veal, mutton and lamb, in their respective seasons. A Dispensary has lately been opened in Maxwelltown, for the benefit of the poorer classes of its inhabitants, under the superintendance of a young medical practitioner.

Ecclesiastical State.-The church and the manse are situated within the burrow-roods of Maxwelltown, at a distance of a mile from the most crowded part of the population. The church is capable of accommodating 840 sitters. A chapel of ease was lately built in the centre of the burgh, through the influence of the principal landed proprietor, and others. The Crown is the patron of the parish.

The manse was built thirty years ago. Its situation is on the banks of the Nith, and it commands not only an extensive view of the Nith, but of Criffell in the adjoining parish, and of Skiddaw and some of the other lofty hills in the north of Cumberland. The stipend is L.322, 12s. money, the teinds having been surrendered by the whole of the heritors, the titular excepted, whose estate pays nearly two chalders of victual, the one-half meal and the other barley. The glebe contains nearly eleven acres, all of good quality.

A chapel of ease was some years ago erected in Maxwelltown, capable of accommodating 1600 sitters; the stipend of the minister is L.150 without a manse.

Education. There are three schools in the landward part of the parish, the principal of which is the parish school, which has L.30, 16s. of salary attached to it, with L.2, 10s. of interest, arising from a mortified sum for teaching the children of the cottagers who reside on the estate of Dalscairth, and a comfortable dwelling-house and an excellent garden. The second school has a salary of L.15 from the Society for Propagating Christian Knowledge, with L.9, 12s. from the heritors in compensation for the keep of a cow summer and winter; and a large garden, a suitable dwelling-house, and a sufficient quantity of peats for fuel, are furnished by the surrounding tenants gratis. The third school is supported by the tenants on the estate of Cargen, who pay the teacher wages, and give him bed and board in their houses alternately. In these three schools, about 180 scholars are taught annually.

There is only one endowed school in Maxwelltown, with a salary of L.9, 12s. paid by the landward heritors, and L.4, the interest of L.100 of mortified funds. It has also the benefit of the

interest of some smaller sums bequeathed by a few individuals. The teacher has the usual wages, but no dwelling-house. Two other schools are taught in Maxwelltown, the masters in which have no emoluments but the wages. The number of scholars in these

three schools may be 250.

Poor and Parochial Funds.-The poor on the roll may be 100. The funds for their support, arising from proclamations, interest of mortified funds, mortcloth fees, collections at the parish church, donations, and one-third of the chapel collections, amount to about L.140 annually, which affords but a miserable pittance for the support of so many, and is one proof among a thousand others, that a provision for the aged and infirm should, in no country, be left to the unsteady and capricious impulse of compassion, but be enforced by positive statute. Indeed, in a parish such as Troqueer, where many of the heritors do not reside, and several of those who are resident attend other places of worship, and contribute nothing to the poor on the roll, a poor's rate, with all its predicted evils, would, if properly managed, be the cheapest, the fairest, and the most effectual mode of maintaining the native poor.

Fuel.-Coal is the fuel chiefly used by the inhabitants, which is partly conveyed by land from Sanquhar, a distance of twentyseven miles; but chiefly by sea from the coal-pits on the opposite coast of England. The first is sold by weight, the last by measure, and almost always at a moderate price.

PARISH OF TERREGLES.

PRESBYTERY OF DUMFRIES, SYNOD OF DUMFRIES.

THE REV. GEORGE HERON, MINISTER.
THE REV. DAVID DICKIE, Assistant Minister.

I.-TOPOGRAPHY AND NATURAL HISTORY.

Name.-THE name of this parish is generally understood to be derived from Terra ecclesia, or the French, Terre d'Eglise. This derivation accords with the circumstance which is fully ascertained, that the lands in the parish originally belonged to the

abbey at Lincluden, (an ecclesiastical establishment), which is within its bounds, and situated on the banks of the river Cairn.

Extent, Boundaries, &c.-Terregles is situated within the stewartry of Kirkcudbright, and is within two miles of the town of Dumfries. It extends from east to west about 5 miles, and at an average is about 3 in breadth. Its boundaries are, Holywood on the north; Troqueer on the south and east; Lochrutton on the west; and Irongray on the north-west.

The church is situated as nearly as possible in the centre of the parish, and the manse about a mile to the south-east. To the west, there is a beautiful range of hills, part of which is covered with wood, and part affords excellent pasturage for sheep and cattle. From the top of these hills is seen, in great beauty and splendour, the town of Dumfries, which, to the eye of the beholder, lies immediately below, and the vale along the Nith, which, from the windings of the river, and the variety of the scenery around, is an object of great attraction and interest, together with a portion of the Solway and the Cumberland hills in the dis

tance.

Hydrography. The only river or rather stream besides the - Cairn, which separates the parish from that of Holywood for about two miles, is the Cargen. Although this stream be of small extent, yet, in proportion to its size, it affords excellent fishing both of salmon and trout. The Cargen joins the Nith, about two miles below the town of Dumfries.

II. CIVIL HISTORY.

Land-owners, &c.-The principal proprietor in the parish is Marmaduke C. Maxwell, Esq. of Terregles. The Hon. Mrs Young of Lincluden; John Walker, Esq. of Woodlands; and James Biggar, Esq. of Maryholm, also hold properties in the parish, The estates belonging to the two last-mentioned are situated principally in other parts of the county. All the heritors are resident with the exception of three. There are twenty-one farms which yield each the yearly rental of L. 50 and upwards. It may be mentioned, that Marmaduke C. Maxwell, Esq. the principal he. ritor in the parish, is of the ancient family of Nithsdale, the title of which was forfeited in the year 1715. This family is Roman Catholic. In consequence of the great and judicious improvements which are going on, and the regular employment afforded to the labouring class, the residence of this family in the parish is of the utmost benefit. Their attention to the tenants on the

estate, and their condescension and liberality to the poor and the working population, have endeared them to all in the neighbourhood. This branch of the family of Nithsdale claims the dormant title of Lord Harris.

Parochial Registers.-The registers of the parish go no farther back than the year 1714, and, generally speaking, have been very imperfectly kept.

tine nuns.

Antiquities.-The ruins of the Abbey of Lincluden are situated on the banks of the river Cairn, a little above its junction with the Nith. This church or abbey originally belonged to the BenedicIt was built during the reign of Malcolm IV. about the year 1150, by Uthred, the father of Roland, the Lord of Galloway. In the year 1400, this ancient piece of architecture was changed from the character it orginally possessed, in consequence of the irregular habits of the nuns, into a temporal barony (M'Diarmid's Picture of Dumfries-shire.) About the beginning of the sixteenth century, it became the property of the Nithsdale family, and at present is in the possession of Marmaduke C. Maxwell, Esq. Towards the east end of the chapel, is the tomb of Margaret, daughter of Robert III. and wife of Archibald Earl of Douglas, on which is an inscription, but so much defaced that it cannot now be deciphered. The ruins are in a very dilapidated state; and although the whole must have been once a building of much grandeur and magnificence, its beauty is completely obscured. There are many farms in the neighbourhood which have obviously derived their names from this ancient establishment, for example, Nunnery, College, &c.

Adjoining to the church there is an old building which now constitutes the burying-place of the Maxwell family. It was built in the year 1568, and formed part of the church at that period used as a Roman Catholic place of worship. There are many curiosities connected with this remnant of the olden times. Amongst others, is a massy and curiously carved chair made of oak, which originally belonged to the provost of Lincluden Abbey, after that institution was changed into a temporal barony. In the absence, however, of a distinct knowledge of the character of these ancient relics, and the particular purposes to which they were once applied, little can with any certainty be said of them. This remnant of the Catholic times retains to this day the name of the choir, and is understood to have formed the orchestra or place set apart for

the singers in the service of the Romish church. It is now very much decayed.

Upon the farm of Terregles-town, about a mile to the east from the church, there was at one time a village of considerable extent. Its population is said to have amounted to about 300. The pavement of the street is still seen, and extends a considerable length. In the immediate neighbourhood there is a place called the Gallows-hill, where, according to tradition, criminals were executed at an early period.

The estate of Marmaduke C. Maxwell, Esq. can boast of some of the most scientific and enterprising farmers to be found in the south of Scotland.

Wages.-The average amount of wages for labourers is 1s. 6d. per diem during summer, and 1s. 4d. during winter. Farm-servants (unmarried) receive from L. 10 to L. 12 per annum, and females from L. 5 to L. 6. Married men receive from L. 20 to L.22 per annum, together with a free house and other perquisites. Others again receive from L. 10 to L. 12 and 52 stones of meal, and 3 or 4 stones of barley.

V. PAROCHIAL ECONOMY.

Ecclesiastical State.-The manse is a substantial and commodious building, and is in a state of good repair. The present church was built about thirty years ago. It is badly constructed, cold, damp, and in every respect uncomfortable. The burying-ground around the church is enclosed by a substantial stone wall, and within are several neat and handsome tombstones or mo

numents.

The stipend derived from the teinds amounts to L. 110, 12s. 4d., besides L. 8, 6s. 8d. for communion elements. The remaining L.39, 7s. Sd. is obtained from the Exchequer.

The patronage of the parish originally belonged to the Nithsdale family, and, subsequently, was exercised by the late Duke of Queensberry. At present, it is in the possession of the Duke of Buccleuch.

Education. The parochial is the only school in the parish. A new and commodious school-house has lately been erected.