PARISH OF KIRKPATRICK-JUXTA.

PRESBYTERY OF LOCHMABEN, SYNod of dumfries.

THE REV. DR SINGER, MINISTER.

I. TOPOGRAPHY AND NATURAL HISTORY.

Name, Boundaries, &c.-THE ancient name of this parish was Kilpatrick; now it is Kirkpatrick-Juxta, as being nearer to the capital of Scotland than Kirkpatrick-Fleming, Kirpatrick-Durham, and Kirpatrick-Irongray, all of which appear to have derived their names from the famous missionary. He was a native of Scotland, who at the call of Celestine, Bishop of Rome, went to Ireland in 432, laboured there with eminent success during forty years, and left a name highly regarded both in Ireland and in the south and west of Scotland.

The form of this parish is irregular, being bounded on the east and north by Wamphray and Moffat; on the N. W. and west by Crawford and Closeburn, and on the south by Johnstone parish. It contains very nearly 33 square miles, or about 21,000 English acres. In the county map, the lands of Whiteholm, being in the county of Lanark, were not included.

The mountain range of Queensberry on the west runs irregularly northward; another range of lower hills on the east extends in a parallel direction, between 2 and 3 miles distant; and between these ranges, is the pastoral valley of Kinnel Water. Betwixt the latter hilly range and the river Annan, the tract of ground is nearly 2 miles broad and 8 miles long; and this consists of hill and vale, and constitutes most of the richer and more valuable portion of the parish. It is mostly arable, though about one-tenth of the whole is either rocky, or consists of lands formerly moor, but now improved, or of peat-moss either cut for fuel or converted into meadow land.

Meteorology. The temperature has improved sensibly by the draining of mossy sheep-walks and cultivation of waste lands. The most frequent rains are from the S. W., and the most violent wind

from the west. The climate at Moffat is so nearly the same as in this parish, that one set of observations may suit both. Snow lies long at times, (the distance from the sea being above 20 miles,) though the bottom of the vale is not much elevated,-only about 350 feet. Peat-bogs never produce ague, as clay bogs do; and being mostly drained, they do not send out so great masses of vapour as formerly.

Diseases.-Vaccination is generally practised, and yet vagrants carry about their children when ill of small-pox, or just recovered. Rheumatism is not unfrequent, There was no instance of spasmodic cholera last year in this parish, though many premonitory symptoms occurred, and one case of British cholera proved fatal.

Many of the people attain the age of 80 years, and some have exceeded 90,-one or two arriving at 96 in the course of the last 30 years. The climate is considered very healthy, like that of the neighbouring parish of Moffat.

Hydrography-The springs, issuing commonly from gravelly soils, are very pure; but near the bases of the high mountains, where there is a soil impregnated with iron, and also in some other places, the springs are chalybeate. Near Garpel Water there is a very strong chalybeate, not issuing from the earth as a spring, but formed in pools by solution in warm weather, when the rain water imbibes and dissolves iron and alum from the clay. The village of Moffat was lately accommodated with pipes conveying to it abundance of water of the purest quality from the farm of Chapel in this parish, and carried below the bed of Annan. The rivers are not considerable; the Kinnell passes from north to south. The Evan runs between two low hill ranges, both of which may be cultivated or planted. The Annan enters the parish from that of Moffat, forming a boundary. The Garpel forms a cascade near the old castle of Achincass, and falls into the Evan. The Annan, Evan, and Moffat Waters, unite their streams, and form one river about 90 feet broad, below the village of Moffat, and running on a gravelly bottom, with a current of moderate velocity. The river Annan, after leaving the confines of this parish, increases considerably, receiving other streams on both sides, and falling into the Solway Firth, near the royal burgh of Annan, after a course of about 30 miles.

Geology and Mineralogy.—A survey was published of the mineralogical structure of Dumfries-shire by Professor Jameson; and observations were made thereon, in the Edinburgh Review, a con

siderable number of years ago. The late General Dirom of Mount Annan enriched Mr Crawfurd's map of the county with a description of the minerals, both in the higher and lower districts, referring to a letter addressed to him by Dr Walker, and to "Miscellanea Scotica," published in 1710, and to some notices in Pennant's tour; also to a practical survey by Messrs Bushby, which, not having been published by the gentlemen of the county, was added by the author of this article to his agricultural survey of Dumfries-shire in 1811. Some further observations occur on the mineralogy of the county, in the article Dumfries-shire in the Edinburgh Encyclopædia. In this parish no freestone quarries have been worked ; but there are quantities of trap-rock, and of greywacke, or blue stone, which are used for the purpose of common building. Masses of loose rocks appear on various lands, and especially on the lands of Craiks Craigs; but on the bottom of Evan, or others of these rivers, the floetz trap rocks appear stratified, and their dip is commonly to the south and west, and nearly vertical, occasionally discovering calcareous spar intermixed. There is no solid granite rock in the parish or the county; nor have any ores or fossil remains worth notice been discovered.*

II. CIVIL HISTORY.

There is a county map which was executed by Mr Crawfurd about thirty years ago, at the expense of the landholders. The names of the heritors, taken in the order corresponding with the extent and value of their estates, are as under, viz. Mr Hope Johnstone of Annandale, M. P.; his Grace the Duke of Buccleuch; Miss Munro Johnstone of Corehead; Lieutenant-General Sharpe of Hoddam, M. P.; Mr Younger of Craigielands; the heirs of Mr Paterson of Langbedholm; and Mr Tweedie of Oliver.

Parochial Registers.-The parish register has been long continued, but with one considerable space of time blank when it was neglected. The first volume begins in 1692, when Mr Thomas Goldie was ordained, and extends to 1697. The second volume begins in 1736, when Mr William Scott was ordained, and extends to 1755, and thence the record extends to 1769 and 1787. The late Mr Scott carried it to 1799, from which time it has been continued to this year. It contains a record of births and mar

* Zoology and Botany.-For the Zoology and Botany of this parish, reference is made to those Articles in the Account of Moffat.

riages, but not of deaths,―with a general view of the funds allotted for the poor. A smaller book is also kept for inserting the collections and distributions.

Antiquities.-The ruins of the old castle of Achincass are very ancient, and of considerable extent still, though much dilapidated. It belonged to Randolph Earl of Murray, Regent of Scotland in the minority of David Bruce, and was at another time the property of the Douglases of Morton. The tower of Lochhouse belonged to the Johnstones of Corehead. There was lately one vaulted ruin at Kinnelhead, and there is still another at Boreland. Several moats exist in this parish, as to which tradition is silent. The vestiges of a camp, in the line of the old Roman way, passing up Annandale towards Crawford, may still be traced in some places.

Modern Buildings.-These are constructed of stone and lime, and most of them are covered with roof-slate,-very few being now thatched with straw, or covered as formerly with freestone flags. Mr Younger of Craigielands has built a comfortable house, and cased the walls of it with Moffat blue whinstone The Duke of Buccleuch has lately erected superior farm-buildings on his lands in this parish, at an expense of from three to four years of the respective rentals, and on a liberal and well-arranged plan.

III-POPULATION.

In the year 1755, according to Dr Webster, the population was
but this number is thought incorrect.

1790,

1811,

1821,

1831,

In the villages the residenters amount to about

And in the country to about

Number of blind,

of deaf and dumb,

The average number of births for 7 years is,

of marriages,

The number of deaths has not been ascertained.

The number of families in the parish is,
Whereof are chiefly employed in agriculture,

In trade, manufactures, and handicraft,

And not included in any of these classes,

794

617

596

821

981

80

901

The average number of children in each family is

169

Resident Landed Proprietors.-Only one heritor, the late Mr.

Paterson, resides constantly in the parish. At present Mr Younger only resides for about half the year.

Land-Rents.-The lowest rental of a proprietor is L. 150; one rental is above L. 600; another above L. 1000; and the highest above L. 2000. The whole are about L. 5000.

IV. INDUSTRY.

Agriculture and Rural Economy.—

The number of acres at any time in tillage is about

Never in tillage,

Of which there there might still be tilled or planted, at least
In undivided common there are

7000

14,000

21,000

2000

0

230

In woods or plantations of Scotch fir, larch, and spruce, oak, and ash, also a few beeches and elms, &c, about

Rent, Wages, Prices, &c.-The average of arable land per acre may be worth L. 1 of rent; good hill pasture, 5s. ; inferior, 2s. per acre. The grazing of an OX or cow for summer costs L. 3, exclusive of winter fodder, which costs L. 4 more. The year's grazing of a full-grown sheep is 5s. on the mountain pastures and may cost 10s. when fed and fattened in the low districts. A man's days wages in summer are 1s. 6d.; in winter, 1s. to ls. 2d. A tradesman expects about one-third more than a labourer. Coal carried and put down here costs per cwt. from 10d. to 1s.: Peats, per cart load, made, carried, and delivered, 2s. 6d. or 3s. Larch timber, per cubic foot in the wood, costs 1s. 2d.: Oak and ash, per foot in the wood, from 1s. 10d. to 2s. 3d.: Butter per lb. of 24 oz. in summer, 1s.: Cheese per lb. of 24 oz. avoirdupois, 4d. to 6d. Beef or mutton per lb. of 16 oz. about 5d.: Wool per stone, of 24 lb. coarse, 7s. to 9s. ; fine, 16s. to 20s.: A male farm-servant's wages for the year are from L. 10 to L. 12: A female farm-servant's wages for the year, from L. 6 to L. 7.

:

Breeds of Cattle and Sheep, &c.-The breed of Galloway cattle has been greatly improved of late. The breeds of Cheviot and black-faced sheep have also been improved.

The improvement of the lands in tillage, by draining, fencing, manuring, and green crops, has of course tended materially to improve the live stock; and the same effect has been promoted in a different manner by such farmers as had it in their power to raise hay by irrigation.

Leases, &c.-The general duration of leases for arable farms is