prietor of Applegarth, obtained a Parliamentary grant of the right to hold four annual fairs and a weekly market at the village of Applegarth. These fairs have long since ceased to be held; but what is said to be the site of the market cross is still visible, and has witnessed within these thirty years the legal process of poinding cattle. There is but one inn, or public-house, in the parish; and it is frequented chiefly by travellers on the Glasgow road. The reprehensible practice of allowing toll-keepers to take out the spirit licence prevailed here for a year or two; but now malt-liquor only is allowed to be there sold. But even this privilege, affording as it does an opportunity of dealing clandestinely in ardent spirits, ought not, and it is hoped will not, be continued.

Fuel.-The ordinary fuel is peat. Every tenant having a right to fuel by his lease, the expense consists solely in working and leading it, perhaps at the rate of 8d. or 10d. per cart-load. Coals, of which not a great deal is used, are brought from Annan, a distance of eleven miles from the south boundary of the parish. To that town they are sea-borne from the collieries of Cumberland.

MISCELLANEOUS OBSERVATIONS.

The difference between the present state of the parish and that which existed at the time of the last Statistical Account, is, as may naturally be expected, very great, though, from the want of minuteness in that account, it is not easy to point out in many particulars the precise degree of improvement. The mode of living is more comfortable; while the good old habits of domestic economy have not been impaired. The management of the land is more judicious, and of course it is greatly more productive. In one particular, the improvement is striking; at that period there was little or no wheat raised in the parish, and but a small quantity of artificial hay. Now the yearly value of the former article grown in Applegarth will amount to between L. 5000 and L. 6000, and of the latter to L. 1000 at least. The rental at the same period was between L. 2000 and L. 3000; it is now nearly L. 7000, and was a few years ago L. 8000.

March 1834.

PARISH OF TUNDERGARTH.

PRESBYTERY OF LOCHMABEN, SYNod of dumFRIES.

THE REV. THOMAS LITTLE, A. M. MINISTER.

I. TOPOGRAPHY AND NATURAL HISTORY.

Name, Boundaries, &c.-THE name of this parish has been commonly rendered "Castle of the Garden;" but more probably it is nothing more than the British and Irish Ton-der-garth, which literally means "the inclosure at the oak-hill." The form of the parish is very inconvenient; its extreme length being about 12 or 13 miles, and its breadth varying from about 1 to 2 miles. It lies on the left bank of Milk-Water, the windings of which form two triangles, both obtuse. It is bounded on the west by the parishes of St Mungo and Dryfesdale, and the united parishes of Hutton and Corrie; on the north-east by Westerkirk; and on the south by Middlebie and Hoddam.

Topographical Appearances.—Its surface is undulating, and precipitous throughout. There are no hills of any altitude deserving particular notice, with the exception of Grange Fell and Crieve, which are about 900 feet above the level of the sea. The valleys are so deep by attrition and other causes, as to form very strikingly marked features in its varied landscape. In its whole length it is beautifully picturesque along the banks of the Milk, affording many very fine subjects for the pencil, especially in the neighbourhood of the manse, and some places farther down. The climate partakes generally of the character of the district, which is proverbially moist.

Geology and Mineralogy.-There are no indications of coal in this parish, nor is there any trace of sandstone. The formations are composed of transition rock, alternating with transition-slate and clay-slate, occasionally passing into greenstone; subordinate to all which is greywacke in very thick beds. These are the general characters of the rocks where they appear, from the southwest end of the parish for about eight miles. There is no ironstone, or limestone, or basalt. The amygdaloidal range passes to the south on the borders of the parish from Torbeckhill by Burnswark, Newfield, &c. overlying coarse-grained sandstone, colours

varying from bright-red to gray and streaked, and sometimes pearly white, as at Burnswark. In this last are nodules of a darkbrown colour, from the presence of oxide of iron. This range, however, though bordering on Tundergarth, is in the parishes of Middlebie and Hoddam. Peat abounds in the upper district of the parish; but in the lower district it has of late years been very scarce. The soil is various; but where cultivated is generally fertile, though in some places rather hard, thin, and rocky. There is very little holm or table-land. Towards the hills, the soil is cold, with a till or gravelly subsoil, and indurated clay. The greater part of the lands are much exposed to west-north-west and easterly winds; and, rising abruptly from the Milk, have very little shelter. More than one-half of the surface consists of fertile sheep-walks. A trial was made for lead some years ago on the farm of Hazzleberry, and a level was driven some distance into the hill. There were indications of the ore in a vein of iron mica; but the search was not successful, and was finally abandoned. A search was also made for lead many years ago in Grange Fell, with similar sucAnother trial was made in the bottom of a very deep glen on the estate of Crawthwaite, the property of George Graham, Esq. by a level which remains still open, or was so lately. Antimony was actually found. Some fine specimens of the ore were for many years in the possession of the late Thomas Johnstone, Esq. of Grange. It is probable the ore was not found in sufficient quantity to warrant the expense of farther search. The strata of the whole glen and hills on each side are transition-slate and clayslate, the latter greatly abounding: the debris of it covers the slopes of the mountains. It is to be regretted that so few trials have been made in this part of the country, especially for coals, which are believed by all to exist in abundance. Were coals found in the neighbourhood of the many lime quarries, the price of lime would be much reduced. They are at present brought from the north of England by sea, and are very dear. The man who discovers coal in this part of the country will be entitled to be ranked among the benefactors of his countrymen.

cess.

II. CIVIL HISTORY.

Accounts of the Parish.—There is a document in the possession of the family of Grange, containing an account very illustrative of border manners, at the period to which it refers.*

* From this document it appears, that at the funeral of Thomas Johnstone of Purbsiehall, which was some time prior to 1629, a fight took place between the

Historical Notices.-The church and parish of Tundergarth appear to be of ancient establishment, seeing the advowsons never belonged to the Bishops of Glasgow. The manor of Tundergarth seems to have belonged to the family of Johnstone, where they had a castle, of which, however, no part now remains. The prevailing name was formerly Johnstone. The lands and patronage of the church belonged in the reign of James IV. to Lord Herries, in whose family they remained till the union of the crowns. From Lord Herries they passed to Murray of Cockpool, whose successors, the Viscounts of Stormont, held them in the reign of Charles II. The patronage at present belongs to Lord Mansfield.

Land-owners.-The property in this parish is very much divided. The chief landed proprietors are Thomas Beattie, Esq. of Crieve, John Swan, Esq. of Whitstonehill, and William Johnstone, Esq. of Grange.

Parochial Registers.-The parochial registers have been very irregularly kept hitherto ; but measures have now been taken to have them regularly kept in future.

Antiquities.—In regard to antiquities, the oldest seemingly of which this parish can boast is a Roman road, discovered a few years ago on the north side, and passing from the Roman camp on Burnswark Hill, in a direction north-west. Traces of it have been found from thence to Closeburn; that being the tract by which the Romans under Agricola forced their way into Strath Cluid. The road was covered with about nine inches of earth. It is formed of broad flat stones, well packed together with watersand in the interstices. It is about eight feet wide.

There are still to be seen in many places small entrenched camps or Birrens, as they are called. They are all on elevated situations; generally of a round form, very prominent, and in good preservation; and they consist of a strong vallum and fosse, without any outworks. The area seldom exceeds an acre, and is often less. It is conjectured that they were constructed during the long feuds and border wars by the Septs or lairds, to protect themselves and cattle from the English, and from one another. It is probable, however, that some of these may be of an earlier date,

Johnstones of Tundergarth and those of Lockerbie, in which three of the latter family and two of the former were killed. A feud, it is said, existed at the time between the two families, and to prevent any quarrelling, the family of Tundergarth were not invited to the funeral. However, some of them came to the burying-ground, and a quarrel, as had been dreaded, taking place, the consequences were as we have stated.

and may be what are called British Fortifications; many of them still retain the name of Castle. In breaking up some of these in the lower part of the parish, especially at Castlehill and Cairnhill, opposite the manse, urns have been found containing human bones and ashes. Some of these urns were in a good state of preservation.

remains on the farm of They consist of seven

There appear to be some Druidical Whiteholm, the property of Mr Swan. erect stones, forming a semicircle, and are by the common people called the Seven Brethren. Among these remains, bones have been found; but whether human or not, has not been ascertained. About a mile distant from these remains, on the property belonging to the same gentleman, there existed until lately two cairns of pretty large dimensions; and there was one of similar form and size also on the estate of Grange. When the stones were carried away for building fences and other purposes, there were found in the heart of them human skeletons, contained in something resembling stone coffins.

In the neighbourhood of that on the property of Mr Swan, there are several tumuli resembling graves.

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chiefly employed in trade, manufactures, or handicraft, 2. Number of unmarried men, bachelors or widowers, upwards of 50 years of age, 13 of unmarried women, including widows, upwards of 45, There were lately 9 persons above eighty years of age, 3 of whom were in their eighty-fifth year, and 1, a female, in her eighty-sixth year, all in the upper district of the parish. Several individuals have been known, within the memory of the present generation, to have reached their ninetieth year and upwards.

The number of proprietors of land of L. 50 a-year in value, and upwards, is 19 or 20. The total number of proprietors in the parish is 27, of whom 13 are resident.

Character of the People.-The people in general are sober and industrious; seem satisfied with their condition and circumstances;

* The difference betwixt the population as here stated, and the account of it as given in when the census was last taken, may be owing to the season of the year when the two accounts were taken.