty years ago, dues of proclamations, mortcloth, col- lections at the door of the parish church, but chiefly from an as- sessment imposed annually by a meeting of the heritors and kirk- session in terms of law. This assessment for many years consisted of L.1 Sterling on every L. 100 Scots of valued rent in the parish, and, along with a voluntary contribution from the inhabitants of the town and villages, amounted to L.200. This, in addition to the other funds, formed an adequate source of supply for the poor and incidental expenses. Of late years, however, the assessment has been rapidly increasing. In 1834-35, it was L.400 ; 1835-36, L.650; 1836-37, L.550; and, in 1837-38, L.950. The average collection at the church door for five years preceding June 1839, is about L.65. These contributions are decreasing to a great extent, in consequence of the enlarged assessments. A committee of heritors meets with the kirk-session monthly, for receiving ap- plications for aid ; and from the numbers who then apply, the re- ception of parochial relief does not appear to them to be degrading. A great defect prevails as to the proper management of the poor. FALKIRK. 37 There is no superintendence of them, nor due investigation made as to their circumstances; and, for a few years back, almost every person applying has received assistance. From this cause, and from the idle and improvident habits of many of the lower classes, pauperism is much on the increase. Prison. — To this we have already adverted. The number of prisoners during last year was about 80, who were in general immured for petty offences. The prison is strictly a place of con- 6nement, having no airing-ground. Its government is vested in the Sheriff, and under him one of his officers acts as jailer, and supplies the prisoners with food, &c. JFatVf • — ^Exclusive of the Falkirk trysts, which, as already stated, are held in a neighbouring parish, there are nine annual fairs in the town of Falkirk. Of these, seven are for buying and selling horses and cattle, and two for hiring servants. The markets and fiurs are held uniformly on Thursdays. LmSf AlehouseSi S^c. — Within the parish, there are 6 inns and 110 other houses of public entertainment. So many houses of this description can scarcely be considered as favourable to the morals of the people. FmeL — This consists of coal, which is procured within the pa- rish. An ordinary cart-load of 15 cwt, delivered in the town, costs, carriage included, 7s. Id. Miscellaneous Observations. Little remains to be added on this head. It will be seen from the foregoing statements, that much external improvement has ta- ken place since the former Statistical Account was written. Hus- bandry has beeti carried to a high pitch of melioration in its tarious departments, and the facilities of internal communication are abundant. When the railroad now in progress shall be finished, these will be greatly enhanced. In order that the moral improvement of the people may keep some equality with merely outward advantages, an additional supply of pastoral superinten- dence would, humanly speaking, be very serviceable. This can only be accomplished, by a subdivision of the town and country parts of the parish into separate districts, each with its church and school. In this way, would the progress of crime and of pauperism be most effectually checked, and the present and future happiness of all classes of the community promoted. Drawn up May 1840, revised March 1841. PARISH OF FINTRY. PRESBYTERY OF DUMBARTON, SYNOD OF GLASGOW AND AYR. THE REV. WILLIAM GRIERSON SMITH, MINISTER-* I. — Topography and Natural History. Boundaries^ §*c. — The parish of Fintry is bounded on the north, by Balfron and Gargunnock; on the east, by St Niniansand Kil- syth ; on the south, by Campsie ; and on the west, by Killearn and Strathblane. It is 17 miles due north from Glasgow ; 16 miles west by south from Stirling ; and 22 miles east by north from Dumbar-p ton. In the county and other maps of this parish, it is made to touch the parish of Strathblane on the south*west, at the Earl's Seat, the highest point of the Killearn range of hills. These maps, how- ever, are in that respect incorrect. The lands of neither of the pro* prietors of the parish, (for there are only two in it,) extend to the top of the Earl's Seat. The lands of Fintry, in that direction, are bounded by asmall stream, the source of the Finglenburn, at the foot of that eminence, upwards of half a mile from the point in question. The name " Fintry," is said to be derived from Gaelic words, sig- nifying " Fair land." The parish extends from east to west about 6 miles, and its breadth from north to south is 5. It contains about 20 square miles. Its figure is irregular. The whole parish may be said to consist of three ranges of hills and two valleys. The southern range may be denominated the continuation of the Camp- sie hills, and the Meikle Binn. The middle range is the conti- nuationiof the Killearn hills, passing through Fintry and joining the Dundaff hills, in the parish of St Ninians. The northern range forms what is properly called the Fintry hills. These con- stitute part of a chain of mountains originating near Stirling, in the east, running in a direct line west by south, and gradually in- creasing in height and magnitude, till it abruptly terminates in a bluff shoulder in Fintry, behind the house of Culcreuch. * Drawn up by the late incumbent, the Rev, James Coltart. FINXnY. 39 Hydrography. — Two rivers of considerable name and import- ance take their rise in this parish. One of them, the Carron, flows into the Frith of Forth at Grangemouth, on the east coast, and the other, the Endrick, after a course of upwards of twenty miles, falls into I^Mshlomond near Balmaha. From this, it will be understood, that Fintry lies on the highest ground in the district of country ■ betwixt the friths of Clyde and Forth. The Carron, famous in Scot- tish history, rises on the hill in this parish due south from the church of Fintry, and washes the skirts of the Campsie hills, forming the boundary, for upwards of two miles, betwixt the parishes of Fintry and Campsie. It then divides the southern valley of Fintry, men- tioned above, on the north side of the Meikle Binn, and, after a qourte of between two and three miles, it leaves the parish of Fin- try, and forms the boundary between Kilsyth and St Ninians, pas- sing Denny, &c. towards the Forth. The Endrick takes its rise on the north range, or on what wo have termed the Fintry hills. It is a very small stream, running east, till it reaches the parish of Gargunnock. It then takes a southerly course, aud, gaining strength by the accession of tributary streams from that parish, it separates it and St Ninians from the parish of Fintry, till it reaches the high road from Fintry to Denny. It then flows due west, through the northern valley of Fintry, or through what may be called Fintry Proper, about four miles, till it becomes the boundary betwixt the parishes of Killearn and Bal- fron, fourteen miles from Lochlomond. The Endrick is a bold and rapid stream till it reaches the vale of Fintry, and wants only wood on its banks in the upper part of the parish, to vie with the most beautiful and sublime of our sc* condary Scottish rivers. It comes down with a deafening noise over its rocky channel ; and, about two miles and a half to the east of the church, it pours its waters over a precipitous rock, 90 feet high, vulgarly denominated the *^ Loup of Fintry." The grand appearance of this waterfall in dry seasons has been much injured by one of those circumstances, which, if they have added to the wealth of the countrv, have not increased its beautv. More than a mile above this fall, a great proportion of the river is carried off to supply a largo reservoir, formed by the pro- prietors of two cotton-miils ereclod on the stream. When the river is much swollen, nothing can exceed the grandeur of the scene. In its usual state there are three breaks in this fall ; but in a flood, it d:ishcs over the rock upwards of thirty yards 40 STIRLINGSHIRE. wide, in one unbroken cataract, and rages with unbridled fury against the immense masses of unattached rock at the bottom, from which it, ^^ rising wets with misty showers," the high banks on either side to a considerable distance. ' About three-fourths of a mile east from the church, the En- drick receives a tributary stream, nearly half its size. This is called the Gonachan Burn. It originates on the north side of that hill -south from the church, which we have said gives rise to the Carron. It separates, nearly through the whole of its course, the lands of His Grace the Duke of Montrose, from those of Mr Speirs of Culcreuch. The river Endrick, originating in thi^ pa- rish, and its course through it being but short, cannot be suppos-» ed to contain a great quantity of water. Yet it is the sole moving power of a considerable weight of machinery in the parish. The Culcreuch cotton factory is driven solely by its waters ; at the same time, it would be by no means sufficient for this purpose, but that a reservoir of considerable depth, covering about thirty acres of land, has been constructed on the high ground, supplied wholly by the Endrick, and calculated to contain water sufficient for the purposes of the mill, for nearly six weeks. Geology and Mineralogy. — The parish of Fintry affords a great variety of minerals, but never in great bodies. Coal in small seams is found in many places : granite occurs in detached fragments : there are also whinstone, freestone, andredstone, (locally called 6re- stone,) jasper, and fine specimens of zeolite. Rocks are numerous, and so disposed, as to contribute not a little to the grandeur of the scenery> These rocks belong to the trap formation, and lie in a po- sition very similar to those of Stirling Castle, Craigforth, and others in that neighbourhood. They exhibit the most sublime appear- ance on the northern or Fintry hills. They surround the western extremity of that range with much boldness, and on the south side, from some cause unknown, a great and rapid disintegration of the rock at its foundation seems to be going on. In the me- mory of persons still alive in the parish, a large portion of this rock began to subside. It is now separated from the hill by a chasm of more than a yard wide, and sunk below its original position up* wards of thirty feet. Masses of rock fall down every season.* At * The mass of sunk rock is, in extent, upwards of 60 yards in length, and from 10 to 15 wide. The shattered and fallen masses are from its extremities. In the cen- trc, it remains solid and entire, as before it began to sink and separate from the hill. The writer of this article can imagine no more natural cause for this phenomenon than the action of water at the foundation of this rock, 'meeting with some soluble FINTRt. 41 the foot of the rock which encircles the western brow of the hilly there is a considerable extent of table-land, affording excellent pasture for sheep and cattle, and on the descent below this, starts out a knoll, commonly known by the name of the Dun or DowHf of a singular appearance. Its front is a perpendicular rods, 50 feet high. The western extremity of this rock is one so- lid mass. Some fine specimens of zeolite have been found among tb^ rocks on the hill. Several attempts have been made to find eoal at its base, but hitherto, we regret to say, without success. Sodoffy^ ^— Game abounds in the parish. In the lower parts of iif in addition to the more common kinds, we have a plentiful supply of pheasants. The roe-deer is not unfirequently to be. se^ bounding through the woods, lind the moors are well stock- ed with grouse or heathfowl. The rocks give shelter to the moun- tain raven, hawks, and most of the smaller birds of prey. Among them also, the fox has long secured a very snug retreat. Polecats and other vermin of a like nature are not uncommon, and the harm- less and beautiful squirrel has long had a residence in our woods. Our streams supply us with no other kinds of fish than the common bum trout, which is much esteemed, and affords excellent sport to the angler. It has been asserted, that salmon have been taken as far up the Endrick as Fintry ; but this wants confirmation, and, indeed, a waterfall on the river seven miles below Fintry, upwards of twelve feet high, seems to falsify all such assertions. It has been lately proved in a court of law, that the Endrick above this fcll is not a salmon river. There is abundance of trout, known by the name of par, (a species only found in salmon rivers,) below this fall ; none above it.* Badgers, wild and martin cats are now extinct, though formerly abundant BUany. — This parish affords a very inviting field for the re- *UbsteDce« thereby undermining it, and occasioning the subsidence. In confirroa* tioo of this, weolMenre numerous copious springs of water issuing out, fitrther down ^icbill. Yet it must be acknowledged, that, if this water was impregnated with foreign substances, it has lost them all by filtration before it reaches the surface, for ^bere can be no springs of water more pure or agreeable. ' The heritor, Mr Speirs, mentions, that, before he went abroad in 1810, the fish ^«Iled •* par" was very numerous in Fintry waters, but that there were then no min- *Unrs : Id 1800 or 1810, a noted fisherman took minnows from below Gartness, and put Mi€in abore the faU : since that time pars have decreased, but there are now shoals of t^ionows. Mr Napier of Ballikinrain last year killed a sea. trout close to the borders ^ th% pttrish ; which proves that the fall at Gartness can be surmounted. There are l^leaty of eek in the waters. Mr Speirs also mentions that, within his recollection, ^reat additions have been made to the birds hereabouts. Kingfishers, redsUrts, cross- beaks, golden-wren, mistletoe- thrush, and starling, though even now not abundant, "Were formerly not at all known. 42. STIRLINGSHIRE. searches of the botaDist. Its mountain ranges furnish almost the- whole family of the ferns, the mosses, the lichens, and the gnapfaa- liums. Most of those plants which court the moist shade flourish in rich luxuriance, in its rocky cliffs and deep ravines. On our moor pastures may be found the Gentiana campestrU^ the Empetrum nU ffruntf and the common juniper. In the woods, we have the Convalla" ria majalis^ and in great abundance the Jsperula odoratd. The Adoxa moschatellina has secured its residence among the shady moist rocks, and in the marshes, the Myrica gale. Hardwood of every description grows well in the lower part of the parish. Larch and spruces thrive in the plantations, though there are none of a very great age, all having been planted, it is believed, by the late Mr Speirs. The rarer and more recently introduced trees thrive well ; for instance, Abies Douglasice^ A. MenzezitB^ Pinus fjariceo. CorsiccBy P. SabincBy P. Deodarusy P> exceka. The first plant- ed in 1834 is 20 feet high. II. — Civil History. Secluded from social intercourse with the inhabitants of the surrounding district ; shut up in a narrow yet pleasant valley, on every side, by hills, which, till within the last fifty years, rendered it almost inaccessible, the inhabitants of Fintry formed a little community by themselves. They were content to follow the oc- cupations of their fathers, regardless of the changes and improve- ments taking place in other parts of the country. Father and son, through many successive generations, occupied the same farms, or inhabited the same cottages ; and, if they did not retrograde in their circumstances and comforts, they were abundantly satisfied. There are instances of families occupying the same farms for several cen- turies. In such a primitive and simple mode of life, there is little worthy of recording. The same mode of farming and grazing, till lately, was universally observed. Yet Fintry is not without its ho- nours. It gives a Baron's title to the principal proprietor of the pa- rish ; and there are still the remains of an old castle, which had evi- dently been a place of great strength, with its fosse and mound. It was the residence of the Grahams of Fintry in other times. It stood on the south side of the Fintry Hill, in full view of Sir John de Gra- ham's Castle, in the parish of St Ninians, with which, no doubt, in less happy times, intercourse was kept up by signal. Sir John de Graham's Castle was burnt down by Edward I. after the battle of Falkirk. Both these castles have long been in ruins; and many of the stones have been removed, for the purposes of building dikes and FINTRY. 43 &rin-houses in the neighbourhood. The dilapidation, of late years, has been so great, that it seems probable, in a short time, nothing will remain, to mark out the place where such monuments of feu- dal pomp and pride stood. Two heritors, we have said, the Duke of Montrose and Mr Speirs of Culcreuch, possess the whole lands in the parish. Mr Speirs is the only residing heritor. Culcreuch House is situate at the west extremity of the Fintry Hill, and embosomed in wood, a great part of which is fine old timber ; notwithstanding its bar- tizans and thick walls, it is commodious, and yields to no other residence in the country, for the venerableness of its appearance, and the "beauty of its situation. The father of the present pro- prietor, the late Peter Speirs, Esq., a gentleman whose memory will long be cherished with much affection, not only by the parish of Fintry, but by all who had the happiness to live under him or near him, added much to the value of the property and the beauty of the place, by extensive plantations, all of which are now in a very thriving condition. Were His Grace to follow so good an example, by plant- ing clumps and belts in the upper part of the parish, its appearance liould not only be greatly improved, but the farms would be great- ly benefited by the shelter for their cattle, which such plantations would afford. The Duke is the principal heritor. Parochial Registers. — Parochial registers belonging to the ses- sion have been kept from a remote date. The oldest is dated 1632. Some of them have fallen into careless hands, and been much injured : some altogether lost. Marriages and baptisms have been registered for upwards of a century. A registry of deaths has been kept, only since 1826. Births registered during the last seven years are 149, average 21^ Marriages, ... 65, 9Sf Deaths, . . . 188, 19i^ In the obituary of the above years, 39 are recorded to have died \mder twenty years of age ; 23 above seventy— of the latter, two Vrere seventy-eight, two eighty, one eighty-two, one eighty-three, three eighty- four, one ninety- one. III. — Population. In 1755, the number of the inhabitants was 891. After this pe- riod, the farms were enlarged, by the union of several small farms. The consequence of this was, that many of the small tenants were ejected, and obliged to seek a subsistence for themselves and fami- lies, elsewhere. Accordingly, in 1791, there is a decrease of popu- lation to the amount of 348. About this time, however, a change of 44 STIRLINGSHIRE. an opposite nature caused a great increase of the population. Mr Speirs erected a large cotton factory, which required many hands ; and, to accommodate this new population, a village was built, which now contains about 650 souls. In consequence of this, the population is now nearly double that of 179 L Populatioa ptr census in 1801, . 956 1811, 1003 1821, , 1002 1831 , . 1051 This population is disposed of as follows : families, 203. Of these, 24 families are employed in agriculture; 131 in trade, manufacture, &c ; 48 families not employed in any of the above ways. IV. — Industry. Agriculture and Rural Economy. — This parish contains about 12,800 imperial acres of land. Of these, about 1000 acres are arable ; considerably upwards of 100 are under wood ; and the rest, bill and moor pasture. Sent of Land. — The arable land low down in the valley, on the banks of the Endrick, lets at L.d per acre. Cows are grazed on such land for L.4 ; on hill pasture for L.2. The rent of th« whole parish is L.d822. The annual value of the real property in Fintry, as assessed in April 1815, was L. 4126. Rate of Wages. — Labourers' wages are Is. 8d. per day ; me- chanics, ds. 6d. ; tailors. Is. 6d. with meat. Farm-servants ge- nerally live in the farmer's house; their wages are from L.IO to L. 20 per annum. Women servants have from L.6 to L. 8 per annum. Husbandry. — Oats and barley are the staple grains, though the produce is far from equal ling the consumption. There may be, at an average, about 840 bolls of oats; barley, somewhat more than a third of that quantity annually. The late Mr Speirs gave his tenants good houses and farm-steadings. The Duke has begun to do so in his barony, in a very superior style. A house and farm-steading, lately erected in the upper part of the parish, cost, it is believed, nearly L.1000. New farm-houses are very much wanted. Grazing. — Stock of sheep and cattle chiefly occupies the at- tention of the farmer. On this, he depends for the payment of his rent. The parish is well calculated for such kind of farm- ing. It possesses very superior pasture, and is conveniently situat- ed for the great cattle and sheep-markets, Falkirk, Balgair, &c FINTRY. 45 There are only twelve farmers in the whole parish, and, with the exception of two, they all possess extensive sheep-farms. The stock of the whole parish consists of 4000 sheep, 900 cattle, and 200 milk cows. The cows are generally of the Ayrshire breed. One farmer keeps 25 cows; another 15; most of them 12» They make excellent butter and common cheese, for which they get a ready sale in the villages or towns in the neighbourhood. They rear a good many calves also. But they depend chiefly for their supply of cattle stock on the markets in the neighbourhood. In ear- ly summers, they purchase, at these markets, what stock they think will be sufficient for their summer's pasture. These, together with their winterers, (cattle laid on, in the end of the season, to consume their sprits and bog-hay, of which, in general, their farms yield a good supply, *) they take to one or other of the Falkirk harvest, trysts; and J if they succeed in securing L. 1, 10s. a piece for their summer's grass, they do not complain. It frequently hap- pens, however, that they do not obtain nearly that sum. The cattle-market has been, for years back, quite a game of chance. Sheep are a more steady and a more sure stock. Our hills raise excellent lambs, for which a ready sale is got from the butchers in Glasgow. The wool, too, of late years, has yielded a high price ; and altogether, from such stocks the farmer has a better prospect of a fiiir remuneration. Open drains are now cut very commonly along the sides of our hills, which have very much improved the sheep pasture, by carrying off the superfluous moisture. Manufactures. — Alhision has been made to a large cotton factory in this parish. It was erected by the late Mr Speirs, upwards of forty-five years ago. It occasioned a very great change in the aspect of the parish. In some respects, it may have been an advantage to the parish. It has perhaps occasioned the improvement of our roads, and it promotes a readier sale for much of our farm produce. But it is much to be feared, it has hitherw to been of no benefit to the proprietors. It is at a great distance from coals. It is eighteen miles from Glasgow; and cotton and yarn are carried, by a very hilly road, from and to it, at a very great • The mott abundant source of meadow hay Is the Carron Bog, an immense track of meadow Iwid on the banks of the river Carron, commencing in Fintry, and thence passiog into Kilsyth and St Ninians. This meadow extends in length fully three iniles, and averages in breadth about 400 yards ; though in some places its breadth is little short of a mile. It contains 358 acres. The hay it produces is excellent, and ■o abundant* that it supplies not only the farms to which it is atuched, but much of it is told to £urmers not so well supplied, at the rate of from T^. 1, ds to L. 2 per •ere. When sold in the prepared state, it brings from 4d. to 6d. per stone, MoordmE to the state of the rye-grass crop. ^^ 46 STIRL!NGSH!RK. expense* It contains upwards of 20,000 spindles, and employs constantly 260 hands. The mill people of Fintry are quiet, so- ber, and industrious. In the village, a distillery w^s erected by Messrs Cowan and Com- pany in 1816, and is now in active ^operation. It distils annually 70,000 gallons of whisky, entirely from malt. This whisky is chief- ly carried to Glasgow, where it commands a ready market, having long maintained a high character. There is, also, a small wool factory in the parish ; but since the wool has risen to so exorbi- tant a price, it has scarcely been in operation. V. — Parochial Economy. For several years, a public coach ran from Kippen, through Pin- try, thrice a week to Glasgow; but, for want of encouragement, it is now withdrawn. There is no post-office in the parish, nor any nearer than Campsie, Balfron, or Kippen, the nearest of which places is distant from Fintry six miles. ' But we have car- triers of various descriptions to Glasgow, every alternate day. Ecclesiastical State, — The church is a very neat, plain building, with a tower on the west end. It was built in 1823, and contains 500 sittings. It is three-quarters of a mile from the village, but quite in the centre of the parish. Indeed, with the exception of eight families, all are within a mile and a half of the church. It is an oblong square, with a gallery in one end, and the pulpit in the other. It is now sufficiently large; but if the population should be increased, it might easily be enlarged. The average number of communicants is about 380. There is no other pub- lic place of worship in the parish. The few Dissenters that are in it, go to one or other of the meeting-houses in Balfron. * The manse is a new building, and promises to be a very conve- nient and good house. The old manse has been converted into offices. It was built in 1732. The glebe contains nine Scotch acres, all now arable, and can be let at L. 3 per acre. The stipend is 44 bolls meal, 5 bolls, 3j pecks barley, and L.24, lOs. money. L.91, 17s. 6d. is drawn from the Exchequer. Education. — There is one parish school. The salary is the maximum, with a dwelling-house, and ground for a garden to the teacher. There is also a Sunday school in the village well at- tended ; and under the superintendence of the minister. A free * There are about thirty Dissenters in the parish, including two Bereans and four Roman Catholics. A few of them belong to the Rcliei', but the greater part to the United Associate S^nod. FINTRY. 47 school has lately been erected in the village for the benefit of the parish, but chiefly for the children of those employed at the cotton-mill. The sum of L. 3000 was mortified for this purpose by the late Mr John Stewart, who carried on a mercantile busi- ness in Fintry for nearly fifty years, and died in 1836. The building is elegant and commodious, and includes a house for the teacher* The school is, at present, attended by about 100 day- scholars, and from 50 to 60 evening scholars. Mr Stewart also left L. 500 to form a fund for a Savings' Bank in Fintry. Literature. — There is a small subscription library in the parish, which was established about nine years ago. The books were read with eagerness, for two or three years after it was opened, but they are now much neglected. The taste for reading has de- creased. Poor and Parochial Funds. — The number of persons receiving parochial aid, is from 9 to 16. The highest allowance that has been given, for years past, is L. 1 per quarter. A cart of coals in addition is given to the most needful, in very severe winters. Some get 15s., some 10s. or less, according to their necessities. There is no regular assessment in the parish ; but for the last ten or twelve years, the heritors have assessed themselves voluntarily in a small sum, varying, according to circumstances, from L. 10 to L. 20. With this exception, the poor are supported wholly by collections at the church, amounting to about L. 30 per annum, the interest of a fund of L.400, and by mortcloth and proclamation dues. The whole expenditure (including session-clerk, precentor's, and belU man's salaries, &c.) amounts to about L.60 per annum. Inns. — There are five licensed public-houses in the parish. Fuel. — Coals are generally carted twelve miles, from Kirkintilloch, by a very hilly road, at the rate, for some time past, of L.1* per ton ; or from Bannockburn or Banknock still farther. There are coals at Campsie, distant only eight milCs ; but the others are pre- ferred. • They are now reduced to about 15s. per ton. Revised March 1841. PARISH OF GARGUNNOCK. PRESBYTERY OF STIRLING, SYNOD OF PERTH AND STIRLING. THE REV. JAMES LAURIE, MINISTER. I. — Topography and Natural History. Name. — The ancient name of the parish is Gargownno ; its modern name, Oargunnock. It is probably derived from the Celtic words Caer-guineachj which signify a sharp or conical for- tress. A fortress of this kind, called the Peel of GarguDoock, was situated near the north-east boundaries of the parish. Extent and Boundaries, — The length of the parish is 6 miles^ and its breadth 4 miles; and it contains about 20 square miles. It is bounded on the east and south by St Ninians ; on tbe'^west, by Fin try, Balfron, and Kippen ; and on the north, by Kincar- dine and Kilmadock. The Lennox hills, which run from Stirling to Dumbarton, extend through the breadth of the parish on the south. The greater part, by far, of the parish lies on the north side of these hills ; and, from their base, the land slopes gradually till it runs into the level plain, or carse ground, which is bounded by the windings of the Forth. The height of the Lennox hills above the level of the sea, is about 1400 feet ; and from their sum- mits, there is one of the most extensive and finest views in ScoU land, comprehending, perhaps, more than 12,000 square miles. Climate. — The temperature of the atmosphere is mild, and the climate wet, but not unhealthy. Hydrography. — There are in the parish a number of perennial springs, flowing from tilly or gravelly subsoils, resting on red and white sandstone rocks, which supply the inhabitants with abun- dance of excellent water. At the Burn of Boquhan, which forms the western boundary of this parish, there are two chalybeate springs, one on each side of the burn, perhaps little inferior to the Dunblane and Airthrey wells, though not so celebrated. The Forth is the only river in this parish. Its average breadth, where it forms the northern boundary of the parish, is 60 feet, and its average depth 12 feet. There are several cascades on the north GAUGUNNOCK. 49 side of the Lennox hills ; one of them attracts particular attention in this neighbourhood ; it is about one mile from the manse, and, in time of heavy rains, it has a grand appearance, and is heard at a considerable distance. Geology, — The rocks of the Lennox hills are composed chiefly of trap or whiostone. In the gently sloping lands, between the hills and the carse, strata of red and white sandstone are found everywhere, under the soil and subsoil. Under the strata of white sandstone, there is abundance of limestone of different depths. It is the opinion of some men of experience, that there is plenty of coal on the estate of Gargunnock ; of which there are several indications, although no steps have been taken to ascertain the fact. There are also some veins of spar near the hills. There is great abun- dance of peat on the level parts of the Lennox hills ; and trees have been dug out of the moss ; which is an evidence that the hills, in ancient times, must have been covered with wood to their very summits. The lands of the parish consist of various kinds of soil, which are denominated moor, dry field, and carse. The moor consists of wet gravelly, and clayey soil; none of it is ploughed except a few acres near the sheep farm of Burnfoot, on the estate of Bo-> quhan. The most part of the moor affords sound healthy pasture for sheep and black-cattle, in the summer months. The term dryfield 18 not descriptive of the nature of the soil, but is used merely to distinguish it from the moor and carse lands. The soil of the dryfield js, in general, sandy and clayey; but some of it is rich loam, where it joins the carse. The average depth of the soil of tbe dryfield is six or seven inches ; it rests on a subsoil of gravel or till, and under this subsoil are found strata of red and white sandstone. The soil of the carse lands consists of three or four feet of mixed clay of excellent quality, which lies on a subsoil of yellow or blue clay ; but the blue clay prevails. And below this blue clay, a bed of sea shells is deposited about ten feet from the surface. This bed of shells, it is said, is found everywhere in the rich and beautiful Strath of Monteath, which is twenty miles long, and in some places betwixt three and four miles broad. In some places along the banks, where the carse joins the dryfield, the ground has the appearance of having been washed at one time by a river, or by the waves of the sea. These facts prove almost to demonstration, that the whole of this picturesque and beautiful strath, has, at a remote period, been covered with the sea ; and after STIRLING. D 50 STIRUNGSHIllK. the sea had receded, as it has evidently done in later times, from this part of the country, a forest, in the lapse of ages, must have grown. All this beautiful part of Scotland, both hill and dale, was covered vrith wood, and formed a part of the ancient Caledonian forest We are informed by the history of the Romans, who conquered this country, and kept possession of it about 500 years, that the Cale- donian forest was cut down by the Roman soldiers in the beginning of the third century. The marks of their hatchets have been seen on many of the large trees, lying beside their immense roots. And on the north side of the Forth, in the parish of Kincardine, where Mr Home Drummond of Blair Drummond, and Colonel Graham of Meiklewood, have cleared away the moss, to the depth of 12 or 15 feet — roots were seen as thick as trees in a forest. Part of a Roman spear was found on Colonel Graham's propeirty, and also some smooth stones, in the shape of gun flints, which are supposed to have been used by the aborigines in flaying cattle. Zoology, — Roe-deer breed in great numbers, in the glen of Bo- quhan, at the western boundary of this parish. They also frequent occasionally the glen of Leckie, which affords an excellent cover for game, and which^the proprietor, Mr Moir, has with flne taste, and at great expense, beautified with winding paths and shrubs on both sides of the wobded banks of the bum. In the woods are seen, squirrels, foxes, polecats or foumarts, badgers, weasels, hedgehogs, hares, and rabbits. And besides the common speoies of small birds, there are pheasants, crows, jackdaws, magpies, woodcocks, wood-pigeons, grouse, partridges, snipes, wild-ducks, herons and hawks. The herons have, for time immemorial, built their nests on a row of Scotch firs, near the mansion-house of Meiklewood; but since the new house was built, they have taken their departure. The hawks build their nests on the almost inac- cessible clifis of Ballochleam, These are the falcon hawks ; and gentlemen in several parts of England have sent repeatedly to take their young, for the purpose of taming them for hunting. The cattle which are reared in the parish, are generally of the Ayrshire breed. Black-faced sheep are bred ; because it is the opinion of the farmers, that this kind agrees best with the soiL Some very strong, handsome, and valuable horses of the Clydes- dale breed, are reared. Hogs, both of a small and large kind, are bred* The river Forth abounds with perch, pike, and eels; but trout and salmon are not so plentiful, since moss began to be cast into GARGUNNOCK. 51 the rirer. The time when the salmon go up to the higher streams to spawn, is in the end of October and the beginning of Novem- ber ; and they return about the beginning of January. There is abundance of fine trout in the burns of Boquhan, Leckie, and Gai^unnock ; and likewise in the burns which form the bound- aries of this parish, on the south side of the Lennox hills. II. — Civil History. We are informed by tradition, that, in the year 1746, Prince Charles the Pretender passed the Forth at the ford of Frew, breakfasted at Boquhan, and slept at Leckie. iMnd-aumers. — The chief land-owners are, Charles Alex- ander Moir, Esq. of Leckie, who is the first heritor of the pa- rish. The barony of Leckie extends through the length of the parish, from the south side of the Lennox hills to the river Forth. It therefore contains moor, dry-field, and carse lands. The next heritor, in point of valuation, is Henry Fletcher Camp- bell, Esq. of Boquhan. The barony of Boquhan runs parallel with the barony of Leckie on the west, and has the same kind of soils. The third heritor is John Stirling, Esq. of Gargunnbck, who 18 a minor. The barony of Gargunnock runs parallel with tbe barony of Leckie on the east. The fourth heritor is David Orabam, Esq. of Meiklewood. The fifth is Henry Seton Stewart, Esq. of Touch. The sixth is Mr Young of Easter Culmore. And the seventh is, Mr Kerr of Mosshead. Parochial Reffisters. — The earliest entry in the parish registers 18 dated 1615. The registers are voluminous ; and, upon the whole, ihey have been regularly kept ; but, owing to accident or careless- ness, the registers of the last forty years of the seventeenth cen- tury have been lost. Since that time, many marriages, births, bap- tisms, and burials have been omitted to be recorded : and in con- sequence, several valuable legacies have been lost to the nearest heir. Antiquities, — The Keir-hill was a fortified place, in the end of the thirteenth century. It is considerably elevated, and is of an oval figure, and has been surrounded by a rampart; it is near the confluence of two rivulets which unite at the east end of the rillage ; and there must have been a ditch to the south. The circumference of the summit is about 140 yards. At the summer sacrament, the tent is placed at the bottom of the Keir-hill, and the people sit on its gently sloping side, and form an interesting sight The Peel of Gargunnock has been a much ^ 52 STIRLINGSHIRE. larger fortification than the Keir-hill. It was situated on a rising ground about fifty yards from the Forth, where that river takes a direction to the north, and about fifty or sixty yards east from the mouth of the bum of Gargunnock. It was surrounded by a ram- part and a ditch. Part of the ditch is still visible on the south, where it communicates with the burn. There is not a vestige of the Peel now remaining : the plough passes over the place where it once stood ; and the site must be pointed out to the inquiring stranger. The use of the Peel is supposed to have been for the protection of a ford, formed in the Forth by the influx of the bum. There was also a small fortress about three miles up the river, for the defence of the Ford of Frew. There is an account of the Peel of Gargunnock, in the history of Sir William Wallace. This patriotic and brave man and his followers were in possession of the Keir-hill, from whence they sallied forth, and attacked and put to flight the English who were stationed in the Peel. Wallace and his men crossed the Forth, on their way to the moss of Kincardine, by the bridge of Offers, part of the mins of which is still to be seen, about half a mile above the Peel. Between the old bridge of Offers and the Peel, and very near the new line of the Dumbar- ton road, a substantial and handsome suspension-bridge was erected nine years ago, by Colonel Graham of Meiklewood. He also made and repaired, at his own expense, a new line of road from the bridge, to the great road from Stirling to Callendar, a distance of two miles. A communication has thus been opened up, through this rich and beautiful strath of country. The public are much indebted to Colonel Graham, who, in this undertaking, has dis- played a well-informed mind, and a most liberal and public spirit. At Ballochleam, near the west end of this parish, a battle was fought between the Grahams and the Leckies, the date of which is not recorded. The late learned and accomplished Lieutenant- General Fletcher Campbell of Boquhan alludes to this battle in a curious manuscript left by him. " The ballad," says he, " that celebrated the battle of Ballochleam, was still sung by' a lady of our days. The Leckies must have been of considerable numbers at that time, if they could cope with the Grahams. Ballochleam signifies the hollow of the leap. In the hollow of one of those fields, searching for limestone, an old tenant found some pieces of brass armour, with the points of spears, and a great quantity of diffierent kinds of bones. He said he intended to go on, but a thought came that he might raise the plague." There was also a tower belong- 3 GARGUNNOCK* 53 ing to the Grahams, who were Barons of Boquhan. The ruins of this aDcient tower were dug up, about eighty years ago, in the field of Old Hall ; and at that time, some aged men remembered the old iron door and grated windows. The glen of Boquhan is so grand and romantic, with wild and beautiful scenery, that it is sometimes called Trosachs. About a mile above the glen, the burn which descends from Ballochleam has washed out, in the soft freestone rocks, some very curious shapes, resembling wells and caldrons. Manrion^houses, — Mr Moir of Leckie has lately built a very elegant, commodious, and beautiful house, after the plan of the ancient English baronial mansion-houses. It stands on a higher situation than the old mansion-house of Leckie, and has a com- aianding view of the picturesque and beautiful strath of Monteath. And when the approach and pleasure grounds are finished, it will be one of the finest gentleman's seats in the country. Colonel Graham has built a very beautiful house at Meiklewood, near the site of the old mansion-house, and it is a prominent object among the fine old trees which surround it. III. — Population. The population in 1795 was 956 1793, 830 1833, 908 The decrease is partly owing to the enlargement of farms, two or three.having been put into one ; and partly owing to emigra- tion to other parishes. The number of the population in the vil- lage is 466 ; and in the country part of the parish it is 442. 'Hie yearly average of births for tlie lait seven years is, 24 deaths, - - - 9 marriages, - • 12 The number of persons under 15 years of age, - 305 between ]5 and 30, - 279 30 and 50, - 207 50 and 70, - 97 uDwards of 70, - 20 Hie number of bachelors and widowers upwards of 50 years of age, 16 unmarried women upwards of 45, - - 47 The average number of children in each family is about 3^. The number of male servants below twenty, is 46 ; and above twenty, 50; and the number of female servants below twenty, 18 48; and above twenty, 51. Mr Moir of Leckie, Mr Campbell of Boquhan, and Colonel Graham of Meiklewood, are resident heritors. Gargunnock House ii at present occupied by Mrs Stirling of Gargunnock, and her family. The number of proprietors of land of the yearly value o{ L.50 and upwards is 7. 54 STIRLINGSHIBE. IV. — Industry. Agriculture. — The number of cultivated acres in the parish, imperial measure, is 5332 ; the number of acres which have never been culti^ted, and which are in pasture, is 3762 ; the number of acres under wood, both natural and planted, is 574. The different kinds of trees which are planted, and which have been already mentioped under the head of Natural History, are, oak, asb^ Scotch and silver fir, larch, plane, elm, willow, and birch. The indigenous or natural wood consists chiefly of oak, ash, birch, and willow. The woods are under good management, and are regular* ly thinned, pruned, and felled, at the proper periods. Rent of Land* — The average rent of dry field is from L. I, 5s« to L.2 per acre ; and of carse land from L.2, 5s. to L.3 per acre. 'Mr Moir of Leckie has lately let some capital farms at L. 3, Ss» per acre. The average rent of grazing in the high lands, is at the rate of 15s^ to L. 1, 5s, per ox or cow, and in the lowlands at the rate of L^ 3 ; and at the rate of 6^ per ewe or full-grown she^ pastured for a year* Wages. — The rate of labour^ winter and summer, for different kinds of farm- work, is jfirom 9s. to lOs. per week. The rate of wages for male farm-servants is from L. 12 to L. 18; and for fe- male-servants, from L.5 to L.7 per annum. Masons' and carpen- ters' wages are 14s. per week. Live-Stock. — Particular attention has been paid to the improve- ment of the breed of black-faced sheep, and of cattle of the Ayr- shire kind. With respect to the rotation of crops, it is as follows, viz. dry- field, three years pasture; if limed upon the sward, two crops of oats, but if not limed, one crop of oats; next, green crop of potatoes or turnips ; then barley ; and after that hay. The rota- tion of crops on the carse-land is, Ist^ summer fallow ; 2dy wheat ; Se/, beans ; 4M, barley ; 5/A, hay ; 6M, oats. In some farms where the soil is dry, the tenant pastures two years. WedgC'Draining. — The wedge drain is three feet deep, twelve inches broad at the top, and two inches broad at the bottom. Three kinds of spades and a cleaner are used in digging it ; Is*, a common spade ; 2irbich makes a furrow sixteen inches deep to the very top of the ^tones* Farms are let on leases of nineteen years, which is consi- dered advantageous to the tenants. The farm onsteads are, in general, substantially built and commodious, and suited to the size ^:^f the farms. The dryfield and carse lands are conveniently en- ^csed with flourishing hedges, which are regularly pruned, and ^ept in good repair. There are whinstone, and red and white freestone quarries in the parish. The former are blasted with ^npowder, and the latter with plug, and feather, and wedges, l^otatoes, turnips, and sometimes cabbages are cultivated with great success, being fine in quality, and abundant in quantity. There is not much meadow-hay in the parish. The most of it is rye-grass sown with clover. The late General F. Campbell of Boquhan instituted the Far- 56 STIRLINGSHIRE. mers' Club in this parish, in the year 1796; and in 1807 he en- riched it by his bequest of L.500 Steriing. Eleven parishes are entitled to the benefit of it, viz. Gargunnock, Stiriing, St Ninians, Kippen, Fintry, Balfron, Killearn, Drymen, Port, Kincardine, and Kilmadock. V. — Parochial Economy. Market'Town. — The nearest market-town is Stirling, which is about six miles distant from the church and village. Village. — There is only one village in the parish, very near the church, and situated on the eastern declivity of a small hill. The view from the top of the village, near the schoolmaster's house, is one of the richest and most beautiful of the Strath of Monteath. Almost the whole parish is seen from this commanding spot The prospect is bounded on the south by the Lennox hills ; on the west, by Ben-Lomond ; on the north, by Ben-Ledi and the Grampian mountains; and on the east, by the Ochil hills and Stirling Castle. The whole strath, from Gartmore to Stirling, stretches out before the eye like a beautiful map, adorned with many gentlemen's seats, enriched with a vast variety of corn-fields, and rendered pic^ turesque and interesting in a high degree by the windings of the Forth, and the delightful scenery of the low and rising grounds. The village is situated in the barony of Gargunnock. The lower part of it was feued, between eighty and ninety years ago, at the rate of L.l an acre; the upper part was feued at a later period, at the rate of L.2 per acre. Each feu has half an acre of ground attached to it, which is a great benefit to the inhabitants. Means of Communication. — There is no post-ofiice in the vil- lage; but a postman passes through the parish about ten o'clock in the forenoon, on his way to Kippen, and returns about three o'clock in the afternoon, which is a great accommodation to the parishioners. The great road betwixt Stirling and Dumbarton passes through the breadth of the parish, for the distance of four miles. A new line of road was made, some time ago, through the carse grounds, about half a mile from the church and village. No stage-coaches travel on this turnpike road, except the stage- coach from Kippen to Stirling, every Friday, which returns on the same day, for the accommodation of people going to, and return- ing from, the Stirling market The bridges and fences of the pa- rish are kept in good repair. Ecclesiastical State, — The parish church is conveniently situated for the greater part of the population. It is distant from the eastern GARGUNNOCK. 57 eitremity of the parish one mile and a half, and from the western extremity two miles and a half. It was built in the year 1774, and is in a state of good repair, and affords accommodation for 500 sitters. The seats of the church are free. The manse was built about the year 1750. It was enlarged and repaired io the year 1602; and nine years ago it was again enlarged and thoroughly re- paired, soon after the present incumbent came to the parish, and it is now a commodious and comfortable house. The church and manse are situated on a rising ground, about 50 or 60 yards from one another. Few situations are more eligible, in point of roman- tic and beautiful scenery. The extent of the glebe, including the garden, is 7 acres; and the value of it is about L.20 per annum. The amount of the stipend is 148 bolls of oatmeal, and 2 bolls of barley, and L.25, lis. 3|d. from the Court of Exchequer, to aug- ment the stipend to L. 150. There is L. 9, Is. IJd. for commu- oioD elements. The number of families attending the Established Church is 1 95 ; and the total number of persons of all ages con- nected with it, is 880. The number of Seceders is 8 ; of Episcopa- lians is 9. Divine service at the Established Church is well at- tended ; and the average number of communicants is 340. The sa- csrament is dispensed twice a-year. The winter sacrament was com- ^^nenced by the late faithful and much respected Dr Robertson of -South Leith, when he was minister of this parish, upwards of forty ^ears ago. The expenses are defrayed by collections at the church gate. Collections are made regularly for the five schemes x>f the General Assembly, and occasional collections for local so- cieties, such as the Stirlingshire Bible Society, &c. A Sabbath school was commenced eighteen years ago at the Burntown, by a pious female ; and fourteen years cigo, another Sab- bath school was opened by the parish schoolmaster, and a member of the congregation, who is now an elder. It was patronized by some members of the kirk- session and others. The Sabbath school, so auspiciously begun, has continued to the present time; and last summer it was attended by nearly 100 children, and the school at the Burntown by 36. State of Religion. — This parish has been highly favoured with many pious ministers ; and at the time of the revivals of religion in Kilsyth, Muthil, and other parishes, in the year 1742, this pa- rish was also visited with the outpouring of the Spirit. And it is mentioned in Mr Robe's Narrative, that about 100 individuals were brought to the knowledge of the truth at that time; and that 58 STIRLINGSHIRE. 18 were converted on a Fast-day by a sermon preached by their aged pastor, the Rev. John Warden. Prayer-meetings were then held in several places of the parish, which continued for some time. The preaching of the Gospel and other means of graoe ^have, through the Divine blessing, built up the people of God in their most holy faith ; and have been instrumental, from time to time, in bringing many to Christ. During the last two years, the Lord has been pleased, in answer to many prayers, to pour out his Spirit on Kilsyth. This wonderful event made the people of God more anxious and more earnest in prayer for the Spirit ; and the ministers whose parishes were visited in the year 1742, were very desirous that the Lord would again manifest his power and grace among them ;. and accordingly, in this parish, many week- day sermons were preached, which excited an interest in the people. Several of the neighbouring ministers were invited, and kindly came and preached on these occasions. The Rev. Charles F. Buchan, a devoted servant of the Lord, now minister of North Shields, was engaged last year, in the month of March, to assist the minister of the parish, during the summer months, in the ear- nest hope that the Lord would be graciously pleased to accom- pany with his effectual blessing the means employed. And it is with much gratitude mentioned, to the praise and glory of God, that several individuals have been brought to see their lost condi« tion by nature, and to flee to Christ, the refiige set before them in the Gospel. Prayer meetings are again established in the pa- rish ; and it is humbly hoped, that this day of small things may be the beginning of a more plenteous effusion of the Holy Spirit ! Education, — There are three schools in the parish, one paro- chial and two unendowed schools. One of the unendowed schools is near the village, and is numerously attended ; the other school, two miles distant, is attended by a small number. It is taught chiefly in winter, for the accommodation of the children in the neigh« bourhood. The parochial schoolmaster'^s salary is L.25, 13s. d^d., which is the minimum. Tjie plan of teaching in the parish school is excellent. The average amount of fees of the largest unendow- ed school is L.40 per annum. An infant school was begun in the manse six years ago, and is taught by Mrs Lawrie. Literature. — A parish library was established ten years ago. There is also a library for the Sabbath school. A Tract Society was formed in February 1835. The tracts are distributed every month, one to each family. OARGUNNOCK. 59 Poor and Parochial Funds. — The average number of persons on ^lie poor roll is 7 or 8 ; and about the same number receive occa- sional relief. The heritors, greatly to their honour, are very at« Ifc^Dtive to the necessities of the poor. The average sum allotted "i;^ each pauper is 4s. 6d. per month. Besides the weekly collec* ^ons at the church gate, there are other funds, which have been ^Qoortified at different times, by charitable individuals, for the bene* fit of the poor. The funds for the poor consist of two sums bear- ug interest ; one sum of L.266, Ids. 7d. is deposited in the Bank ^f Scotland ; and the other sum of L. d65, is lent to the trustees of the turnpike road between Stirling and Dumbarton. The peo- ple ot this parish are of an independent spirit, and they do not ap- ply for parish relief, except in cases of extreme necessity. Alehauses.^^The number of alehouses in the parish is £Dur. There is one distillery, on the estate of Gargunnock. The people in general cultivate temperate habits, and very few of them drink to excess. Fuel. — The fuel chiefly used is coal, brought from Baunockburn, the distance of nine miles. The price of a cart load of coals of 15 cwt., is 1 Is. 6d, including carriage. Peats are also brought from the moss of Kincardine, at 3s. 6d. per cart load. A few of the farmers bring peats on sleds from the Lennox hills. Miscellaneous Observations. The present state of the parish is distinguished from that which , Existed forty years ago, by some striking variations and improve- t^ents. The elegant and beautiful house of Leckie, andalso the V>eautiful house of Meiklewood, Colonel Graham's suspension- V^ridge over the Forth, and the fine level line of road through the ^sarse lands of the parish, did not then exist The new systems of >vedge or stone draining had not then been introduced and brought into general operation. In consequence of this superior system of ^rai&ing, and other modern improvements in agriculture, the land lias increased above one-half in value; and, therefore, the rental of the parish has been more than doubled within the last forty years. The rental was then stated at L.3000; it is now upwards of L6500. The new line of road through the carse lands has been much improved, though it has lost much, in point of scenery. The oU Dumbarton road, which, at the time when the last Statistical Account was written, passed by Touch, Gargunnock House, the manse, and church, and village, Leckie, and Boquhan, to the vil- lage of Kippeo, was in many places beautified with fine scenery ; 60 STIRLINGSHIRE. and the views from the rising grounds were varied, extensive, lively, and interesting. It is the opinion of some gentlemen, that the internal communication of the parish would be much improv- ed, were a new line of road made from Fintry, through the east end of Balfron parish, and by the foot of the Lennox hills, above Boquhan and Leckie, till it passes between the village and the church, and joins the new line of the Dumbarton road, near the new bridge which has been erected over the Forth. Others are of the opinion, that the new road from Fintry, instead of coming above Leckie, and past the east end of the village, should come down betwixt Boquhan and Leckie to the Dumbarton road. Were this line of new road to be made through the dryfield part of this parish to Fintry, it would be the nearest road from Dunblane and that neighbourhood, to the city of Glasgow. March 184L PARISH OF KILLEARN. PRESBYTERY OF DUMBARTON, SYNOD OF GLASGOW AND AYR. THE REV. JOHN GRAHAM, D.D. MINISTER. I. — Topography and Natural History. Name* — Killbarn seems to be compounded of three Celtic words, Kill-ear-rhin, signifying the cell or church of west-point. This etymology is descriptive of the situation, which is at the west- ern extremity of the Campsie Fells, a mountainous ridge running eastward from Killearn to Kilsyth, a distance of twenty miles. It is farther conBrmed by the circumstance, that the rising ground, a little below the site of the church, near the confluence of Enrick and Blane, still bears the name of Rhin, or Point. Extent, — The parish is of an irregular figure. Its length is 12 miles ; its breadth, where greatest, 4, but at an average SJ. It contains 27 square miles, and probably 17,000 acres. It is situated in Strathenrick, now the western district of Stirlingshire, but ori- ginally a part of Lennox, or Dumbartonshire. Topographical Appearances, — The lowest part of the parish, at the confluence of Enrick and Blane, is about forty feet above the KILLEARN. 61 level of the sea^ and eighteen above that of LochlomoDd ; into ^^hich the united rivers flow after a course, in a direct line, of five sniles* The Enrick forms the northern boundary of the parish, for ^ight miles nearly, dividing it from the parishes of Drymen and Balfron. Its course is rapid, and its waters peculiarly turbid in time of floods ; hence probably its name, Enrick, is a compound of the Celtic aim, or avon^ ruadhj the red river. Along its bank, there is a narrow slip of alluvial soil, the most fertile and valuable of the parish. Receding from this, the ground gradually rises, formiog a sloping tract of arable land, varying from one to two miles in breadth. The village, with the church, and Buchanan's Baonument} is situated in this tract, on a rising ground command- ing an extensive prospect. The limit of the arable ground is about 500 feet above the level of the sea ; at one place, Tam- Detberskins, * the height above that level exceeds 600. Still bigher, is another belt, rising about 200 feet farther, and extend- ing about a mile in breadth ; which, though, in some places, shew- 'Qg marks of the plough in former times, is now kept permanently ID pasture* The surface is generally mossy, incumbent on white freestone, and producing coarse grass where it is marshy, and stunted heath where it is dry. Above this, is the mountainous t^idge, composed of trap rock, and rising to the height of 1200 feet ^boTe the level of the sea. Except in some steep places, particu- larly in the Corrie of Balglas, the rock is concealed by soil form- ed of the debris of trap, whose rich verdure is a striking contrast Xo the dark heath below. It produces white clover, and the finest grasses in abundance ; some patches of it^ at an elevation of 800 ieetf seem formerly to have been under tillage. Hydrography, — At the southern extremity of the parish, where it meets Kilpatrick, there is an artificial lake, covering about 150 acres, — a reservoir to supply water during summer to the Partick mills, on the Kelvin near Glasgow, — as the sources of that river were taken to form the summit reservoir of the Forth and Clyde Canal. Besides the Enrick and Blane, already alluded to, there are many rivulets descending rapidly from the mountain's brow, and forming numberless cascades in their course. Of these, the finest is in the glen of Dualt, near Killearn House, where in a deep wooded ravine, amid many smaller falls, the rivulet rushes • Tamnethcrskins is a corruption of the Celtic words Tam-na-urhkiu^ the mount of goblins. Tarn is a common Celtic affix to places. It may be traced as a primitive root in noaoy languages, e. g. tumulus in Latin is the diminutive of it, and tumeo u a ▼Mb formed from it. The original idea is a mount, a small round eminence. 26 STIRLINOSHIKE. over a perpendicular precipice of sixty feet Id the same neigh- bourhood, the Carnock, another rivulet, has worn a channel seventjr feet deep, through red sandstone.* There are also many cascades on the rivulets of Ballikinrain and Boquhan, the steep banks of which have been planted by the proprietors ; and numerous walks have been made along them, that the scenery may be seen to advantage* Minerals. — The base of this district is the old red sandstone* In the rising ground, a variety of strata is exposed to view by the action of the mountain streams, consisting of clay, lime, and free- stone. Of the last, which is uppermost, some quarries are wrought for building houses ; and one quarry near Ballikinrain, if we may judge from the excavation, must have been of repute, formerly, for mill-stones. About ten pairs are still disposed of annually ; but they are reckoned inferior, as they wear too. rapidly. Near the mill-stone quarry is a spring, holding lime in solution, and petri- fying the moss on its brink. The mountains are all caped with trap rock, which seems, at some remote period, to have been forced upward through the sandstone in a state of fusion. During the same eruption, many fissures were made, extending like radii from the centre of the mountain down to the valley. These fissures were also filled with fused trap, and furnish excellent materials for the roads of the district. In the trap formation, near the south end of the parish, there is a singular chasm, called the Wanzie. A transverse section of a hill, running east and west, seems to have slipped off, probably from the partial decay of the subjacent sandstone leaving it with- out support. The chasm is 346 feet in length. The width where greatest is lOj'g feet, and where least 2x\ feet. The depth at present is about 30 feet at a medium ; but as the bottom is filled with rubbish, it must have originally been much greater. It takes a zig-zag direction, and it is easy to mark the exactness with which the angles and surfaces, on one side, answer to those on the other. There were many fissures in the same hill, which have been filled up by the tenants since the introduction of sheep. Near the north corner of the hill, there is still one left open, run- ning in a zig-zag direction, 185 feet in length, and generally 6 inches in breadth. • Most names of places are Celtic, and significant. The chasm of Carnock is called Ashdow, a corruption of Vitk-dhuy black water, from the dark appearance of the rivulet, as the rays of the sun rarely reach it, on account of the high precipices and OYerhanging woods. Carnock is a diminutive of Carron, and signifies little wind- ing river. Dualt flows through mossy ground ; henco its origin dhu-alty black rivulet. Avon or Ann is the same in sense and sound with the Latin Amn-is. KILLEARN. 63 Attempts have often of late, as well as formerly, been made to find coal in thi3 parish and 'neighbourhood. That they Have always been unsuccessful, is what should be expected from the mineralogy of the district The Grampians, a primary range, stretching from Dumbarton to the east coast, are accompanied on the south by a secondary ridge, at a distance varying from five to fifteen miles. Strath Enrick is the western portion of the intervening track be- tween those mountainous ranges. The base is the old red sand- stone, in which coal is never found. In ascending the southern range, we Ipse the red sandstone, and find strata of lime, clay, and freestone, with occasionally a coal seam of three or four inches in thickness, — a plain indication that we are risinff to the coal measures. The trap rock, forming the apex of the range, covers the previously existing strata. Passing that interruption, we enter OD Campsie and Kilpatrick, the great coal-field of Scotland, cros« sing the breadth of the island, but lying all to the south of the secondary range. The searches for coal have been made, both by iarinff and shanking ; but, with one exception, always in the lower parts of Strath Enrick ; whereas common observation, as well as geological science, indicates that the higher regions should have been diligently examined, as, if a workable stratum of coal exists ^ny where, it must be found near the verge of the trap formation. 7Vees.-^The arable part of the parish is generally well-wooded, 9IS regards both shelter and ornament Besides the plantations ^%vhich surround the houses of proprietors, every glen and ravine is ^H>vered with copse-wood. The following table contains the di- snensions of some remarkable trees, as measured at present, and Qis reported in the former Statistical Account The yew trees are "near the House of Ballikinrain ; the others are on the estate of Killeam, near the old mansion-house* Trves. Girth 1794. Yev, berry-bearing, • 8 feet inches. Yew, barren,* . 10 8 Omk, . . 12 Silrer fir, • . Not reported. These trees are all in vigorous growth, yet the increase during forty years is inconsiderable. There is a possible error in the comparison. The former reporter does not state the height where he measured the circumference. I made all the measurements at three feet above the ground. From many observations on yew ■ The former reporter must hmve measured this tree, and perhaps the others, where thickast, as bis measurement is greater than the present at three feet above the sur- bee. At sii feet, near the branches, the girth is eleven feet. 00.1834. Cubic conteotr 8 feet 5 inches. 89 feet. 10 3 103 13 3 300 12 Oi 302 64 STIRLINGSHIRE. trees, De Candolle of Geneva calculates their average annual in- crease in diameter at one-twelfth of an inch, — which is more than double of what is shown in this table ; and by that rule the age of the one yew is 404 years, and of the other, 492. If we assume that the increase of the oak, as in the table, is 15 inches in cir- cumference, or 5 in diameter, during a period of forty years; then, on the supposition that its growth has been equable, the age of the tree is 424 years. The age of the silver fir is known to be about 100 years, while it nearly equals the oak, however old it may be, in circumference, and, from its greater height, exceeds it in cubic contents. II. — Civil History. Land-owners. — The greater part of the parish belonged, at an early period, to the family of Montrose, who still retain the supe- riority, though they have alienated all the property but one farm. Originally, the patron of a church was proprietor of the parish an- nexed to it In 1429, six churches, Cambuslang, Tarbolton, Eaglesham, Luss, Kirkmahoe, and Killearn, were, with consent of the patrons, erected into prebends of the cathedral of Glasgow.* Vicars were appointed afterwards to these parishes ; and, as an il- lustration of their comparative opulence, the stipend assigned to Killearn was fifteen merks, while that of the others was twenty.^- In that erection, Patrick Lord de Graham is mentioned as patron of Killearn. In 1560, William, second Earl of Montrose, gave to his youngest son, by a charter of that date, the lands of Killearn, Ibert, and Drumbeg. % A descendant of that family represented the county in the British Parliament, during the earlier part of last century. When he entered England, he could not fail to ob- serve the nakedness of his native land. He was the first in this district who attempted, by plantations, to improve the climate, and to adorn the country. Besides the usual forest trees, of which there are many beautiful specimens at Killearn, he was among the first that introduced the larch into Scotland. From want of time- ly thinning, the larch trees have not thriven, as they are remarka- "Ne only for extreme height; many of them being 100, and one * Chartulary of Glasgow, quoted in Conncl on Tythcs, Vol. iii. Appendix, No. 18. f The following table shows the rent of Luss and Killearn at later times :— Luss, Valued rent 1656, L.1500 Scots. Real rent 1841, L.7000. Killearn, Do. 2840 Do. Do. 6900. :( Douglas* Peerage — Article Montrose. These names continue still unchanged. Ibert, according to Dr Macleod of St Columba's, Glasgow, signifies the Well of Sacrifice, equiTalent to Holywell in Ireland Drumbeg is Celtic for little ridge. KILLEAKN. C5 114 feet higli. In the former Statistical Account, they are said, when sixty years old, to be three feet in diameter ; now when they are upwards of 100 years, I could 6nd only one that was Q^^.j feet, at the height of three feet from the ground. In 1750, the estate was sold to Mr Scott of Glasgow, whose only dauc^hter was married to Sir James Montgomery, Bart., Chief Baron of the Ex- chequer. That excellent man here, as well as in his native county of Peebles, patronized rural improvement, by feuing ground for the Tillage, by enclosing his whole estate with hedges, and by givincr leases generally of 6fly-seven years, to enable his tenants to reap the benefit of their outlay on their farms. The result of these leases does not seem encouraging either to tenant or landlord. The farms were all let at a fair rent, varying from 5s. to L.l per acre, and are all arable, except one fa^ m. During the first twenty years, the tenants seem to have been industrious. According to the former reporter, " they were, on the whole, doing very well." Now, forty years afterwards, when some of the leases have expir- ed, and the others will expire in the course of four years, — more than one-half of the tenants have become bankrupts, and have been ejected : only three are wealthy, yet their houses, fences, and lands, are behind the average rate of improvement The most efficient improver in this parish, and in others with which be was connected, was the late Mr Dunmore of Ballikin- rain. In the end of last century, he introduced turnpike roads, cotton manufactures, and a general system of planting waste ground* The manufacturing establishments were unfortunate, and have been abandoned ; but his other rural improvements have been zealously followed by his son, R. D. Napier, Esq. the pre- sent proprietor. The other proprietors, in a descending scries, are. Sir Archibald Edmonstone, Bart, of Duntreath ; John Buchanan of Carbeth ; George Wilson of Auchniven ; Thomas B. Buchanan of Boquhan; William Finlay of Moss; Alexander Speirs of Cul- ereucb ; William Macleroy of Glenboig ; William Edmond of Ballocbrain ; the Messrs Provan & Co. of I^dlewan, and the Duke of Montrose, — all of whom have estates rented at upwards of L.50^ a year, and most of whom are resident. Eminent Men. — In the year 1506, George Buchanan, the poet and historian, was born at Moss, about a mile south from the church. Part of the house in which he was born, with a thatch- ed roof resting on oak spars, remained till 1812, when a modern house was built on the site by the late proprietor, who made out STIRLING. E 66 STIRLINGSHIRE. of the oak spars, a chair and table, to be preserved in memory of Buchanan's birth. An obelisk in honour of him was erected in the village in 178a The height is 103 feet. The expense, which was defrayed by subscription, amounted to L.200 for building, and L.95 for scaffolding. It is said to be an exact copy of the menu* ment erected at Boyne, in Ireland, to commemorate the victory of William III., in the vear 1690. Buildings. — The estate of Killearn was purchased in 1814, by John Blackburn, Esq. of Jamaica, who has recently fitted up an elegant mansion-house on the banks of Blane. Mr Buchanan also, last summer, finished a showy castellated mansion at Car- beth. The manse was built in 1825, and the church in 1826; both are comfortable and substantial. The expense of the for- mer, including L.300for offices builtin 1815, was L.1100. The church accommodates 500 sitters, and cost L. 1050. III. — Population. The amount of the population is slowly but steadily progressive. After the middle of last century, there was a temporary diminu-* tion, occasioped by the union of small farms ; but this was more than compensated by the increase of the village, which ancient- ly contained about twenty families, clustered near the church. About the year 1 770, Sir James Montgomery laid the foundation of its improvement, by granting building-leases of 999 years. The rent was L. 2 per Scotch acre. The extent varied from two roods to six acres. As the village is far from fuel, and even from running water, it did not seem a place favourable for the establish- ment of manufactures. It was desirable, however, to prevent the introduction of pauperism ; and for this purpose, by the suggestion of the late Rev. James Graham, it was stipulated, that each pos- session, as originally let, was to remain entire, and to be occupied by only one family. As the proprietor was non-resident, this sti- pulation was not strictly observed. When Mr Blackburn pur- chased the estate of Killearn in 1814, he expressed his approba- tion of the restriction, and his intention to enforce it. In 1830, he raised an action before the Court of Session, against those who would not dismiss their subtenants. By that time, there were two families at an average on each possession ; and fn many cases, the practice had continued, for upwards of forty years. Several tenants, trusting to the plea of prescription, resolved to litigate the point ; but before they entered the Court, a compromise was proposed, and ultimately agreed to, on the intervention of the KILLEAKV. C7 minister, viz. that subtenant*^ should be allowed, provided they be natives of the parish, or strangers who had previously acquired a legal domicile by three years' industrial residence. This limi- tation, by excluding vagrants, secured every good puqoose of the original stipulation in the lease, while it allowed the tenants to enjoy the full benefit of their existing buildings. The village is scattered and irregular ; yet, as the generality of the inhabitants possess fixed property, they are free from the vices and vicissitudes of a manufacturing population. The number of inhabitants, at different periods, is shewn in the following table : — Village. Country. ToUl. 1755. — _ 959 1769, 74 854 948 ]794, 223 750 97.^ 1831, 388 818 1206 The register of baptisms and deaths is not correct ; that of marriages only can be depended upon. During the last seven years there have been 56 marriciges, and, consequently, 8 at an average every year. In this list are included those marriages, where both parties, or at least the males, resided in the parish. During this period, 20 female parishioners were married to males residing in other parishes : but of these, none are included in the present list. It were desirable that this rule should be observed, as otherwise, the same marriage may be twice reported, where the parties reside in different parishes. There may be one illegitimate birth in the parish, annually, at an average. It is not probable that any great diflerence will take place in the number or condition of the inhabitants, either in the village or country. The following particulars are taken from the Go- vernment census of 1831 : — Inhabited houses, - 182 Families, - • 215 Males, - - 623 Females, - - 583 Population, 1206 Families employed in agriculture, _ - - 59 trade, crafts, &c. - - - 60 All other families, ... - . 87 215 The character of the parishioners is decent and pious, occa- . sioued mainly by the constant intercourse subsisting between householders and their domestics. Farmers, as well as villagers, sit ID the same apartment with the inmates of their houses^ aud eai 68 STIRLINGSHIRK. with them at the same table. Kindly feelings are thus generated between masters and servants ; while the latter are prompted to diligence, and prevented from irregularity, by the presence of the former. IV. — Industry. Agriculture. — Of the 17,000 acres given as the probable extent of the parish, not more than 7000 are at present under the plough ; but additions are annually made to the arable district, and some thousand acres might still be brought into cultivation. In the present depressed state of the markets, it is advisable to expend capital in improving the ground already arable. The most fa- shionable and most profitable improvement, is what is called fur- row, or frequent draining. While every proprietor has commenced operations on the clay retentive soil, which abounds in the parish, Mr Blackburn has taken the lead. His drains are only sixteen feet asunder, and filled with broken stones. The effects of his system are now visible on a farm of 200 acres, which, from being drenched with moisture in winter, and from being baked with the heat of summer, was of little value either in crop or pasture ; but now, in consequence of draining and deep ploughing, it produces luxuriant crops of turnips and grain. In the latter years of his life, and since his death, in 1840, his son, Mr Peter Blackburn, has extended draining to every part of his estate. He erected, in 1837, a kiln for burning drain tiles, which yields about 500,000 annually. Plantations and Pasture. — There is little natural wood in the parish. The extent under plantation, is about 1140 acres. The object of proprietors is to convert these plantations into copse, fil- ling them entirely with oak, and cutting them, every twenty years : yet, as oak bark has fallen to about L.8 per ton — less than half of the war prices, and as there is a growing demand for fir, especial- ly larch, it is probable that the latter will be more extensively plant- ed. The annual value of wood sold, is about L. 400. It may increase considerably beyond that sum, as a great part of the oak copse is not arrived at perfection. The ground that is waste, or in permanent pasture, extends to 8860 acres, and admits of some improvement by draining marshes, and by sheltering exposed ground by artificial plantations — even though not partially brought into cultivation. Rent and Produce. — Farms vary in extent from L. 560 a-year down to L. 35, besides some small possessions occupied by retired KlLLEAllN. 6d iarmers and by tradesmen. Among all of them, there is diffused a spirit of improvement. Within the last thirty years, the produce has been doubled : still much remains to be done. The soil is fiir from that state of fertility, of which it may be made capable, as the best patches near the village are let at L. 1, 12s. per acre, while the average of the whole arable land is about 15s. The rent of the whole parish may be stated as follows : Arable, 7000 acres at 15s., . L.5250 Hill pasture, 8860 do. 1250 Plaotation, 1140 do. 400 17,000 L.6,900 The following statement of the gross produce is perhaps near the truth : 1. Crops. Imperial acres. Produce per acre. Total produce. Total value. *^ oats, 1500 30 bushels at Ss. 6d., 45.000 bushels, L.5625 bariej, .960 96 do. Ss. 6d., 12,960 do. 2268 vbeat, .60 40 do. 5s. 6d., 2400 do. 615 potatoes, . 200 at L. 6 per acre, 1200 bay, 600 at L. 2 do. 1200 tumipSt beaos, tares, &c. 200 at L.5 per acre, 1000 2. Stock. ilk eoirs, 500 at L. 5, . L.2500 ^at cattle, 200 at L. 4, 10s. 900 beep, (Highland) dOOO at 10s. 1500 Jorses, . 40 reared annually nt L.25, 1000 -^Sbeep (English), swine and poultry, annual value of 200 L.11,908 6100 Total annual value of crops and stock, . L. 18,008 In explanation of this statement, it may be mentioned that the dairy produce of each cow, could not be rated at L. 5, without in- cluding the value of calves reared (for none arc fattened) ; that a half only of the horses annually reared is sold, the other half being required to keep up the stocks ; and that a part of hay, and the whole turnips, beans, and tares, are employed in feeding cattle and horses, and ought not, therefore, to be placed to the credit of the farm, were it not compensated by the value of old sheep and old cows annually sold, for which no charge is made. The sheep are sold as great ewes in spring, or fattened in the end of the season. The old cows are sold with most advantage to Glasgow dairy men, when they are near calving, and there is a regular demand for such, as they give milk only one year, and as 70 STIRLINGSHIRE. they are nearly ready for the butcher, as soon as the milk season is ended. Manufactures. — There was a cotton^mill in the parish, which was burnt down in 1806, and has not been rebuilt; and a printfield^ which was abandoned about the same time, and is now become ruinous. There is now only one manufacturing establishment-— the woollen factory of Mr John Jamieson, where 400 cwts. of wool are used annually, and where it passes through all the various processes, till it is converted into cloth. V, — Parochial Economy. Ecclesiastical State, — The church and manse are both substan- tial and commodious. The former is well attended ; the number of communicants is about 480 ; the male heads of families in com- munion, by the roll of last sacrament, are 153. There is no Dis- senting place of worship in the parish ; only 26 families are Dissen- ters ; yet all of these, with one exception, occasionally attend the parish church. The last augmentation of stipend was in 1814, when the teinds were exhausted. The stipend consists of 184 bolls of meal, 4 bolls of barley, and L. 3 in money. The glebe consists of 8 acres of land, worth L. 12 annually. The value of the living, at an average of four years, is L.150. Education, — There is one parochial school in the village, with a salary to the master of L.31 annually, and an allowance of L. 8 in lieu of a house and garden. There are three private schools in different parts of the parish, maintained exclusively by school- fees. The number of scholars is about 170 : they are taught only the elementary branches. There is also a Sabbath school in the village, which is attended by nearly 100 children. Poor, — The regular poor are 12 at an average, and receive about L.4 each in the year: a few, perhaps six or thereby, receive occasion- al aid at Christmas, and at Lammas, when the sacrament is dispen- sed. The whole expense amounts to L.54. The income consists of collections in the church, amounting to L. 50, and the interest of capital, L.4. Miscellaneous Observations. The parish, except in regard to education, may be said to be in a healthy state. A general spirit of improvement is promoted by the example and encouragement of the numerous resident heri- tors* One drawback is the distance from fuel, from manures, and from markets ; and good roads are the only means of obviating that disadvantage. In 1768^ the last minister introduced the no- STRATHRLANB. 71 relty of bringing lime, on a single horse cart ; prior to that time, lime was never thought of as manure, and coals were carried on horses' backs. Turnpike roads were introduced 'from 1790 to 1800; but the lines were very injudiciously chosen. The dis- tance from the village to Glasgow, is seventeen miles; but it is be- lieved a more level line can be found, two miles shorter. The ex- tent of turnpike roads is about twelve miles ; the surface is much smoother and 6rmer from the introduction of Macadamizing ; and in consequence, the usual load of a horse is raised to a ton ;— whereas till about ten years ago, it varied from 12 to 15 cwts., ex- clusive of the weight of the cart. February 1841. PARISH OF 8TRATHBLANE. PR£SBYT£RY OF DUMBARTON, SYNOD OF GLASGOW AND AYR. THE REV. H. BUCHANAN, MINISTER. I. — Topography and Natural History. Name. — From time immemorial, the name of this parish has been the same. It is derived from the Blane, a small stream which rises in the north-east extremity of the parish, and, after running southwards for more than three miles, turns to the west, and flows onwards, for more than four miles, towards the north-west. It is generally agreed, that Blane signifies " the warm river.*' The strath of the warm river is peculiarly descriptive of the valley, which is sheltered, in almost every direction, from the violence of the winds. Extent. — The average length of the parish is rather more than five miles. The breadth is about four. The surface comprises about 20 square miles. Its figure approaches the form of an ob- long square. Boundaries. — The parish lies in the south-west corner of Stir- lingshire ; and is bounded on the east, by the parish of Canipsie ; on the south, by Baldernock and East Kilpatrick ; and on the west and north, by Killearn. The Strathblane hills, forming a branch of what were formeriy • Drawn up by the late incumbent, Uic Rev. William Hamilton, D. D. 72 STIRLINGSHIRE. denominated the Lennox hills, stretch along the whole of the nor- thern boundary of the parish. The Earl's Seat, the highest point, is 1400 feet abbve the level of the sea. The approach to the strath from the south is uncommonly romantic and enchanting. After proceeding for three miles along a road over rising-ground, where rocks and heath confine the labours of the husbandman, and seem to form the boundary of cultivation, the valley unexpectedly bursts upon the view of the traveller, and continues to unfold its beauties as he advances. The grassy hills with their varied glens, streams, and acclivities, rise before him to the elevation of 1300 or 1400 feet On the west, the conical hill of Dungoiach, 400 feet high, clothed with wood to the summit, contrasts nobly with the bare and desolate hill of Dunglass, 400 feet in height, which terminates the valley on the east. The sequestered seats of the gentry embosomed with wood ; the comfortable homesteads of the farmers, with the neat cottages of the artisans ; the lofty sheep- walks ; the undulating surface of the valley, under its varied crops or agricultural processes; the roots of the mountains, in some places, sloping on to the banks of the Blane, and, in others, re- tiring to a distance ; with a profusion of wood of every age and size, — give an idea of the magnificence of nature, adorned by the taste and industry of man, which is seldom seen and never sur- passed, even in this country. On the south side of the strath, and from 300 to 400 feet above the level of the sea, there is a stretch of table-land two miles wide, vyhich runs across the whole breadth of the parish. This land was originally wild and moorish ; but now, almost every part of it capable of improvement has been brought under cultivation. The vale of the Blane, running from the south-east to the north-west, passes into the vale of Campsie on the east, and the vale of the Enrick on the west. The highest part of this valley is understood to be about 340 feet above the level of the sea, and the lowest part, 100. The temperature and pressure of the atmosphere, together with the quantity of rain, may be estimated from the following abstract of the meteorological register at Carbeth, from daily observations with the barometer, thermometer, and rain- gage, at 10 a. m. Latitude, 55°, 59', 46"; longitude, 4**, 21', 20" west. This ab- stract has been kindly furnished by William Smith, Esq. of Car- beth-Guthrie. 8TRATHBLA?^E. Abstract of Meteorological Register at Carbeth, from daily ob- servations with the barometer, thermometer, and rain-gage, ai 10 A. M. ; latitude, 55% 59', 46" ; longitude, 4% 21', 20" west. Height above the level of the sea nearly 470 feet. Average Barometer. Average Thermometer. Raia. 18^ 29.ao 49.69 36 844 lo26y • 29.34 50.10 32.213 1827. 29.26 4a75 45.958 1828, 29.24 50.28 45.304 1829, 29.80 47.26 37.098 isao. 29.22 47.71 45.885 183K • January, • 29.29 35.10 2.563 February, 29.11 39.46 3.84 March, 29.17 4a87 5.6 April, 29.23 50.33 2403 May, 29.42 54.64 1.786 June, 29.34 61.66 3.529 July, 29.39 63.25 4.189 August, 2938 63.67 3 9 September, 29.33 56.86 a82 October, 29. 6 53.19 9.802 NoTcmber, 29.17 40.70 4.579 December, 29. 41. 4.08 Average, 29.25 50.33 ^49.591 From its lower situation, less rain falls in the Strath, and the barometer and thermometer stand much higher there than at Car- beth. Fevers are rare, and when they appear, seem to be gene- rally imported from other places. Bilious affections, inflammation of the lungs, and consumptions are frequent. But these probably arise from the exposure to which many of the people are subjected in the course of their occupations, and from their inattention to the means requisite for preserving their health, and not from any noxious quality in the climate. The climate in the valley is un- commonly salubrious. Hydrography. — The whole parish abounds with perennial springs. The only known mineral spring is in the farm yard of Ballewan. The water resembles the Spa. The parish is adorned with six lakes. Loch Ardinning, con- taining .60 imperial acres, is without any artiflcial ornament ; Craigmaddie, containing 10 acres; Dumbroch, 10 acres; Car- beth, 8 acres ; Craigallion^ 40 acres, — lie in romantic situations^ and are beautiiied partly with natural wood and partly with planta- tions. Mugdoch loch, containing 25 acres, is ornamented with trees, and derives grandeur from the ancient castle of Mugdoch on its south-west point. The spout of Ballagan, where the^Blane breaks away from 74 STIRLINGSHIRE. the hills, is a cascade 70 feet in height, and forms a majestic ob- ject when the river is swelled with rain. Geology and Mineralogy, — Dr Scouler, the accomplished Pro- fessor of Natural History in the Andersonian University, Glasgow, speaking of the general geological features of this parish, says, that ** Strathblane, along with part of Campsie, forms a strath or valley, consisting of a level plain, bounded by hills on each side. On contemplating the physical appearance of the district, it ap- pears not improbable, that, at a former period, it was a fresh water lake.; and that, subsequently, the barriers in the direction of Loch- lomond have been broken down, and that its drainage has been accomplished by that event The nature of the soil also contributes to establish this opinion ; for it appears to consist of sand, gravel, and other comminuted fragments of the neighbouring rocks. As calcareous rocks are found in some parts of the parish, it is natu- ral to expect that the waters should be considerably impregnated with lime ; and in one situation, near the manse, these waters are cementing the gravel into a firm conglomerate. ^^ The fundamental rock of the parish seems to be sandstone ; the old red sandstone of Werner. It is, however, observed in many places by the superjacent masses of unstratified trap. The sandstone is visible chiefly in the lower parts of the district, where several sandstone quarries have been opened. The hills in most places are covered with trap. The trap-rock appears, at a former period, to have covered the sandstone throughout the whole pa- rish, and still does so in many places. In travelling from the manse to Milngavie, we detected many disconnected masses of trap, which must formerly have been continuous ; nor need we be surprised at this, when we remember the rapidity with which trap decays in many places, and as we may see the process of dis* integration going on under our eyes. It would be interesting to trace the sandstone in a westerly direction towards Benlomond, and ascertain upon what rock it reposes. It rests, in all proba- bility, upon clay-slate, and forms the margin of the great coal-field of the west of Scotland. The Strathblane hills rest upon this sandstone ; but are capped with masses of trap. At the beautiful little cascade of Ballagan, we obtained a fine natural section of these hills; a section which is probably 1000 feet deep, and ac* cordingly clear and defined, as if it were a natural model, a co- loured specimen of stratification. This deep section consists of about 230 beds, varying in thickness, from one to two inches to STllATHBLANE. 75 10 feet; and consisting of many alternations of sandstone^ lime- stone, and argillaceous limestone or marl. These are all in a state of rapid disintegration, and portions of them are detached and fall down almost every day. ^' Jasper is found abundantly in the hills, both in horizontal and vertical veins. Stilbite, chalcedony, and zeolite, are occasion- ally found ; but are not so plentiful as in the Kilpatrick hills. Two varieties of gypsum are found ; the fibrous and the compact. The latter variety is of rarer occurrence ; and is found among the strata exposed at the section of the hill at Ballagan. It usually occurs in amorphous masses of a yellowish colour, but exhibits a white fracture.'' The strata are nearly horizontal. The vegetable soil in the lower part of the valley is argillaceous ; in the upper part, arena- ceous; and on the hills and high-grounds, it is composed princi- pally of an argillaceous brown matter, mixed with the small debris of the trap on which it rests. Zoology. — The parish abounds with game ; such as hares and rabbits ; partridges, black and red grouse ; wild ducks, woodcocks, and pheasants. A few of the common roes are also found. Ot« ters, weasels, stoats, polecats, wild cats, marten cats, and foxes are numerous. Buzzards, ring-tailed kites, goshawks, sparrow-hawks, merlins, ravens, hooded-crows, jays, magpies, and owls of different kinds, together with the smaller kinds common all over the low- lands, are frequently met with. Pike and perch abound in the lochs. Char is found in Dumbroch loch. The gooseberry caterpillar is very destructive in those gardens where the bushes are not dug round and plentifully manured in autumn. Botany. — The banks of the lochs and the glens, from having escaped the operations of the plough, furnish fields exceedingly rich in vegetable productions. Among the rarer plants may be classed : — AgriinoDU Eupatoria Kpiincdium ulpinuni Nyinpha-a lufea Antirrbinum inajus Krysimum Alli.iria Pulygoiium Isibtorta Arum maculatuni Fontinalis sqiiaiuos;! Ilubiis ( Iminsniorus Campanula latifulia Geranium lucidum Kumcx sa;iguiiuus Cbulidonium niajus Inula Ilelenium Sedum diisyphyllum Chenopodium Bonus Henricus Lobelia Dortraanna Sileiie inflatus Cicuta Tirosa Nymphsa alba Trollius Europeus The great varieties in the soil contribute to the vigorous growth of several kinds of trees. The Scotch fir and larch thrive in very 76 STIHLINGSHIRE. different soils and situations. The Italian black poplar, the Hun- tingdon willow, and the oak attain to a great size. A beautifully shaped oak at Blairquhoss, four feet from the ground, is eleven feet in circumference. Another, near the same spot, forms an uncommonly noble specimen of the gnarled and knotty oak. Though it may be supposed to have seen seven centuries, it is still h ealthy and thriving. Four feet from the ground, it is fifteen feet ei ght inches round. The branches diverge at the height of nine feet, and cover a circle of 281 feet In the garden of Ballagan stands a yew in full vigour ; pos^sessed of the finest figure ; and supposed to be from 500 to 600 years old. Its circumference is ten feet. The Huntingdon willow grows most rapidly. One of these trees in twenty-three years has risen to the height of 45 feet. Two of these species, 70 feet high, at six feet from the ground, measure, — one, twelve feet, and the other, thirteen feet and a-balf. II. — Civil History. \ David Graham, great grandson of the first of the Grahams on record, obtained from William the Lion certain lands near Mon- trose. His son, David, acquired, under the succeeding reign, by exchange of his lands in Galloway, from Patrick Earl of Dunbar, the lands of Dundaff and Strathcarron, and from Maldwin Earl of Lennox, the lands of Strathblane and Mugdock. The Castle of Kincardine, in Stratheam, having been demolished by the Marquis of Argyle, March 16, 1646, Mugdock Castle became the principal seat of the Noble family of Montrose. After the Restoration, when the Earl of Middleton and his associates were Ittployed in subverting the civil and religious rights of their country, Mugdock Castle was one of the scenes of their baccha- nalian orgies. During the persecution which followed, the Pres- byterians were encouraged and patronised by Edmonstone of Duntreath, and the Episcopalian incumbent generously threw the shield of his protection over his harassed and helpless parishioners. Land-owners. — The principal land-owners are, the Duke of Montrose; Sir Archibald Edmonstone; Mr Graham of Ballagan ; Mr Stirling of Craigbarnet ; Mr Graham of Ballewan ; Mr Smith of Craigend ; Mr Graham of Craigallion ; Mr Buchanan of Car- beth ; Mr Robison of Leddriegreen ; Mr Smith of Carbeth. The history of the Montrose family, in its most eventful eras, is interwoven with the history of the country. The following ac- count of the Edmonstones of Duntreath has been obligingly fur- STRATHBLANB. 77 ^*^lied by its present distinguished representative, Sir Archibald ^*^3inonstone, Bart. JSdnunutone Family* — The name of Edmonstone first appeared the county of Mid-Lothian in the beginning of the thirteenth Dtury. Tradition would, indeed, derive it 150 years earlier, an Edmundus of the family of the Counts Egmont of Flan- fs, who is said to have come to Scotland in the reign of Mai- Im Canmore, and to have had a grant from David I. of the said :iids, to which he gave his name ; but there is no authority for is whatever; and it seems more than probable that the powerful of Seton was the parent stock ; as the whole district round ;bs in possession of that family, and the arms are identical : and, the earliest appearance of the name of Edmonstone is in a ^^arter where Henry de Edmonstone is styled *^ Filius E," this J have been the very Edmund who thus founded the family, d gave his name to the lands. In the middle of the following otury, Sir John Edmonstone of Edmonstone appears a person considerable importance, and was appointed by David II. co- ner to the shire of Edinburgh in fee, accompanied by grants of ^^ands in the county of Banff. His son, of the same name, was a ^"jiersoD of still greater eminence, and was named a commissioner ^or negociating with England, on three different occasions, during the captivity of James I. a. d. 1407, &c. He married the Lady Isabel, daughter of Robert IL, and widow of James Earl of Dou- glas and Mar, who was killed at the battle of Otterburiie. By this marriage he had two sons. Sir David, who succeeded him, and Sir William of Culloden, ancestor of the family of Duntreath. Sir David left two sons, of whom Sir James, the elder, died with- out issue male, and John, the younger, iu whom the elder line of the family, was continued, till the middle of the last century, when it became extinct bv the death of the last male heir. 'I'his branch of the family continued in possession of Edmonstone, in Mid- Lo- thian, till late in the seventeenth century, when it was sold to the family of Wauchope, who still retain it ; it resided, likewise, at Ednam, in Roxburghshire, a grant of Robert III. This last property has been purchased, within these few years, by the Earl of Dudley. To revert to the family of Duntreath. Sir William Edmon- stone of Culloden, second son of Sir John, as above, married the Lady Mary, daughter of King Robert III., who had been married three times previously ; first, to George Douglas, Earl of Angus ; 78 STIRLINGSHIRK. secondly, to Sir James Kennedy M Dnnure, ancestor to the Earls of Cassilis ; thirdly, to Sir William Graham of Kincardine, an- cestor to the Duke of Montrose ; and, lastly, to Sir William Exl- monstone. By all four marriages she had issue ; and, from the last, the present family of Duntreath are lineally descended. This lady is interred in a vault beneath the church of Strathblane, and an inscription was put up to her memory in the family vault of Duntreath, by the late Sir Archibald Edmonstone. At what period the Castle of Duntreath was built, is unknown ; but the whole of the district originally belonged to the powerful family of the Lennoxes. At the attainder and decapitation of Duncan, the last Earl of this family, together with his son-in-law, Murdac, Duke of Albany, and two of his grandsons, on the return of James T. from his long captivity, the property, some portion of it at least, was allowed to remain in possession of the Duchess of Albany, as heiress to her father ; and she made a grant of the lands of Duntreath, erected into a barony, to Sir William Ed- monstone of CuUoden, and Mary, Countess of Angus, his wife, A. D. 1452, which graqt was conBrmed by a charter of James 11., and it has ever since remained the principal seat of the ikmily. For the next century, the house of Duntreath continued in the highest degree prosperous. Its wealth and possessions had con- siderably increased, and appanages were bestowed on many of its junior branches, nearly all of which are now extinct. A succession of honourable alliances, too, had greatly tended to keep up its ^respectability. Sir William, (the fourth in descent from the first Sir William of Duntreath), who was killed at the unfortunate battle of Flodden, with King James IV., and the flower of the Scottish nobility and gentry, had been appointed steward of Men- teith, and constable of the Castle of Doune. His son, of the same name, was continued in the same offices by the Regent, John Duke of Albany, which he held for eighteen years ; but an heritable grant of them having been conferred by James V. on Sir James Stewart, (ancestor of the present Earl of Moray), Sir William and his brother Archibald were much irritated at beinsr thus deprived of what had now for so many years been in posses- sion of their family, and a fray ensued in the High Street of Dun - blane, in which Sir James was killed. This event occurred on Whitsunday, a. d. 1543. A pardon for this offence was after- wards granted to the two brothers under the Great Seal by the Regent, Duke of Chatelherault, and being connected with the STRATHBLANE. 73 ^5^1 family, in consequence of his inarringe with Lady Agnes ^'^^wart, daughter to Matthew Earl of Lennox, (grandfather to *A^Hry Lord Darnley, the unfortunate husband of Queen Mary), oir Wiiliani was made one of the Privy Council during the Queen's ^^tiority. His son. Sir James, was appointed Justice- Deputy under the ^^1 of Argyle, Justice- General, and was named one of the asses- ^vs on the trial of the Earl of Gowrie, for the celebrated conspi- ^ against the liberty of King James VL, called the Raid of fiuthven, a* d. 158*2 ; but he appears himself implicated in a plot of the same nature soon after. He was accused, together m'th three others of the names of Douglas, Cunningham, and HamiltoD, of a design to convey the king to some place of con- finement, till those lords who had left the country in consequence of their concern in the above conspiracy should be advertised. It was believed to have been little more than an idle conversation ; however, the four were seized, and indicted for high treason. Sir James pleaded guilty, and threw himself on the King's mercy. Tbe others convicted of having held this treasonable design, were executed. Sir James seems to have acted an unworthy part in this business; and, being pardoned, he retired to Duntreath, which he considerably enlarged. A stone, with his arms and cypher, but without a date, marks this. The estate, however, was mort- gaged by his son and successor, William, to Sir William Living- ston of Kilsyth, and considerable estates purchased in the coun- ties of Down and Antrim, in the north of Ireland. Fortunately, however, his next successor, Archibald, resold part of the Irish purchases, and redeemed the estate of Duntreath, though the fa- mily residence continued to be, for above a century, chiedy at Red Hall, in a district called Broadisland, in the county of Antrim. This Archibald was a strict Presbyterian, and being returned member for the county of Stirling, in the Parliament which met at Edinburgh in 16:33, in presence of King Charles L, he strong- ly opposed every effort made by that monarch for the establibh- ment of Episcopacy in Scotland. He had two sons, William and Archibald. Of these the elder, known as the Dumb Laird of Duntreath, was disinherited, and put under the tutelage of his brother, on account of having been born deaf and dumb. He was, however, a person of great vivacity and cheerfulness, with a very retentive memory ; and, according to a portrait which exists of him, of a handsome and intelligent countenance. It is record- 80 STIRLINGSHIRE. ed, moreover, that he had a strong sense of religion ; and a tra- dition is preserved that he was endowed with the faculty of second- sight. He lived to a very advanced life. A tower at Duntreath, which he is said to have occupied, still preserves his name. The inheritance, in consequence of the inBrmity of the elder, devolved upon the younger brother, Archibald. This gentleman followec the same line as his father, in opposing the tyrannical acts o the government, in their endeavour to establish Episcopal juris diction ; and was fined and imprisoned for holding a conventicli in the private chapel of his house of Duntreath. After his release he retired to Ireland, and died in consequence of his exertions ii defending the fort of Culmore, contiguous to Londonderry, at th< period of the famous siege of that city by King James II., a. e 1689. He was succeeded by his son and namesake, who appear to have resided chiefly at Red Hall, so that Duntreath fell info decay. He represented, I believe, the county of Antrim, in th Irish Parliament. He married, first, the Honourable Anne Ers kine, daughter to David, Lord Cardross, ancestor to the preset) Earl of Buchan, by whom he had one daughter ; and, secondl} Anne, daughter to the Honourable John Campbell of Mammorc second son to the unfortunate Earl of Argyle who was beheade A. D. 1685. Her brother, John, succeeded to the dukedom c Argyle, on the death of his cousin, Archibald. By this marriag he had three sons and three daughters, and was succeeded by hi eldest son ; Sir Archibald, created a baronet 1774, who married, first, Su sanna, daughter lo Roger Harenc of Footscray Place, in Kent by whom he had five sons and three daughters ; and, secondly Hester, daughter to Sir John Heathcote of Normanton, in Rut landshire, by whom he had no issue. Sir Archibald sat, for abov< twenty years in Parliament, for the county of Dumbarton, and th' Ayr and Irvine district of burghs. He very judiciously sold th- estate in Ireland, and purchased that of Kilsyth, in 1783, whicl had been forfeited by the Livingstons, Viscounts of Kilsyth, ii 1715, and thus established and concentrated the family in thei native country. He likewise began a liberal system of improve ment upon his estates, which was carried on to a greater exteti and completed by his successor. Sir Archibald died at the ad vanced age of eighty-nine, in 1807, and was succeeded by hi eldest surviving son ; Sir Charles, who married, first, Emma, daughter of Ricfaar STRATHBLANE. 81 Wilbraham Booth of Lathorn House, in the county of Lancas- ter, Esq., and by her had a sod and daughter; and, secondly, the Honourable Louisa Hotham, daughter to Beaumont, second Lord Hotham, by whonni he had four sons and two daughters. Sir Charles represented the county of Stirling in Parliament, for se- . veral years previous to his death, which took place on the 1st of April 1821, in the 6fty>cighth year of his age. He was succeed- ed bv his eldest son ; Sir Archibald, the present Baronet, twelfth in lineal descent from Sir William of Culloden, the first of the branch of Dun- treath. Sir Archibald married, in October 1832, his cousin, Em- ma, daughter of Handle Wilbraham of Rode Hall, in the county of Chester, Esq. The Castle of Duntreath stands on the north side of the Blanc water, near the opening of the narrow and beautiful strath to which that stream gives its name. To the south rises the conical hill of DuDgoiach, covered with natural wood ; and across the valley op- posite, is another hill, clothed likewise with wood, called the Park hill. Tradition asserts that it was once intended to have built the castle here, instead of the valley below. The top certiiinly has been levelled, and a regular way formed up to it. The noble range of the Campsie Hills, which intersect the western end of the county of Stirling, is finely terminated above by the bold heads of Dumgoyn and Dumfoyn. The castle is approached from the west through a detached gate-house, and is rather of a rude construction, built round a quadrangle. The north and east sides arc completely in ruins, having b^en unroofed and left to decay about a century ago. In the former of these sides, is the chapel, of which, according to tra- dition, the gallery once gave way during the service, and several persons were injured. The southern front was never finished. In the south-eastern part of it, is the Dumb Laird's Tower. The castle is surrounded by a park or policy, of moderate extent, but very agreeably varied ; and the scenery of the whole unites cultivation and romantic beauty, in no common degree. Parochial RegUters. — In consequence of the recommendation of the General Assembly, 1816, correct registers have been kept, since that time, of marriagos and births. There is no register of deaths, and, prior to 1810, the registers of marriages and births were ex- ceedingly irregular. The (irst entry in the register of baptisms is dated April 1685. Registers had been kept long before that period ; STIRLING. F 82 STIRLINGSHIUK. but perished through the negligence of those to whose care they had been entrusted. Antiquities. — The castles of Mugdock and Duntreathare the only baronial residences of the feudal ages that remain. The build- ings were large and capacious ; and have been long in ruins. A castle belonging to the Earl of Lennox stood at Ballagan, but every trace of it was removed fifty years ago, when the stones were employed to build the garden wall. An erect stone, on the north of the turnpike road to Campsie, marks the spot where, two centuries ago, Mr Stirling of Balla- gan was killed by a miller of the name of Abernethy. At a little distance from the south-east of the hill of Dungoy- ach, stand six stones. One rises six feet, and another five, above the surface of the soil. The rest are lower. They are placed ir- regularly, and seem intended to commemorate some important victory which our ancestors had achieved on the spot ; but of which no tradition has reached modern times. In 1800, a small enclosure, composed of stakes of oak and birch, was 'discovered under the surface of a moss at Craigend. The enclosure measured three feet nine inches in length, by twenty-two inches in breadth. The stakes were above five feet in length, driven closely together, and from the bruises on their sharpened ends, appeared to have been cut by a stone hatchet. There seemed to have been originally an entrance from the west ; and a few pieces of wood indicated that the enclosure had originally been roofed. The enclosure must have been formed, before the moss covered the soil. It may have been intended as a place of shelter; but its diminutive size gives it rather the appearance of ^a prison, though the frail nature of the materials shows that it was very un- fit for such a purpose. Modern Buildings. — The church is a beautiful building of mo- dern Gothic, reared in 1803. Carbetb, the property of Mr Smith, is an elegant building, finished 1810. Craigend, the residence of James Smith, Esq. completed 1812, isamagnificentedifice. There is one mill for grain of every description, furnished with a complete set of machinery of the most approved construction, and kept in good order. Calico-printing is carried on at Blanefield, according to the most recent improvements. At Dumbroch bleachfield, two spider wheels are employed, each thirty feet in diameter, and the company are masters of a process, which at once reduces the ex- pense of bleaching, and improves the fabric and appearance of the STRATHBLANE. 83 cloth. Were the Irish Board of Linen in possession of the secret, it would add prodigiously to the value of the linen manufacture of Ireland. IIL — Population. ' The average number of baptisms, 1729, 1730, and 1731, was SO. The average number for the years 1829, 1830, and 1831, ^^ivas 24. If this be a fair criterion of the proportion of the popu< Nation at these two periods, the parish must have beep rather more populous a century ago, before the introduction of a large prints £eld and two bleachfields, than it is at present This excess in '^he ancient numbers must have arisen from the great subdivision ^3f farms, and the multitude of cottaries with which the parish then ^sdxiuDded. From the enlargement of farms and the decay of cottaries, the "^population decreased. In 1755 tba population amounted to 797 1795, 620 1811, . 795 1821, . 748 1831, . lOdO 1841, 1045 * The recent increase is occasioned by the enlargement of the manufacturing establishments, which require a great number of hands. The yearly average of births for the seven years ending Whit- sunday 1831, was 7^ ; of deaths, do. 14; of marriages, do. 7^. Three families of independent fortune reside for the greater part of the year in the parish. There are seventeen proprietors of land of the yearly value of L.50 and upwards. Of these, eight are resident, and nine non- resident. Tbe number of bachelors and widowers above 50 years of age, 20 unmarried women above 45, 13 fiiroUics, . 186 inhabited houses, • • 114 iminhabited houses, . 4 There is nothing peculiar in the strength, size, or complexion of the people. There are two insane persons, but none either blind, deaf, or dumb. IV. — Industry. JffricuUure, — There are either cultivated or occasionally in tillage, of standard imperial measure, 8150 acres. Formerly cultivated, but now in pasture, ^^ Never cultivated, but perpetually in pasture, 8200 84 STIRLINGSHIRE. Under wood, natural or planted, • 2000 aerefl. Lakes, . . . • 190 Occupied by streams, 100 by roads, . 200 i4oeo 1000 acres might be profitably added to the cultivated land. Plantations.— 'The most common natural wood is birch, arrans or alders, hazel, and willow. A great variety of forest trees are planted. The most common are, the Scotch 6r, larch, oak, ash, elm, beech, Huntingdon willow, and Lombardy poplar. Great attention is paid to the woods. Most of the plantations are young, and give every promise of yielding their proprietors a rich return. Rent of Land. — The average rent of arable land per imperial acre is L.l, Ss. The average rent of grazing is L.2, 10s. per cow, and 6s. per sheep. The utmost pains are employed to suit the husbandry to the soil ; and the farmers are perpetually on the alert to adopt new discoveries, and to improve their different agricultural processes. Two crops of oats are generally taken. The second is sown down with peropnial ryegrass. The third crop is ryegrass, fol- lowed by three years pasture. In some cases, the 6rst crop is oats ; the second is green crop of potatoes or turnips;^ the third is wheat or barley, sown down with grass seeds ; the fourth is hay, followed by three or four years pasture. Few portions of the soil require either embanking or irrigation. Draining is much needed : and both covered and open drains have been carried to a great extent. Within the last twenty years, about 300 acres of waste land have been reclaimed. The process most frequently employed, is to trench two spadings deep ; smooth the bottom of the trench ; and place the tough and heathy side of the upper spading in the bottom of the trench. As the trenches run in the direction of the declivity, the heathy sur- face, when removed, acts as a drain. The large stones that are turned out are used for dikes, and the smaller ones for covered drains. This trenching is executed for L.5 per acre. Before the crop is sown, each acre is limed at the rate of four or 6ve chalders. The chalder of lime, according to the distance from the kiln, costs from L. 1 to L.1, 5$. The duration of the leases is generally nineteen years. The farm-buildings and enclosures are generally in good repair. The tenants are suffering greatly from having contracted to pay money-rents. While the nominal rent remains the same, the great STRATHBLANE. 35 reduction id the price of produce has rendered it nearly double. This may be remedied by 6xing the rent of the arable farms in so many bolls of oats at the fiars prices ; and the grass farms at so many sheep or cattle, at the average prices of the three Fal- kirk trysts. Quarry. — The only quarry in the parish is of sandstone, which generally employs two men. There is no fishing. Average gross amount of raw produce raised in the parish of Strathblane : — Aena, Bolls. Toul. Price. ^SOotOM^ 4| per acre, 2475 L.0 16 L.1980 140burley« 5 do. 700 110 735 BOwfatat, 7 do. 420 14 504 8 beans, 7 do. 56 16 44 16 40 turniiM, . 12 tons. 480 15 860 laOpoUtoes, 24 Mia. 3336 8 1334 8 aOOrjegnuB bay, lOOstonaa, 30,000 3 900 110 natural bay, 75 do. 8250 1 15 144 7 6 290 ndH^ cows yield L. 10 eacb, 2900 100 yoiti^; and old cows sold, each L.6, . 600 250 eowa grased till fattened, eaoh L.3, 750 67 score of sheep yields 60 score of lambti, per score L.8, 480 Eadi score of sheep yields 3} sUnies of wool, at Os. per stone, 70 7 12 horses sold each at L. 18 216 Tliinnings and periodical fdlings of wood, , 200 Freestone quarry, ,_ , 12 Total, The gross produce is balanced by 47 men servants employed in farm work, each at L.15, Maintenanceof do. each at L.ld, .... 47 female senrants, each L.8, ..... Maintenance of do. each L. 10, Nine shepherds, wages and maintenance, each L.22, Wages to 10 labourers at Us. per week, Keep of 88 horses for farm work, each L.25, Keep of 44 young and old horses, L.13, Dung and lime for 250 acres at L.5 each, Rent for 3150 acres arable, L.1, 3s., Rent for grazing 250 fat cattle, L.2, 10s., Rent lor 67 score of sheep, each L.5, 10s. L.1128'^ To this must be added the maintenance of 4:2 farmers with their families ; wages paid to extra hands in harvest and other hiring sea- sons ; and the wages paid to smiths, masons, wrights, saddlers, &c Manufactures. — An establishment for calico-printing employs 20 journeymen block-printers, who gain each, at an average, L.], Is. per week, or L.54, 12s. per annum; 20 apprentices, who gain each, at an average, 10s. 6d. per week, or L. 27, 6s. per an- num; 30 male labourers, who gain each 10s. per week, or L.26 L.llldO 18 6 L.705 611 376 470 198 286 2200 572 1250 3622 10 625 366 10 86 ST1KLING8HIUE. per aDnum ; 8 women, who gain 5s. per week, or L. 13 per annum ; 25 boys, under fourteen years of age, who gain 2s. dd. per week, or L.5, 17s. per annum ; 20 girls, who gain each 2s. per week, or L.5, 4s. per annum. They work six days in the week, and ten hours a-day, and receive annually in wages L. 2772, 5s« One bleaching establishment employs 30 men, 20 women, 8 boys, under fourteen years, and 6 girls. They work six days in the week, and eleven hours a day. The wages of the men vary according to the nature of their work, from 1 Is. to 21s. per week. The wages of the women are Gs. per week, and of the boys and girls Ss. 9d. Taking the average of the men at 14s. per week, the total annual wages will be L.1540, 10s. Another bleachBeld employs 3 men, above twenty years of age, at 12s. per week, making per annum, L. 93, 12s. ; 2 men, under twenty years, at 10s. per week, making L.52 per annum ; and 12 women, all above twenty years, at 6s. per week, making Lb 187, 48. In all, L. 332, 16s. The wages are considered as affording a fair remuneration to those who are employed in these works. The labour is as healthy as that of farming. Many of the workers are distinguished for their piety and intelligence. By the constant employment which they give to many who would otherwise be idle, and by the de- mand which the workers make for farm-produce, these establish- ments are of great advantage to the parish. Farmers^ Society, — The Farmers' Society is the only Associa- tion in the parish for the purpose of improving its members in the theory and practice of their profession ; and it has done much to - promote a good style of ploughing. V. — Parochial Economy. Market-Town. — Glasgow, at the distance of twelve miles from the centre of the parish, is the nearest market-town ; with which communication is maintained every day by post ; by two Baliron carriers, who pass through the parish to and from Glasgow, four times in the week ; and by a stage-coach which runs betwixt Glas- gow and Balfron every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday. Means of Communication. — Ten miles of turn pike- road intersect the parish. The narrowness of the road in the Strath, and the hilliness of the high ground amid which it passes, render it ex* ceedingly exhausting and injurious to horses in draught. There are ten stone bridges in the parish ; but an eleventh is wanted to render the accommodation complete. The Strath and table-land STttAlHBLANE. 87 are thoroughly enclosed ; and the farms kept generally in good repair. Ecdetiastical State, — The church is the only place of worship within the parish. It is a handsome edifice, of modern Gothic, built 1303. It is seated for 450, and the sittings are all free< The people have furnished it with a steam-boiler and pipe for heat- ing it in winter. A few families are three miles from the church ; but the greater proportion of the inhabitants live near it. The manse was built in 1 828 ; and is a large, substantial, and commodious house. 'J'he glebe consists of 10 imperial acres ; and is worth L.16 per annum. The stipend consists of 9 bolls, 2 6rlots, 2 pecks, 2 lippies bar- ley, at L.l, Is. per boll, making L.10, 2s. 9§d.; 103 bolls, 2 lip- pies meal, at 16$. per boll, L. 82, 8s. 3d.; money, L.139, 6s. 9d. lnaUL.2dl» 17s. 9gd. Divine service is well attended. The average number of com* municants is 250. Bible Society, — A Bible Society for the circulation of the cano* nical Scriptures only, instituted December 1813, has already re- mitted to the London, Edinburgh, and Glasgow Bible Societies L.192, being L.9, 12s. per annum. A Missionary Society was instituted June 1823. The average amount of church collections yearly for religious and charitable purposes, exclusive of the ordinary collections for the parochial poor, may probably amount to L. 8. Temperance Society, — A Temperance Society, instituted July 1830, contains 84 adult, and 56 juvenile members. It has been of the greatest service in checking dissipation, and improving the morals and comfort of the people. Education. — There are one parochial school and two private schools. One of the private schools is aided by subscription. The parochial school- room is 18 feet in length, by 16 feet in breadth, and 7 feet from floor to joists. Besides being badly lighted, and in every respect a most ill-aired, wretched hovel, it is by far too small. In order to enlarge it, some of the heritors strongly recommend an excavation, which will remove the floor farther from the ceiling. But they have not yet shown how this process will enlarge the area. The parochial school is near the centre of the parish, and few of the children are more than two miles distant. The greater part of the people are fully alive to the benefits of education ; 88 STIRLINGSHIRE. but a few of the more stupid and dissipated are ignorant of its value, and allow their children to grow up without education. Many even above the age of fifteen read very imperfectly ; twelve adults cannot read at all. Literature. — A parish library was formed in 1817, which now contains, nearly 700 volumes of standard works in theology and general literature. A Young Man's Society combines the double object of a Me- chanics' Institution and a religious meeting. On an evening of one week, a literary paper is read, and its subject discussed. On an evening in the succeeding week, a paper is read, and a subject discussed for the religious improvement of the members. This Society consists of 6fteen members. Saving^ Bank. — A Savings' Bank was opened, January 6, 1832. Poor and Parochial Funds. — The average number of poor re- ceiving parochial aid is 11. The average sum allotted to eaclk annually is L. 4, 10s. The collections at the church door annu- ally, L. 30, 15s. Annual' donation from Sir A. Edmonstone, L. 5. The interest on L. 515 saved by the managers of the poor's money, L. 12, 17s. 6d. The dissipated and improvident have no re- luctance to ask parochial relief. The industrious, sober, and pious, regard parochial aliment as a disgrace. When reduced to pover- ty they are supported by the generous. Fair. — A fair is held on the 10th of November, for the sale of cattle, but especially of those that are fed. Alehouses, — There are six alehouses in the parish. They keep their customers in the most abject poverty, and have the most per- nicious effect on the morals and the domestic happiness of those who frequent them. Fuel. — Peats are occasionally used in a few houses : but coal is the fuel principally employed. It is procured from Campsie, Kirkintilloch, Baldernock, and New Kilpatrick ; when laid down^ costs, according to the distance, from 9s. to 15s. per ton. • ^ Revised March 1841. PARISH OF BUCHANAN. PRBSBYTERT OF DUMBARTON, SYNOD OF GLASGOW AND AYR. REV. WILLIAM FREELAND, MINISTER.* L — Topography and Natural History. Name and Extent. — This parish was originally called Inchcaile- och, from an island of that name in Lochlomond, where there had been a nunnery prior to the Reformation, and where the parish church remained for a century afterwards. It consists of several islands in the lake, and of a mountainous track on its eastern bank. In 1621, there was annexed a detached part of the parish of Luss, containing the lands of the old family of Buchanan. Near the mansion, was the chapel of Buchanan, which, being more commo- dious for the population, was used as the ordinar}' place of public worship, and gradually gave its name to the whole parish. Bu- chanan is bounded by Lochlomond, on the west ; by the parish of Arrochar, on the north : by Loch Katrine, and by the parishes of Aberfoyle and Drymen, on the east ; and by the river Endrick, on the south. There has been no measurement of the parish. It is supposed to be 24 miles in length, and 5 in breadth ; its area, in- cluding the islands and mainland, may be stated at 120 square miles, or 76,800 acres. The 'annexed part is situated in the Lowlands of Scotland, con- sisting of fertile alluvial land on the bank of the Endrick, and of a track of ground gently rising towards the base of the mountains. Within this, is Buchanan House, the residence of the Duke of Montrose, with its extensive pleasure grounds and plantations. The rest of the ))arish is in the Highlands, and forms the western termination of the Grampian bills. It is a mountainous ridge, ex- tending along the bank of the lake ; deeply indented, on the east, by Glendow, where the river Forth has its rise ; and intersected near the north end by Glenarklet, a vale extending from Loch Katrine to Lochlomond. This Highland district is rugged and barren, and at an early period, if we may judge from the names of • Drawn up by John Graham, D. D, Killearn. 90 STIRLINGSUIRK. places, seems to have been chiefly used as hunting-ground. At the head of Lochlomond stands Benlui, (Fawn's hilU) where the deer had their coverts, and reared their young. When roused from their lair, they generally directed their course along the east bank of the lake. At Chonan-nish, where the ground became somewhat level and practicable, there the chase began ; hence its name signifying, now for the dog$ ! If the pursuit were unsuc- cessful along the skirts of Benlomond, . it often had a melancholy conclusion at Conichill, which forms the southern acclivity of the Grampian range, and whose abrupt precipices were fatal to the eager dogs; Conichill, or more properly Chonnakill, signifying the dog^s grave. The most striking object is Benlomond. On the north, it is precipitous ; on the south, setting out from the Inn of Rowardennan, on the bank of the lake, you ascend easily in three hours, walking over a space of three miles. When you reach its conical summit, overtopping every surrounding eminence, and ele- vated 8000 feet above the level of the sea, you have on the north an endless succession of mountains, like the billows of the stormy ocean ; and on the south, you have presented before you, as on a map, the riches and beauty of the central district of Scotland, froooi the Western Isles to the Frith of Forth. Islands. — Of the islands belonging to this parish, several are of considerable extent and value. Inchcaileoch,* which once contain- ed a nunnery and the parish church, is now, without house and in- habitant, covered with copse-wood. Inchfad and Inchcruin are ara- ble and inhabited. Inchmurrin, the largest of the whole — being two miles long and one broad — is the deer park of the Duke of Mon- trose, containing about 200 fallow deer. The keeper cultivates some ground around his house. At the west end of the island, on a projecting eminence, are the ruins of a castle of the ancient Earls of Lennox ; near which is a modern lodge, erected by the present family. There also are some islets, uninhabited, belong- ing to Mrs M. Buchanan of Ross. Lakes and Rivers. — There are three small lakes within the pa- rish : but they attract no notice in the vicinity of Lochlomond, whose beauties have been often described. It is 24 miles long : The names of places are Celtic. IncJicaiieoch signifying old woman's island ; luc^ad, long island; Inchcruin^ round island; /«c/»mMrrln, the island of St Murrin, who was the tutelary saint of Paisley. The etymology of Buchanan is uncertain. Lochlomond is evidently the same name with Lac-us Leman-us of Helvetia, in the time of Cansar. Lomond, signifies bare hill or beacon. Benlomond was reckoned higher than 3000 feet, till the recent Trigonometrical Survey of Scotland. nUCllANAN. 91 the greatest breadth is about 7 miles. It is 22 feet above the level of the sea. Its outlet is the river Leven, which meets the tide- way, after a course of three miles, about a mile above its junction with the Clyde. As the Leven flows in a narrow channel, it is insufiBcient for the rapid discharge of any sudden influx of water into the lake. The level of the lake, therefore, varies with the season; it is lowest in the drought of summer; it rises when the rains of autumn commence ; and reaches its maximum in the month of February. The difierence between the summer and the winter level is about seven feet. In winter, the lake overflows much va- luable land at the mouth of the Endrick ; and if the rainy season sets in early and copiously, much damage is done to the natural hay and corn crops. In 1782, the harvest was late and rainy, and followed by an early and severe winter. The corn, before it was ripe, was covered with water, and then with ice. The upper part of the lake, from its great depth, never freezes ; the lower part is occa- sionally frozen. In 1814, the ice was so strong between the main* land and Inchmurrin, as to admit travelling on foot. In 1740, the lake was frozen from Buchanan to Luss, so as to carry both men and cattle. It is understood that the surface of the lake is gradually and permanently rising. The cause is evidently the in- creasing bar at its outlet. The chief tributary rivers are the Eud- rick on the east, and the Fruin on the west, which flow into the lower part of the lake, and deposit their alluvion near its mouth. Geology. — The mountains, like the rest of the Grampian range, belong to the primary formation. Schistus is the chief mineral. Roof-slate and lime frequently occur ; but neither are used, nor can be used, to any extent. The former is too heavy to pay for land-carriage, now that the duty is taken off" slate carried coast- wise ; the latter cannot be burned with advantage, on account of the distance from coal. Zoology. — Wild animals abound, from the varied accommoda- tion which the parish affords. Ptarmigan and white hares arc found on Benlomond. The mountain eagle is still seen occa- sionally there. One was caught in a trap in 1836. Grouse is common on the bleak upland moors ; but it is remarked that this species is giving way to black game, which seem to multiply with the increasing shelter of wood. Roes, for' the same reason, are now common. Pheasants were introduced by the late Duke of Montrose, and have spread throughout the whole extent of Strath Endrick. Squirrels have recently come of their own accord. Hares 92 STIRLINOSIIIRE. are numerous in Buchanan grounds, where they are strictly pre* served. It may be observed, that the ground . under crop bears a very small proportion to that in pasture, and that the depredations of wild animals are severely felt by corn-farmers. Wood. — Though the woods in the parish, both natural and plant* ed, are of great extent, there is no tree of remarkable size. Hiere are manv oaks from 10 to 13 feet in circumference. One near Bu- chanan House, at the height of five feet from the ground, is 14 feet in circumference, and contains 200 feet of timber. Another oak is 18 feet in girth near the surface, but immediately branches out into five stems, called the Five Sisters of Buchanan. These trees are supposed to be 300 years old. II. — Civil History. Family of Buchanan. — " The History of the Family and Sur« name of Buchanan," by Buchanan of Auchmar, contains the only ancient account of the parish. The founder of the family was Anselan, a native of Ireland, who is said to have arrived in the eleventh century. His descendants originally bore the name of M^ Asian, a corruption of Anselan, and were chamberlains to the Earls of Lennox. At an early period, they obtained a grant of part of the lands of Buchanan, which afterwards became the fami- ly name. In 1225, they received from Malduin, Earl of LennoXi a charter for Clarinch, an islet in Lochlomond, which was adopt- ed as the war-cry of the clan. In 1296, ** Malcolm de Bough- canian" appears in the list of proprietors of Stirlingshire * who swore fealty to Edward I. of England. In 1482, a younger son founded the house of Drumnahill, from which sprung, in i506| the celebrated George Buchanan. In 1519, " Walterus Buo- quhanan de eodem" conveyed to his son, Walter, the lands of Spittal.-f- In 1682, the direct line of male succession became ex- tinct; and, in the absence of other competitors, the late Dr H. Buchanan of Spittal and Lenny, claimed, in 1826, to be chief of the family. The Buchanans are a numerous clan in the Lennox and adjacent counties. Besides the M* Asians already mention* ed, they recognize as clansmen some other branches whose names are common in this district, particularly the Zuils and the Risks, — originally soubriquets of individuals, but afterwards surnames of their descendants. The one was so called from the day of his birth, Yule, (Christmas); the other from the place of his resi* * Nimmo's History of Stirlingshire, Appendix, No. 3. t Claim by Francis H. Buchanan, M. D. 1826. BUCHANAN* 93 denoe, the Risk (a bare knoll) of Drymen. Many of the Bu- chaoans have settled and prospered in Glasgow, where they esta- blished a charitable society for the poor mentbers of the clan in the Lennox and elsewhere, which distributes the interest of their capital, amounting to upwards of L. 500 per annum, among all -their branches, whatever be their name. The family of Bu- chanan, though it flourished for upwards of 500 years, while Scot- land remained a separate kingdom, was never distinguished in po- litical transactions. One evident cause was the smallness of the family estate, which included only the lower part of the present parish. Their fame rests on their literary eminence. Besides the classical Buchanan, they can boast of Dr Buchanan, already mentioned, celebrated for his valuable works on the civil and na- tural history of India, (obiit 15th June 1829); and Dr Claudius Buchanan, who is entitled to respect and gratitude for having, by his writings and labours, excited the British nation to send the bles- aings of education and religion to their Indian empire, (ob. 9th February 1815.) Family of Montrose, — At the death of the last Buchanan of that Ilk, in 168t^, the estate was sold by his creditors, and pur- chased by the family of Montrose. They, too, claim high anti- quity. Without asserting the existence of the Caledonian, who, in the fifth century, is said to have broken down Agricola's Wall, and to have given it his own name of Graham's Dike, it may be stated, that the present Duke of Montrose is the twentieth lineal descendant from Sir Patrick de Graham, who fell, regretted by friend and foe, in the battle of Dunbar, in 1296. * This family, unlike their predecessor, is famed for their military achievements ; 'and numbers among their sons, Sir John de Graham, the com- panion of Wallace ; the Marquis of Montrose, who flourished in the civil wars; the Viscount Dundee, who fell bravely, but vainly, attempting to support the tottering throne of James II. ; and the present Lord Lynedoch, who distinguished himself by his chival- rous exertions in the wars of the French Revolution. The late Duke (ob. 80th December 1836) must be mentioned as an able, persevering patron of agriculture. During a long life, he was un- wearied in embellishing his residence at Buchanan, in improving and extending his plantations, and in introducing superior breeds of farm stock. The Clan Gregor. — The history of the Macgregors is now * Httiles*s Annals of Scotland, anno 12$)6. 94 STIRLINGSHIRE. familiar to all, from the ample account of them given by Sir Wal- ter Scott in his introduction to Rob Roy. It may be remarked, that their predatory and even sanguinary practises are characteris- tic rather of a state of society than of a peculiar family, and will occur wherever, under a feeble government, a rude tribe is settled in the vicinity of an industrious civilized population. Black mail was levied on the English border, as well as on the skirts of the Grampians ; and the exaction of that anomalous tribute by the Armstrongs of the south, was the same in kind, though inferior in degree and duration, with that of the Macgregors in the north. This sept occupied the upper part of Buchanan. Their noted chieftain, Robert Macgregor, better known as Rob Roy, (Red Rob,) was proprietor of Inversnaid in Glenarklet. A cave, bear- ing his name, is still shown in that neighbourhood ; but it has no other claim to notoriety, being merely the interstices between huge loose rocks, and well adapted for temporary concealment to an outlaw. In the beginning of last century, Rob Roy was a trou- blesome neighbour to the family of Montrose. I^ws were passed against the whole clan, and, to overawe them, a fort was erected at Inversnaid, and garrisoned by a company of soldiers. All these measures were of little avail. The Macgregors removed a few miles farther into the Highlands, and continued the exaction of black- mail till the suppression of the Rebellion of 1745, when an ef- fectual remedy was applied, by opening up roads to inaccessible districts, by abolishing the heritable jurisdiction of the larger pro- prietors, and substituting, for the feeble baronial courts, an eflB- cient national administration of justice. Relinquishing their law- less habits, the Macgregors soon learnt to emulate their country- men in arts and arms. They are still, after being doomed to re- peated proscriptions, and being engaged in successive rebellions, a numerous race, and are found everywhere, not only under their proper name, but also under the slight alterations of Gregor, Gregory, Gregorson, and Grierson. Their chief, in former times, was often elective. In 1798, Sir John Macgregor Murray, Bart was raised to that dignity, by the choice of 826 clansmen, able to bear arms. III. — Population. From the middle of last century, the population has constantly declined. It appears from the parish register, that, on an ave- rage of ten years from 1715, the number of baptisms was 49, which is four times more than the present amount. BUCHANAN. 95 Dr Web«tcr*s return, 1755, gave 1099 Statistical Account 1793, 1611 Census . 1801, 748 Do. 1831, (should have been) .600 The number stated in last census is 787, which is greatly over- . rated. It was taken early in summer, when, besides the resident population, there were many women and children from the adja- cseot Yillages, and even from Greenock, employed in the annual cutting of oak copse : these were all included in the return to Go* ▼emment The real amount is stated in the table. The decrease of the population is ascribed to the enlargement of farms, and to the introduction of sheep-husbandry. Th^re is no village in the parish. The whole population may be called agricultural ; for though there arc about ten families of tradesmen, none of them depends exclusively on his trade. There is a register kept of baptisms, marriages, and deaths ; but the first is incorrect, as many parents omit to register their children, and the omission is calculated at one-sixth of the whole number. The year! J average for last seren years of births registered, 10 do. omitted, 2 of deaths, . 7 of marriages, 3 In explanation of the marriages, or rather proclamation of banns, it must be stated, that the total number for the last seven years, where both parties, and where the male parties were parishioners, w treated of the minister who offered her relief, that whatever he bestowed should not be from the parish funds. The people's sym- pathy and prompt liberality have done for her what the parish funds could ill afford. Such a spirit, while it may be characteriz- ed as that of honest pride, it is to be hoped, has respect to the promise, " Leave thy fatherless children, I will preserve them alive — let thy widows trust in me." Such a spirit, there is no doubt, will lead to industry, and will raise up friends to help, and so will God ful61 his promise. Police^ Prison^ §-c — There is not a justice of peace, nor magis- trate of any kind resident within the bounds of this parish ; neither is there a jail or lock-up house from the most westerly verge of the county onward to Stirling, — a distance of nearly fifty miles. The consequence is, that crinre and misdemeanour frequently go unpunished, the arm of the law not being long enough nor strong enough to reach so far; and parties who have been injured, pre- ferring to suffer damage rather than be put to the trouble and ex- DENNY. 115 t^ose of seeking redress at a distance. This is the cause of much complaint* Irnis^ 4*^ — There are 12 inns or public-houses in the parish ; of these, there are 7 in the village, certainly by far too many for any good or salutary purpose. Their influence on the morals and cir- cumstances of the people is exceedingly injurious. There is but one opinion among all well-thinking people in the community here, as to the necessity of something being done towards the reduction of the number of licenses. Fudy jrc— In consequence of the distance and expense of coal, its use is limited among the lower orders here. Their chief fuel is peat, which is to be had in abundance in the moors in the neigh- bourhood. The nearest good coal is to be had at Garscube,^ thirteen miles from Drymen. The price of a cart of 14 cwt., in- cluding carriage and tolls, is from Ids. to 14s. WriUm December \eaS— Revised March 1841. PARISH OF DENNY. PRKSBYTERT OF STIRLING, SYNOD OF P£RTII AND STIRLING. THE REV. JOHN DEMPSTER, MINISTER. I. — Topography and Natural History. Name. — Thb name, it is conjectured, is a corruption of the Gae- lic word Dun^ signifying a hill. It is descriptive of the locality, upon the height of a gentle acclivity, which slopes on the north to the river Carron, and on the south to Sclanders burn. The church is 400 yards from the nearest bank of Carron, and the boQses extend from the church down a neat street to the bridge over the Carron, here called Denny-bridge. The ancient village consisted of a broad street, having a row of houses on each side directly east from the church, on the road to Falkirk and Edin- burgh. A new street, parallel to this broad Street, with one row of neat bouses on the north side, has risen since this century commenced. This street is called, in honour of the principal he- .ritor, Herbertshire Street There are no houses on the southern • Within the ls«t year one of the recently appointed Rural Police has been sU« Hied at Balfron. But one man, who haa the supervision of 6ve parishes, can do us Tcrj little good — 1841. nC STIRLINGSHIRE. declivity of the little eminence on which the town stands, partly from the glebe being on the west side of that declivity, and part- ly from the nature of the ground on the east side, and high price of feuing.* Extent — The parish is generally computed at 6 English miles in length, and 4 in breadth, on an average. It is much about the same dimensions as laid down in a map of the county of Stir- ling, from a survey by Grassom, and published in 1817. About the same time, a survey and valuation of the rent of the parish was made by Mr William Kemp, land-surveyor, by direction of the Honourable Charles Elphinstone Fleming of Cumbernauld, supe- rior of a great part of the parish, — a copy of which is before me, dated 9th July 1818, subscribed by Mr Kemp. The extent in Scots acres, according to him, exclusive of the common, which was divided in 1800, is 5314 acres, 4 falls, valued at the yearly rent of L. 79 14. The extent of the common he makes 702 acres, 20 falls Scots measure, and the yearly value, L. 173, 8s. 44d. Both together make the parochial territory 6016 acres, 24 falls Scots measure, and the rental, L. 8087, 8s. 4id. Boundaries. — The Darrach Hill, a principal feature of this parish, {^^Hill of Oaks,*) f forms the western boundary, fromwhich^ sloping to the eastward, in few places with abruptness, the whole parish stretches along to the parish of Dunipace, its boundary in that direction. The rivers Carron and Bonny are its lateral boundaries, Carron on the north, and Bonny on the south. On the^est and north of Carron, the contiguous parishes are St Ni- nians and Dunipace ; and on the south, Falkirk and Cumbernauld. The parish of Kilsyth is the boundary on the south west. Topographical appearances, — The figure of the parish is ir- regular, but has some resemblance to a parallelogram. In this figure, but more to the north side, there is a wide irregular ridge of whinstone and freestone through its whole length, from which the grounds slope on each side — on the north towards Carron, and on the south towards Bonny, dividing the parish into two nearly equal parts, both as to extent and population, often called South and North Herbertshire, and referred to in * The entry to Denny from the south is now improved by a new tumpUie being made. An excellent house, fronting botii the west and the notth, has been erected on the cast side of the road. The road is now wide, and of easy ascent, fi-om the erection of a new bridge over Sclandersburn. The height opposite tbe church-gate has been levelled, and the appearance of the town by this entry is even l)eautiful.— (1841.) f N'imnio's History of Stirlinfrsbiic, p. 740. DKNNY. 117 Tarious tenures by these appellations, as the lands happen to lie on the north or south side of the parochial ridge. The reason of these appellations is unknown. If true, as the editor of the second edition of Nimmo's History of Stirlingshire states, page 789, that Herbertshire was the name of a parish,* Denny might have been part of that parish, and have thus got its natural divisions characterized. The surface of the parish is diversified by heights and hollows, blended together by varied and beautiful uodulations. The only hill within it, is Myothill, the property of John Graham, Esq. It is in the upper division of the parish, which is called Temple Denny. It is comparatively small, but beauti- ful, of a conical shape, and lies at the base of Darrach Hill, justi- fying, firom its general, lateral, and summit smoothness, its name of Myot, which is conjectured by the editor already mentioned to signify smooth or soft. Myothill- House stands at the bottom of the hill, embosomed in trees, and forms the most prominent parochial object to the traveller westward from Falkirk. The turrettcd antique grandeur of Herbertshire, the house of the lady of the late William Forbes, Esq. of Callendar, and mother of the present William Forbes, Esq. of Callendar, late Member of Par- liament for the county of Stiriing, first, indeed, attracts notice, from its fine elevated position on the northern bank of Carron, in a lawn adorned with ancient trees ; but, although the fourth part of the parish of Denny belongs to its proprietor, Herbertshire is ID the parish of Dunipace. The undulations of the surface for a mile about Denny, and more especially to the eastward, are no- ticed as varied and attractive, and by strangers particularly admir- ed for their beautv. The rush of the diluvial waters from Darrach Hill to the Forth, sweeping before them the softer mould, seems to have occasioned the tasteful knolls in this direction, which adorn the lower fields of the parish. Hydrography. — Springsabound in the parish. but none of them are remarkable for peculiar properties. Castlerankine (conjectured to mean Casik of the headland point J burn is the largest rivulet that runs through the parish. It forms the boundary between Temple Denny, and North and South Herbertshire, markingoff that portion of the parish — a third part, perhaps, of the whole — which, it is said, once belonged to the Knights Templars. It rises in the south-west, at a little distance from the base of Darrach Hill, and falls into Car- • It i» mentioned w a barony in a charter of Robert I. Nlinmo's Hist. p. 575. Il8 STIRLINGSHIRE. ron, near Denny Bridge. It takes part in contributing to the manufactured products of the parish. About a mile from Denny, there was once a lint-mill driven by its waters. Next, about five years ago, a small print field was set down, instead of the lint- mill. The printfield having not succeeded, was relinquished; and Messrs John Gray & Son have now, within these twelve months, in consequence of extending their dyewood manufactory, become proprietors of it. Lower down the rivulet, there are che- mical works, for making pyrolignous acid and its compounds, in which its waters are useful for keeping the metal conduits cooK But both these manufactories will be more particularly noticed afterwards. Cascades. — In the division called Temple Denny, and within a mile of the new bridge over Carron, on the road to Fintry, about five miles west from Denny, there is a cascade called AuchinliUy- lin-spout. In the first year of the present century, the wild natural beauties of the spot were transformed into a sort of fairy- land, by the genius of Robert Hill, Esq. W. S. Edinburgh, who had purchased the lands of Forrest Hill, of which it is a part. A rustic cottage of whinstone, with the angular points facing one in all directions, was built on the very margin of a deep fissure, through which the waters of Carron flow, to be tossed over the rock of Auchinlilly, within perhaps six yards of the heath-covered cottage. There were a kitchen, a- cellar, and other apartments ; and also a stable was dug chiefly out of the rock, below the level of the floor of the cottage. On that floor, were a handsome dining- room, drawing-room, and two small bed-rooms. A spacious win- dow in the dining-room fronted, westward, the rushing waters as they fell over the rock into the fissure, in their course to the spout. The river was seen, for some way up its channel, diffused in com- parative largeness of expansion, and studded with tiny rocks, which might be reached when the waters were low. At other times, the river, swollen by the rains around the Muckle Bin, from which it takes its rise, and by the various feeders of the Carron between the Bin and Auchinlilly, rushing forward in roaring majesty, pre- sented a magnificent spectacle from the dining-room window. On one occasion, the stream, having suddenly risen much above its usual elevation, struck the dining-room window with its surges, and, increasing in strength, burst through the window, and, rushing into the kitchen and cellar, made a new cataract over the rock adjoining the spout, into the channel of the riven DENNY. 119 No lives were lost The damage was speedily repaired, and, to prevent in future such accidents, a deep excavation in the rock was made in front of the cottage, through to its east rocky banksi suflScient to receive any future overflowings. It was arch- ed over, and thereby easy access, as formerly, to the entrance to the cottage was provided. The banks on each side of the river were planted ; walks were made along their sloping sides, with resting-places at proper stations, for enjoying the picturesque beau- ties of the scene. A carriage way from the turnpike, from Denny to Pintry, was formed down to the cottage. A bridge of plank^ close to the spout, was thrown over the fissure, which divides Denny parish from St Ninians, to give access to the garden on the other side. For a time, it was the resort of the curious, who came even from a distance to see and enjoy the scenery of the Cliffs of Carron, the name by which it was known. A mother's fears for her offspring, amidst so many perils, soon made the ami- able and accomplished lady of the property, a stranger to its beau- ties. The last interesting inhabitant of this once enchanting and still beautifully wild place, was the widowed sister of the amiable Graham, the Sabbath poet. Since she left it, some dozen years ago, it has gradually decayed, and has at present only the ruins of its beauty remaining. It is now the property of Archibald Wish- art, Esq. W. S. Deputy- Keeper of the Register of Sasines, Edin- burgh. Rochi. — The rocks are whinstone and freestone. The dip in a recently opened freestone quarry in the parochial ridge, already mentioned, is from the north, cropping-out on the south. Its co- lour is whitish. There are other freestone rocks, of yellowish and greyish colour, as well as whitish. Sails. — On the lower banks of Carron and Bonny, the soil is loamy. In the upper parts, it is frequently marshy, and in the central parts, gravelly. Mines, — The mines in the parish are of ironstone and coal. The ironstone lies in Castlerankine division of the parish ; the coal is diffused over the upper part of the parochial surface, and more especially in the southern quarter, called Banknock. The coal QD the northern side of the parochial ridge, though nearest Denny imd the manufactories, is only occasionally worked, owing to the want of a level for drawing off the water ; and it is doubted whe- ther the quality of it be such as would indemnify the working it by steam. 120 STIRLlNGSlllUE. Banknock coal is the common fuel of the parish and neighbour- hood, and is sent by means of the adjoining canal, both to Green- ock and Edinburgh. There are three strata of this mineral in the district of Banknock. No. 1. The upper seam of 60 acres, 3 feet 6 inches thick. No. 2. The thin seam, 160 acres, 22 inches thick ; and. No. 3. the main seam, of about 100 acres and b feet thick. The deepest pit at present is 68 fathoms deep. JVood. — There are no plantations in the parish ; but there may be about 200 acres of coppice wood on the property of William Forbes, Esq. 11. — Civil Histoby. The parish of Denny was originally a part of the parish of Fal- kirk, from which it was separated, as is supposed, (for the records are lost), about the year 161 a The rector of Falkirk had a vicar at Denny, who, besides the small tithes, had a valuable glebe of 28 acres, which was by the last vicar, before the Reformation in 1560, in some way, secured to some of his family connections. The vicar's name was Oswald. The property was conGrmed to the family by a formal approbation of James VI. Excerpts from that proceeding, written in Latin, are before me. The text is not complete. The property continued in the name of Oswald until the death (about twenty-live years ago) of James Oswald of Dryborough. Dryborough is adjacent to Denny, and is the name by which the ancient glebe lands are at present known. The Protestant minister had 4^ acres Scots provided for him out of the glebe lands, — a provision which is still enjoyed by his successor, and which constitutes the whole glebe land which now belongs to the cure. There are deeds among the sasinesof Stirlingshire from 1 520 to 1620, kept in the Register- Office, Edinburgh, which the curious will be rewarded by consulting on the subject of church lands, as applicable to the parish of Falkirk, and to Denny, as part of that parish. The minister of the parish of Polmont, disjoined also from Falkirk about a century ago, draws from the heritors in Temple Denny, in this parish, the equivalent for his grass glebe, a satisfying evidence that both parishes were, at one time, portions of the parish of Falkirk. Chief Land-owners. — William Forbes, Esq. of Callendar is the principal land-owner in the parish. He has lately added to his extensive domains in various parishes in Scotland, the fine estate of Donovan, on the opposite side of the Carron, and is now principal heritor in Dunipace as well as in Dennv. 4 . DKNNY. 121 Mr Forbes holds the fourth part of the valued rent of Denny ; John Graham, Esq. of Myothill is the other principal heritor of Denny, and resident in the parish, whose estate is about one- seventeenth part of the valued rent. The remaining heritors are about 120 in number. Parochial Registers. — The parochial registers consist of nine volumes. The births aqd marriages commence about 1679; but both the volumes are in a dilapidated state. They are merely a list of names, having no speciality connected with them but the date. The minutes of session commence in 1742. There are great gaps in them, not from decay, but from no minutes, so far as ap- pears, having ever existed.* Since the commencement of the present century, the session records exhibit all the meetings and the business done ; and are subscribed by the moderator. The births and marriages are also entered in properly bound volumes. It is to be regretted, however, that there are some who do not record the baptisms or births of their children. Not a year passes in which parties do not suffer from this neglect. Antiquities. — On the southern boundary of the parish, about Bankier (Fair- fort), are circular places said to be the sites of Caledonian camps. The great Roman station at Castlecarie, a small portion of the remains of which, after seventeen ceutu* * Mr Watson, proprietor of Knowhcad, a respectable property in the parish, and wboae ornamented tombstone is in good preservation in the churchyard, is supposed to have been the first minister of Denny after the Ilevohition in 1688. His induction it not mentioned in the Presb3rtery records, but his death in 1733 is mentioned. There Is one remarkable minute in reference to a point, which, a few years ago, was agitated between the heritors and the kirk-session, namely, the payment for the education of poor children. The act 1808 makes it imperative on the parochial teacher to instruct the poor gratis ; but in this parish, from the parochial school- house being in the northern extremity of the parish, and there being families four miles distant from school, the children of the poor not being able to attend the parochial teacher, on account of this distance, must either be neglected, or taught at some sdiool nearer theur dwellings; and in that case, it was contended, the school wages^ mutt, according to use and wont, be paid out of the parochial poor^s fund. This wa« resisted : but for peace*s sake, the session acquiesced. At that time also, some 20 of the 121 persons entitled to vote at heritors* meetings, objected likewise to the payment of the salaries of the presbytery and synod clerk, and their beadle, &c. The argument from the use and wont payment of such charges was not listened to : and from the causes just mentioned, these officers of the church have not been paid, as hereU^ore, out of the parochial funds for the poor, since 1831. There is before me a distinct minute of session, dated 28th May 1746, with the list of the elders pre- sent nomknativts and signed William Bennet, moderator, in which these disputed charges are distinctly mentioned as paid, and reported accordingly. In settling the accounts, the words are, " also for the Synod and Presbytery clerk, and Presby- tery beddal, at by particular account, the sum of,** the amount paid is partly soiled, and partly torn, and not legible throughout, and '* also John Bane is allowed by the session twelve pounds Scots for teaching |KK>r scholars." 122 STIRLINGSHIRE. vies, is still in good condition, is opposite and near to Bankier ; and the Fair- fort, it seems not unreasonable to conclude, once stood there to guard the terra invicta of Scotland. The only other antiquity in the parish is that mentioned in the his- tory of Stirlingshire. " In digging at Woodgate, ( Woodyet), on the Carron, for the foundation of the newly built house, there, (now cal- led Headswood Cottage,) a rude stone coffin, made of flags, about two-thirds of the ordinary length, placed nearly perpendicular, and containingthebonesof an adult person, was found. It is dated, as we have learned, 1301." The stone is placed in the lobby of thecot- tagOy and is seen by every one who enters it. Some of the bones found were, for a while, in the manse of Denny. They are suppos- ed to be the bones of some distinguished person, who fell in con- nection with the invasion of Edward I. in 1298. Modem Buildings.'-^The parish church, built in 1813, is the principal modern building. Next in point of date, is the church built at Denny Ix)nehead, for members of the United Seces- sion. These two churches are very much alike in external ap- pearance and interior arrangement. They are nearly the same in size, the latter having only about 40 sittings fewer than the Established Church. The parish church has a turretted steeple, about 75 feet in height, which was erected at the east end of the church by voluntary subscription, chiefly of churchmen. Hag^s Church, opened I9th July 1840, and built by voluntary subscrip. tion, is the neatest church in the parish, and has about 700 sittings. There is a decent place of worship in Denny, of a square form, belonging formerly to the Burghers, but now to the United Asso- ciate Synod Members. It contains nearly 200 fewer sittings than any of the other two. There are various modern buildings, in all parts of the parish, erected since this century commenced. Two- thirds and more of the present town of Denny have been built with*- in that space. The houses are generally of two stories, with garrets, slated roof of blue slates, and finished with sashed windows, &c Around Denny, and also in the village of Hags and its vicinity^ there are diflerent neat cottages as well as some houses of two stories. The most remarkable erection at Hacfs is a handsome row of collier cottages, amounting to twelve in number, terminated on the east with a large building as a store for the workers at the col- liery. These were built in 1836. A manifest improvement is taking place in the farm -steadings on the estate of Herbert- shire. The smaller proprietors have done much, within these DENNY. 123 last thirty years, to improve their dwellings. Increased com- fort and tasteful .arrangement are gradually advancing. One now meets with boarded floors, plastered walls and ceilings, and in some iDstances, with parlours furnished with tables, sofas, and carpets. A commodious building, adjoining to the town of Denny, for the parochial school, is now in progress. This structure will be an ornament to the town, and serves, among other paro- chial improvements, to give evidence of the care with which Mr Forbes attends to the educational interest of the youth of the parish, and the domestic comfort of the teacher. Mills and Manufactories. — There are eleven of these on the banks of Carron, within a mile and a-half of the town of Denny. There are seven of them modem buildings ; one for manufacturing oatmeal and pot-barley, one for millboards, one for dye-stuffs, and three for spinning sheep's wool. Herbertshire Mill, the oldest establishment in the parish for manufacturing paper, and the other mills, were the work of last century. Two dis- tilleries have been also erected, one in Denny and another at Bankier, already mentioned. A spade-manufactory, about a mile and a-half down the Bonny from Bankier, has been set ago- ing, within these few years ; and, lastly, a considerable wheat- en, floui^ oatmeal, and pot-barley mill, with a small saw-mill, were built, some time since, at Bonnyford, in the eastern ex- tremity of the parish. The waters of Bonny not furnishing ade- quate power for meeting the demand for the manufactories here, a steam-engine is erected and put to work, when necessary. 1 1 1. POPUL ATI ON. There are no accounts of the population previous to 1755. In that year, the parochial population, as reported by Dr Webster, amounted to 1-392 souls ; as reported by Mr Fergus in 1790, it was 1400 ; as taken by the writer hereof, by personal communica- tion in the years 1800 and 1801, it was found to be, 1967; by Government census in 1821, 3364 ; Ditto, 1831, 3843; as com- municated in 1837, and reported to the Royal Commissioners on Religious Instruction when in Denny on 27th February 1838, — 4300. The increase of manufacturing is obviously the main cause of the great and progressive increase which has taken place, and which seems to be steadily continuing. Denny has such advanta- ges of situation, that before another century revolves, it may be a large manufacturing town, with its provost and bailies, churches. 124 STIRLINGSHIRE. ministers, and elders. About half a century ago, Denny was on- ly a hamlet adjoining the church, containing unsophisticated pray- erful families. Population in villages, • 2421 in the country, • 1879 4300 The yearlj average of births for the last seven years is 86 of deaths, . . 70 of marriages, 95 The average number of persons under 15 years of age, is 1597 between 15 and 30» 983 aO and 50, . 1837 50 and 70, . 349 upwards of 70, . 34 . 4300 Of proprietors of the yearly value of L.50 and upwards, there are . 41 There are of unmarried men, bachelors and widowers, upwards of 50 years of age, 21 females, upwards of 45, • . . 88 Insane persons, 1 ; fatuous, 1 ; blind, 3 ; deaf and dumb, 2. Amusements. — Curling, in its season, is eagerly pursued, and the confidence of the Denny players, in their superior skill and tact, prompts a challenge every season to their neighbours. A year or two ago, a Denny Curling Club was formed. John Carnie, Esq. of Curling Hall, Largs, so well known to the curling world by his zeal for curling, received at Denny the rudiments of his emi- nent skill in curling, That gentleman is the second son of the late Mr Niel Carnie, who was a principal partner in the firm of Messrs Thomas Shiels and Co. of Herbertshire Printfield. On the Carron, and the reservoirs of the printfield, his son, John, first shone as a curler, and imbibed the knowledge which enabled him to write a standard work on curling, and to bear the palm for the invention of a curling rink, which, on any morning, when there is a little frost, may, by a slight suffusion of water over its surface, present in four hours, (the thermometer at 28°,) the finest and firmest ice- a curler could desire. A Denny Archers* Club was instituted in 1828, for the pur- pose of enjoying the amusement of archery. The club competes annually for the captaincy, at the distance of 100 yards, the captain being preses for the year, — for two poisoned arrows from the island of Mombase, at the distance of 160 yards, — for a sil- ver medal, at 50 yards, — for three prizes of arrows, at f30 yards, —and for a silver arrow, at the same distance, — the successful competitors becoming vice-presidents. The medal and arrows remain in the possession of the successful competitor ; the others are shot for annually. Members are admitted by ballot, — one DENNY. 125 black-ball excludes. The club dine together in October, annu- ally ; and the greatest harmony has existed among its members, since its institution. The people generally enjoy in a good degree the comforts of society, and are contented with their situation. Unprincipled* news- papers, are the chief causes of any discontent that exists. Their general character, however, is good. They are rather what may be called a church-going population. There are sometimes, but not often, prosecutions for poaching. Smuggling is annihilated. Would that drunkenness were so also I IV. — Industry. Agriculture. — A practical and extensive agriculturist has favour- ed the writer with the following statements. He computes the whole number of acres within the parish at 7520. Gf the above number there are either cultivated, or in occasional tillage, 6000 Acres which havft never been cultivated, and which remain constantly waste or in pasture, • - 1 139 Acres which might, with a profitable application of capital, be added to the cultivated land of the parish, whether that land was afterwards to be kept in occasional tillage or in permanent pasture, - SCO There is no undivided common in the parish. Under wood, either natural or planted, there arc - J 81 The kind of wood planted is Scots fir, larch^ spruce, ash, elm, birch, oak, lime, and plane. The natural wood is, oak and birch) all kept properly thinned and in good order. The time of felling the planted wood is generally in the months of February and March ; and the time of cutting the natural or copse-wood, and all oak for peeling, is the month of May. The time for thinning wood is in winter. Rent of J sand, — The average rent of arable land per acre, is L. 1, 15s. The average rent of grazing oxen and yeld cows per annum, is L. 3 each ; of milk cows, L. 4 each ; of ewes or full- grown sheep, 17s. each. Live-stock. — No sheep are bred in the parish except pete, which are mostly of the Leicester and Cheviot kind. Ewes are some- times grazed in parks, which are of the black-faced breed. The cattle are generally of the Ayrshire sort, and the breed very much improved of late years, by giving premiums for the best bulls and cows, &c. Horses are mostly of the Clydesdale description, and the breed also much improved by premiums for the best stallions and brood mares. The style of farming is also greatly improved * The public morals and peace are at this time both suffering from what is cnlled Chartism. The principles of Chartists, as exhibited hen*, are infidel and anarchical. I'*cw, happily, countenance them. — (1841.) 126 STIRLINGSHIKE. by premiums bestowed annually on the best ploughman, and for the best managed farm. Draining is much neglected in the parish, from the want of capi* tal among the tenants. The general duration of leases is nineteen years, which is considered to answer well for both proprietor and tenant. The state of farm-buildings and enclosures is not good. The principal improvements which have recently been made in the parish, are by the Messrs Gilmour of Knowhead, by means of thorough draining and trenching the most part of their lands, which are now worth double the rent in consequence.* The want of capital prevents many a tenant from liming and purchasing manure for his land. Were landlords to allow so much for every chalder of lime which the tenant laid on the farm, it would increase both the produce and the rent To give premiums for the greatest quantity of draining on a farm — for the largest and best field of turnip and potatoes, — for the best laid down field of hay, &C. would give a stimulus to agriculture of the most beneficial description. Sheds and straw-yards are likewise much wanted in this parish, to enable the farmer to feed and rear more stock, and so to make more manure and sow more turnips for feed- ing, &c. ; for the more 'manure, the more turnips ; the mor^ turnips, the more cattle ; and the more cattle, the more manure again, and so on indefinitely. Quarries and Mines, — The quarries are of freestone and whin- stone. There are several mines of iron ore in the glen of Castle*- rankine, and on the estates of Herbertshire and Myot-hill : but they are not, at present, from the want of a remunerating price, worked. The coal mine at present at work in the parish, is that of Banknock, already described. About ninety workers, young und old, are employed in the various operations going on there. Three steam-engines are constantly at work. Produce. — The average gross amount of raw produce raised in the parish, as nearly as can be ascertained, is as follows : Oats, Barley, Wheat, • 9000 quarters. 1500 500 Beans, • 100 Pease, ■ 100 Rye-grass hay, Meadow hay, Flax, 200 tonft. 100 2 * Draining may be said to be the rage at present. All proclaim the inereiae of produce which follows.— (1841.) 3 DENNY. 127 «yfaich| estimated at the rates formerly mentioned^ makes the value of the raw produce to be as follows : Produce of grain of all kinds whether cultivated for the food of manor of the domestic animals, L. 15,190 Potatoes, turnips, cabbages, beet, and other plants cultivated in the fidds for food, ... 3600 Hay, whether meadow or cultivated, . 1050 Crops cultivated for the arts, as flax, 70 Land in pasture, rating at L.3» 10s. per cow or full-grown ox grazed, or that may be grazed ibr the season, at 17s. per ewe or full grown sheep, pastured, or that may be pastured fur the year, 2000 Mines, whether ooals, quarries, or metals, . . 500 MisceUaoeous produce not enumerated, 100 L.22,450 Farma^t Club. — A farmer's club was recently instituted in the parish for encouraging agriculture in all its departments : it is exciting attention to ploughing, breeding, &c. Manufactures. — The mills on the river Carron, in the parish of Denny, have been already stated to be eleven. The upper- most are Garvald mills. There are two of them, and both are em« ployed in grinding charcoal for moulders, &c. Each mill has a miller at 12.«. per week of wages, jamA a man, horse, and cart, to bring charcoal to the mills, and to carry the ground produce to the moulders. The carters have each 12s. per week. The next mill down the river is Tamaree, for grinding oats, and preparing pot-barley. The next lower down is Mr R. B. Lusk*s mill at Carron Grove, for manufacturing millboard, and different kinds of coarse paper. The workers employed are, 15 men, 2 women, 2 lads, and 6 boys ; wages are paid every fortnight, and average about L. 27 every fortnight. The materials used are almost exclusively old tar- Yed ropes, of which fully one ton, on an average, is used daily. No rags are made use of in this manufactory. The goods ma-^ nufactured are almost exclusively millboards, which are used for the boards of books, of which from four to five tons per week are manufactured. Sometimes a little coarse paper is made, used for sheathing ships and other purposes, as also some large coarse millboards, used by engineers for making steam-joints tight The mill is lighted by gas, and the manufactured goods dried by steam and heated air. The excise duty paid is from L.300 to L. 400 every six weeks. Next in order, down this lovely though busy spot on Carron Banks from Tamareelin, is Herbertshire Mill, the property of William Forbes, Esq. Messrs Alexander Duncan & Sons carry on at thismill 128 STIRLINGSHIUE. the manufacture of writing-paper. They employ upwards of 20 men and 50 women. The wages are paid monthly ; on an average, 15s. per week for the men, and 5s. for the women : besides these, 2 men and 4 horses are constantly employed carting rags and coals, and carting the paper to Grangemouth for shipment to London. The workers principally reside in Denny and Fanker- ton, a small village in the parish up the Carron, and in the neigh- bourhood. The following is an account of the process of pa- per-making at Herbertshire Mill : As soon as the rags are cut by women across a scythe blade fixed into a table covered with wire-cloth, for the purpose of getting rid of the dust and sand, they are passed into the boiling-house, where they are boil- ed for twelve hours; afterwards, they are washed, and broke into a pulp by an iron cistern, called a paper-engine, capable of holding one hundred weight of rags, which are beat by a roller with thirty-six steel bars, which tuni on a plate in the bottom of the cistern. Five of these endues, of twenty steel bars, are kept constantly going night and day, requiring upwards of forty horse power to drive them and the other requisite machinery. After the rags are broke in and bleached for twenty-four hours, they are beat into pulp or stuff ready for passing on to the paper- machine, perhaps one of the most complete pieces of machinery ^ ever invented in this country ; as, in one room of 60 feet in length, by 25 feet wide, one may see the stuff much resembling^^hurned milk, passing by means of a fine web of wire-cloth fifteen feet long into a series of rolls used in pressing out the water, and form- ing the paper into a firm body. It then passes into a set of cy* linders heated by steam, from which it is reeled into rolls in a perfectly finished state, quite dry and pressed, ready for use. Six of the rolls are then put on to the cutting-machine, which cuts them into the sizes required. The cutting-machine is the inven- tion of Messrs Foudrinier of Hanley, Staffordshire, and patent. It is capable of cutting 144 sheets per minute of post or writing- paper. On an average, 26 cwt. of rags are cut per day in the rag-house, and 21 cwt. of them beat into stuff, yielding an average of from 1600 to 1700 lbs. per day of twenty-four hours, as all the machinery is kept going night and day. The duty paid every six weeks averages L.d20 ; the wages every month, L. 100 ; carting, and other carriages, L. 40. The water-wheel for driving the pa- per engines is 24 feet diameter, and fully 12 feet wide, all iron, and weighs 33 tons. Another. small wheel is used for driving the DENNY. 129 paper-machine, 22 feet diameter, and 16 inches wide. The works are lighted with gas, and four tons of coals are used daily. There has been a considerable branch of the woollen trade car- ried on in this parish, for thirty years past The next three milb are at work in this manufacture. They are dri?en by water power, and are extensively engaged at pre- sent in the manufacture of tartan and fancy shawls, and lin- sey-woolsey stuffs^ solely upon account of Messrs Wingate and Son and Company of Glasgow. Mr John Wingate of this firm is well known in the country, as a distinguished Constitutionalist, and one of the munificent Church Extensionists of Glasgow. The quantity of wool wrought up into these goods exceeds 160,000 lbs. annually. The various branches of the manufacture are in- cluded, viz. spinning of the yarns, dyeing, weaving, and the fi- nishing of the goods, which afford employment to nearly 200 persons of both sexes, young and old. The wages paid average L. 300 per month. The water of the river Carron being uncommonly pare and soft, is peculiarly adapted for cleaning and dyeing, pro- ducing bright fancy colours, so requisite in that description of goods. The three mills are all on Carron, and near each other, two at Stoneywood, and one at Randolph Hill, — lighted by gas, and heated by steam. A recent cut from Tamaree lin supplies plentifully with water four of these mills. Before that cut was executed, there was no paper-mill below Tamaree lin, excepting Herbertshire mill, at which, according to the old practice, paper was made by the hand. Combinations among operative paper- makers were, at that time, a frequent cause of great annoyance to masters, and of misery to many innocent families. The improve- ments mentioned have put an end to combinations among pa- per-makers. A mill for chipping, rasping, and grinding dye stuffs, belonging to the firm of Messrs John Gray and Son, stands on the river bank a lit- tle below Herbertshire mill. The company have lately enlarged their premises by the works on Castle Rankine Glen, so that they now not only furnish the dye stuffs, but, by means of the ad- dition referred to, provide at once to manufacturers of fancy wool- len, cotton, and linsey-woolsey articles, the liquor for the colours desired. The company employs 21 hands, and pays monthly L.46, 12s. of wages. Lowest on the river in this parish, is Denny corn and pot-bar- ley-mill, belonging to the estate of Herbertshire, which has a large thirlage astricted to it. STIRLING. I 130 STIRLINGSHIRE. Distilleries, — There are two distilleries in the parish; one is in the close vicinity of Denny, under the firm of Macpher* son and Macnaughton. It consumes yearly 3500 quarters of malt made from barley, which produces 53,500 gallons of proof spirits. Two stills are used : contents of the wash still, 500 gallons ; of the low-wines still, 400 gallons. Bear or big roakes- the finest spirits :. but this is not so profitable to the distiller^ The best season for distilling is in spring; and for fermenta-' tion, autumn. This distillery affords a ready market for the barley of the farmers in the vicinity, and of others more dis- tant. Such is the confidence of the farmers in the Company^ that it is a common practice to forward the grain at once to> the distillery, and, if received there, to leave the settlement of the price to the Company, without previous bargain. The other dis- tillery is at Bankier, in the southern division of the parish, on the Bonny, and is much the same in respect of consumption of barley^ and of the quantity and kind of spirits produced. Brick-lVorky Sfc, — A brick and tile-work has recently been set agoing in this district of the parish, which will be a great accom* modation to the parish and neighbourhood. About a mile and a half east, on the lands of Knowhead, a spade> manufactory, famed for the excellence of the article manufacture ed, has been erected. An adjoining morass furnishes water- power for working the ponderous hammer by which the materials for spades are consolidated, and afterwards beaten into plates. The wooden handles for the spades are likewise prepared at the mill ; and the goods sent to the market, fit for immediate use. It remains only to notice, that there are two extensive ca- lico-printing establishments in the immediate vicinity of the town of Denny, although locally in the parish of Dunipace, of whose labourers three-fourths and upwards have their habitations and families in the town of Denny. The labourers, old and young, employed at these printfields, amount, on an average, to 1000, three-fourths of whose monthly wages amount, on an average, to L.1200. On the whole, then, it appears, that there are about 1100 individuals of the parochial population who are workers at manufactories, the average produce of whose monthly wages is L.1, 13s. to each individual, of whom some receive L. 8 per month, and others 8s. per month. The whole machinery of the mills enumerated, and of all the manufactories west from the junction of Bonny with Carron, (which DENNY. 131 takes place about two miles east from Denny,) were driven, until within these few years, by Carron water alone. The supply of Car- ron, however, from agricultural improvements going on in the high grounds through which the river flows, was unsteady ; and, within these five or six years, the proprietors of the mills upon its banks, in order to obtain a fuller supply of water-power, were induced to form themselves into a society, and, by subscription, produced funds to erect an embankment for a reservoir upon the EarPs-burn, about nine miles above Denny. The artificial lake thus erected, covers an extent of nearly 60 acres. The embankment is 22 feet in height. The cost of the whole has fallen little short of L. 2000, jtfid was borne by a few individuals. On the 24th of October 1839, after a great fall of rain, the embankment gave way. Much in- jury was done, by the resistless torrent, to property along the whole eourse of the Carron downwards. V. — Parochial Economy. MarkeUTowns. — Denny is not a market-town. Arrangements were made, some twenty years ago, to have it erected into a mnr- ket-town, by the Honourable Charles Elphinstone Fleming of Cum - bemauld. But the diflerent dealers were not friendly to the propo- sal, and preferred petitioning for a baron bailie, before whom they might prosecute for payment of their accounts. The bailie was obtained, and has power to give judgment, and enforce payment to the extent of L. 2. Some idea of the business done in Denny, may be formed from tlie following statement, made from actual enumeration : — There are 21 houses and grocery shops licensed to sell, beside gro- ceries, ale and spirits, — of these 19 sell spirits over the counter, the remaining 2 are common whisky-shops ; 3 stationers ; 4 bak- ers ; 1 pastry-shop; 4 butchers; 2 excise-officers; 7 wrigbts; 3 smithies ; 4 medical practitioners ; 4 schoolmasters ; 1 writer ; 2 ministers of the Gospel; 4 haberdashers and cloth shops; 10 shoemakers ; 1 tinsmith ; 1 gas manufactory*; 2 coopers ; 5 tailors, two of whom are clothiers ; 1 messenger ; 1 dame's school. Anintelligent member of the Total Abstinence Society has hand- ed me a note, which shows what becomes of a great part of the wages of labourers in this parish : '^ In Denny village, and that part of Deimy on the north of Carron, and between Denny anil Fankerton, from October 1835 to October 1836, there .were sold by the retaileft of spirits, 10,600 gallons of spirits, at a cost 132 STIULINGSHlRli:. to the inhabitants of this small district of upwards of L. 4300, — be- sides the value of the time lost while drinking, and in consequence of drinking, which I am sure would be underrated at L«dOO more. This quantity of spirits, I understand, would consume nearly 700 bolls of barley." Add to this enormous amount, the quantity of spirits sold on the southern side of the parochial ridge, and it will appear that there are'no less than L. 7000 annually spent in this parish, in the purchase of spirituous liquors ; a sum nearly equal to the rental of the whole parish. ^* How easy a matter it would be," observes the gentleman referred to, y for ihe working clas- ses to make grain cheap, without any alteration of the Com Laws, and to make themselves most comfortable, without any reduction of taxation." Villages, — There are four villages in the parish, — Denny, Hags, Fankerton, and Loanhead. From Broomage toll-bar to where the road strikes off right and left near Hags to Glasgow, for the space of a mile, the houses are so thickly planted as to promise to become, in the course of twenty or thirty years, one continuous street. There are about 190 parliamentary voters in this parish. There is one post-office, the average revenue of which is an- nually about L. 300. The length of turnpike roads in the parish is ten miles and upwards. In winter, the number of public car- riages which pass and repass daily through the parish, is 22. The bridges and fences within the parish are kept in good order. Ecclesiastical State. — The parish church stands west from the old village of Denny. Its situation is sufficiently convenient for the parishioners on the north side of the parochial ridge; but not so for the inhabitants of Hags and Bankier. It was built in 1813, and cleaned and beautified internally, in 1838, by the vo- luntary contributions of the people, and is at present in good and comfortable repair. It contains 767 sittings, at eighteen inches for each sitter. On sacramental occasions, there may be 900 persons within its walls. Ordinary Sabbath days' attendance 560. Communicants, on an average, 512. There are seven free sittings for the poor. The minister, elders, and schoolmaster have each separate accommodation ; and their sittings, amount to 28. The manse was built in 1803, and is in good repair and comfortable. The glebe consists of four arable acres, worth L.10 ; and half an acre for manse, offices, and garden. The stipend is 16 chalders. DENNY. 133 ooe-balf meal, the other half barley. L. 10 are allowed for com- tDunion elements.* There are two Dissenting chapels in the parish, both now belonging to the United Secession Church. The one at Denny Loanhead is among the oldest and strongest, in point of wealth, in the Seces- sion Church. When the Royal Commissioners for Religious In- struction were here on 27th February 1838^ the minister of that eharch stated that the erection took place in 1738, and that the 6rst minister of it was ordained in 1751. There was a dispute, as before noticed, in the parish, after Mr Watson's death in 173d« about his successor. The cruel operation of patronage was then beginning to be felt ; and some of the people, by proceedings that took place during the vacancy, were reluctantly constrained to se- cede. Another dispute arose after Mr Turnbull's death in 1765, —when, at length, the minister most unacceptable to the pa- rishioners was intruded upon them, and then another party be- took themselves to Loanhead. Since that time, the congregation there has not been augmented by any violent proceedings on the part of the Assembly. The minister farther stated before the Commissioners, that it is increasing but slowly; that the com- municants are on an average 512 ; and that of the adherents to the congregation, 10 were resident in St Ninian's, 67 in Duni- pace, and 250 in Falkirk, — in all, 357 beyond the bounds of the parish. His stipend, as understood to be reported to the Royal Commissioners, is, besides a manse and garden, L. 170, and L. 10 for the expense of two sacraments annually, and L.2 for attend- ance at each synod. He said he had no bond or security for its payment His church was stated to have 731 sittings, and the average number of regular attendants to be 560. The other Dissenting chapel is in the town of Denny. It was originally Burgher, as the other was Antiburgher; and both are now of the United Secession. It was established in 1797, when Mr Fergus, the parochial minister, was incapacitated for duty by old age. This chapel has about 500 sittings, as is supposed. The con- * 5th February 1840. The Court of Teinds was pleased to augment the stipend to 19 chalders, one-half meal, and the other half barley, and the sum fur commu- nion elements to L. 15 per annum. A new church at Hags was opened for public worship on 19th July 1840. On loth Sepftoiber 1840, the Rev. Colin M^Culloch was, without one dissenting voice, chosen minister, and, on 14th January 1841, he was ordained pastor of the parish, gatoad tplrituaiia, of Hags. The cliurch has nearly 700 sittings and 5j0 Sitbbath oc« rupants. 134 STIRLINGSHIRE. gregation, through no fault of the minister, who is the first that was placed in it, has fallen off to about 200 individuals in ordinary attendance on Sabbath. The communicants, he was understood* to say to the Royal Commissioners, were once 820, but are now not more than 271. His stipend is L. 100 per annum. He has no bond or security for its payment. He has a manse, a garden, and small glebe. I'here are not four Episcopalians in the parish : but the Ro- man Catholics may amount to 50, nearly all Irish. There is a Bible Society connected with the Established Church, for which there is annually collected and subscribed about L. 7. The four schemes of the General Assembly, and the new object for promoting the restoration of Israel to the Christian Church, are all less or more supported by the people of the Establishment. The Dissenting brethren do much in the way of similar works in their congregations ; in particular, the contributions to Christian objects by the congregation at Loanhead, are stated to be large and exemplary. The parochial contributions for these objects may be estimated at L. 80 annually. The church door collec- tions are not more than one-fourth of this sum. Ministers of the Parish of Denny since the Revolution 1688. * — Thomas Watson ; ordination, time unknown ; death, March 1733. William Bennet,t 22d August 1738; translated to Dud- dingston. Edward Anderson, 23d September 1747 ; died April 1749. James TurnbuU, 14lh August 1750 ; died 20lh Decern- • Communicated by the Rev. Alexander Lcitch, Clerk of the Presbytery of Stir- ling. t Probably ; for all the letters on the tombstone cannot be traced. t The parish was in a state of disquietude and dissatisfaction, during the five years which intervened between Mr Watson's death and the induction of Mr Bennet. A presentation was issued by the Crown in favour of Mr James Stirling, and another by Herbertshire ; but the majority of the parish were in favour of a Mr Penman. The great objection against Mr Stirling was his acceptance of a prewntation. This objection seems to have weighed very much with the Presbytery, which, at that time, was decidedly of an anti-patronage character. Once, the Presl)ytcry refused, at the order of tlio Commission, to take Mr Stirling on trials fur ordination, and ^ twice thereafter, the ord«»r of the Assembly itself to the same efl'ect. For the third time, in 1737, the Assembly issued its order toctfcct the settlement before Sep- tember, that year ; and in case of its not being done by that time, the synod of Penh and Stirling, at its meeting in October, were to take up the case, and to proceed with the settlement ; and in case of (heir not doing so within a given time, the Assembly appointed a commission to accomplish it before their next meeting. Even this pe- remptory order, the 1 resbytery found means of evading. What became of Mr Stir- ling afterwards, docs not appear from the record. Some time thereafter, a i>etitioii is presented to the Presbytery, to allow certain probationers therein named, to preach as candidates. Mr William Ijcniiet, one of thcbc, was chosen and ordained 2iM August 17(38. DENNY. 135 ber 1765. Tliomas Fergus,* 22d June 1769; died '25th January 1601. John Dempster,! 25th April 180a Education. — The total number of schools in the parish is nine. There is one parochial school ; one partially endowed ; the rest are all unendowed. Besides these nine, there is one dame's school for reading, sewing, &c. carefully taught. The parochial teacher has all the legal accommodations. His salary is L.d4, 4s. 4^d. There are few of the young between six and fifteen years of age who cannot read a little. The schools are quite numerous enough, and sometimes injurious to each other. Two qualified and en- dowed teachers for the town, and three for the other parts of the parish, qualified and endowed also, would be sufficient, and might do more good than is done by all the ten at present. The people are partially alive to the benefits of education ; but the concern of parents for the education of their offspring seems on tbedecline« lAterature. — There is one parochial library in Denny, contain- ing at present 1100 volumes. Entry-money as members, L. I, Is., — and Is. every six months afterwards. It was instituted in 1806. Books are lent to non subscribers at the rate of Is. 6d. per quarter. There is also a Denny Religious Library. Number of volumes about 400; entry-money, Is.; out reader?, 6d. per month; — and Denny Loanhead Congregational Library, instituted in 1831; numberof volumes nearly 500; dues, Is. Cd. per quar- ter. There have been several public reading-rooms, some for per- sons who were not artisans, and others for artisans; but, from dif- ferent causes, they have failed, and at present there are none. Societies, — The following are the names of the societies in Denny, besides those already mentioned : Denovan Printfield Friendly So- ciety, instituted 1802 ; Herbertshire Printfield Friendly Society, 1816; Herbertshire and Denovan Friendly Society, 1817; D. L. St Andrew's Lodge, 1825; Hags Friendly Society, 1830 ; Banknock Friendly Society, 1834; Denny Ploughman's Society, 1834; Denny Horticultural Society, 183(5; Denny and Dunipace Total • After Mr Turnbuirs death, there was a dispute about the presentation, between the Crown and Herbert .hire. Mr Fergus was the Crown presentee. f Mr Fergus having beeomc, through the infirmities of age, unable for his pub- lic duty, agreed to have an assistant and successor. Through the influence of Wil- liam Morehead, Esq. of Herbertshiie, the Crown consented to give the parish a leet of five. Mr Dein,ster was one of the leet, and on the '21th July 1799, was chosen una- nimously, with the exception of one voice, assistant nnd successor to Mr Fergus. 136 STIRLINGSHIRE. Abstinence Society, 1837; Denny and Dunipace Funeral So- ciety, 1837; Denny Farmer's Society, 1838; Denny and Duni- pace Mutual Instruction Society, 1838; Independent Order of Odd Fellows Friendly Society, 1838. Saving f Dank. — There was an attempt made, in 1825, to set on foot a savings bank, which failed. Mr Gray, the Actuary of the Glasgow Sayings Bank, and other benevolent individuals, re- newed the attempt in 1837. There is a fear of consequences, if masters should know what gains their servants make. It failed also. Poor and Parochial Funds. — The average number of persons receiving parochial relief is 32. The average amount allotted to each per month, 5s. 9d The average annual amount of contri* butions for their relief, collected at church doors, L.14, 5s. 7d. ; assessment, L.72. No other regular mode of procuring fiinds. Every winter, however, some benevolent persons give donations of coals, which the farmers lay down gratis at the doors of the poor. L.7 or L.8 per annum, on an average, used to be added to the poor's funds, by mortcloth dues. But there is hardly ever now a mortcloth put over the coffin. One meets now and then with persons who, in the old Scottish spirit, refuse aid from the poor's funds. In general, however, they are abundantly clamorous. When the new church came to be used as a place of worship in 1814, a dispute among the heritors arose as to the division of the sittings. This suit continued five years. Never was the parish happier than during these five years, and never was the church better or more regularly attended, and never were the collections at the church door more liberal. The peo- ple paid no seat rents, and they poured their money into the church plate ;^L.l, 6s. and L.1, 10s. were not uncommon collec- tions in these days, on ordinary Sabbath days. The average of each of the fifty-two Sabbaths of the year, was L.I, 2s. The plea was ended, and the heritors demanded seat rents. The people considered this unreasonable : but, rather than leave the Establish- ment, they came to an understanding that they would pay seat rents, but withhold their contributions at the church door. There was no assessment for the poor, at that time. The collections began gradually to diminish. Offence was taken at the session having sent a lunatic to the Glasgow Asylum. The lunatic was recalled ami given to his relations. Objections were then taken to DENNY. 137 the payment of the wages o( teachers for instructing poor scho* larsy-^the payment of the presbytery and synod clerks, of the beadles of those courts, and of the precentor and parish beadle : all these payments were resisted. The cleaning of the church was considered an expense, that the heritors had nothing to do with. The session were prevented advancing money for any of tbese purposes, unless at their own risk, and the aliment of the poor woman that cleaned the church, was stopped. The ses- sion were even threatened with a prosecution, to cause them re- fund the outlays which had taken place ; but happily, at every annual settlement of accounts in presence of the heritors, the ac- counts had b.een docqueted as approved. The session, however, were prohibited making any of these payments in future, out of the poor's funds. In these circumstances, the elders resolved no more to collect. The funds were wholly handed over to the heritors, who have them still in their hands, to the great relief of the minister and elders. The procedure of the heritors was not approved by others, and the collections continued to decline. For a while, the heritors, under the excitement of novelty, stood at the collection plates : but at length they have, almost without excep- tion, given up collecting : and the grave-digger, the servant of the heritors, sits commonly at the plate, and receives, it is said. Is. per day, for the discharge of this duty. While the session took charge of the poor's funds, the expense to the heritors was only L.1, Is. per annum, as an acknowledgement to the session-clerk for acting as treasurer, beside his regular salary of L. 2, 2s. per annum, for discharging the duties of session-clerk. The state of matters now is instructive. The session did not interfere, after their surrender of the funds, to discourage the collections, except that they withheld their own contributions, understanding that the collections were to be employed in the prosecution against themselves. Instead of L. 70 per annum of collections at the church doors, there is now only L. 14, if so much.* Instead of L. 1, Is. to the treasurer, a writer in Denny is paid L. 10 per an- num for being treasurer and clerk, and the session-clerk's salary of L. 2, 2s. is continued, as it must be, by law. Instead of there being no regular assessment, there is now a regular assessment of L. 72 per annum, which threatens to rise, notwithstanding all possible care; and, moreover, there are hardly any seat-rents col- • The collections for eight weeks lately were reported to be 2s. every Sabbath — (1841.) 138 STIttLlNGSHIKE. lected, for the people are utterly averse to the payment of such an impost. It is due to the memory of one of the kindest and most gentlemanly of characters, the late William Morehead,. Esq. of Herbertshire, to say, that he had no hand in the ruinous proceed- ings which have been mentioned ; and his successor, the present chief heritor, is far above such doings. Fairs. — There are two fairs held annually in the parish, — one about Whitsunday, and the other about Martuimas. Fuel — The fuel is chiefly coal from Banknock, and the neigh- bouring coal-pits. Drawn up February 1839. Revised April 1841. PARISH OF KILSYTH. PRESBYTERY OF GLASGOW, AND SYNOD OF GLASGOW AND AYR. THE REV. WILLIAM BURNS, MINISTER. L — Topography and Natural History. Name. — Anqently, Monaehrugli was the name of this parish, supposed to be a compound o(Monaugh^\i\\\yy and Ehrugh^ streams; and the name is very descriptive of the eastern district of this parish, which, till 1649, constituted the whole parish. At that period, what is called the West Barony was disjoined from Campsie, and added to Moniabrughj* or the East Barony, which continued to be the name of the parish till about a hundred years ago, when the whole pa- rish was more usually designated Kilsyth. The Rev. James Robe, who was ordained minister of Kilsyth in the year 1713, and wrote his " Narrative"in 1743, speaks of the parish " Kilsyth, till lately called Moniabroch." The oldest set of tokens, so late as the year 1755, have MK stamped upon them, doubtless " Moni- brugh Kirk ;" and the communion cups, 1731, are marke