PARISH OF STONYKIRK.

PRESBYTERY OF STRANRAER, SYNOD OF GALLOWAY.

THE REV. JAMES ANDERSON, MINISTER.

I. TOPOGRAPHY AND NATURAL HISTORY.

Name, Situation, Extent, &c.—THE parish of Stonykirk, more properly called Stephenkirk, comprising the united parishes of StonyKirk, Clayshank, and Toscarton, is situated on the west of the Bay of Luce. It is bounded on the south by the parish of Kirkmaiden; on the west by the Irish Channel, and the parish of Portpatrick; and by the parishes of Inch and Glenluce on the north.

The parish is of an irregular figure, extending about 7 miles in breadth, on the north, and then continuing to contract towards the south, until its breadth does not exceed 3 miles. It measures about 33 square miles, and contains 21,420 imperial acres, of which not about 650, stretching along the bay of Luce, of a sandy soil, and 60 acres on the west, may now be reported as incapable of improvement. The soil of the rest, particularly of the eastern and southern district, is in general light and dry, and affords an early harvest. A tract, extending along the western district, and reclaimed, in a great part, from a mossy and heathy state, consists of a heavier and wetter soil, and is in consequence later in the maturity of its produce.

The surface is varied by many inequalities; but scarcely any of these deserves the name of a hill. There are about 1400 acres in detached spots, scattered over its surface, mostly considered capable of improvement.

Topographical Appearances.-The coast, on the north-west, is rather bold and rocky, and precipitous in some places, becoming less so as it approaches the south. It is indented by three bays, affording moorings to the fishermen's small craft. The eastern coast is rather sinuous and stony, and varied by two bays: that of Sandhead is capacious, andaffords anchorage for lime and coal sloops. The lands extending from the Sandhead eastward, and joining the sands of Luce, (of which they are a continuation,) are marked with the ruins of many a vessel stranded on them, before the erection of the Drawn up from Notes furnished by the parish Schoolmaster.

light-house on the Mull of Galloway. On the north and west shores, the land rises rapidly from the sea; but on the east and south-west, it slopes with a very gentle elevation..

Climate. Perhaps it is from the almost peninsular situation of the parish, that the sky is, generally speaking, rather cloudy, and the atmosphere moist; and waterspouts are of occasional occurrence. The most prevalent winds are from the west and northwest, which are generally accompanied with showers, and squally in winter; and it is from the latter point that we experience our vernal and equinoctial gales. Our continued dry weather, however, and frosts, are accompanied with east wind, and the heaviest rains are always preceded by the south wind. The climate, upon the whole, is rather salubrious, and the inhabitants generally attain longevity.

Hydrography. The little fresh water river which separates the parish on the north from the parish of Inch is not above 20 feet wide when it leaves this parish; and continuing its course in an easterly direction, it flows into the sea at the Bay of Luce. Its name is Poltanton, and it is frequented by the par, the pike, and salmon and sea-trout from the bay of Luce. The sands on the Bay of Luce abound with a shell-fish vulgarly called muskins, or razor-fish, from its resemblance to that instrument: it is taken as an article of domestic food during the months of March and April. We may remark, that the cod-fishery mentioned in the old Statistical Account, as prosecuted with various success, supports its former character, affording nothing for exportation.

Plantations.—The parish contains about 370 acres of plantation. Some of the planting is considered to be above 160 years old. There are about five acres of natural wood.

II. CIVIL HISTORY.

Parochial Registers.-There is a register of baptisms and marriages kept, which contains also the accounts of disbursements, and the minutes of the session. There is no register of deaths; and the births are by no means regularly entered.

Land-owners. The landed proprietors are, John M'Taggart, Esq. of Ardwell, M. P.; Patrick Maitland, Esq. of Freugh; Major James M'Dowall, Esq. of Logan; Colonel Thomas Hunter Blair, C. B., of Dunskey; Vans Agnew, C. B., of Barnbarroch; Vans Hathorn, Esq. of Garthland; and the Honourable John William H. Dalrymple, Earl of Stair, Caldons. The estates of each of these gentlemen yield more than L. 500 Sterling

of annual rent.—The two principal heritors, John M'Taggart, Esq. of Ardwell, and Patrick Maitland, Esq. reside generally on their estates in the parish, unless when the former is attending his duties in Parliament.

Antiquities. The parish contains three earthen mounds of a conical form; the most remarkable of which is near Balgreggan House, (the residence of Patrick Maitland of Freugh), which is 460 feet in circumference, and 60 feet in height, with an excavation on its summit, and defended by a circular fosse.-On the lands of Garthland, is a square tower 45 feet in height, and exhibiting on its battlements the date 1274; it was formerly the residence of the Thanes of Galloway. The Bay of Floats is, in this parish, so called from a belief that some of the vessels composing the Spanish Flota were wrecked there. On the lands of Ardwell are some remains of Druid temples and Pictish castles. Two gold lachrymatories, weighing three and a half ounces each, were found on the lands of Garthland in 1783. It may be added, that there are the ruins of an old church, on the farm of Clayshank, distinctly visible above the surface. And Kirkmadrine, with its church-yard, still preserved as a burying-place, contains some grave-stones, with antique inscriptions.

Modern Buildings.-A new church, on a magnificent scale, and of the Gothic order of architecture, was erected in the year 1827, the expenses of which amounted to L. 2000 Sterling; and in 1831, a new school-house and schoolmaster's dwelling-house, on a neat and commodious plan, were built. Within the last twentyfive years, a great number of farm-houses have been erected, all of which are very commodious and handsome, many of them consisting of two stories, and tastefully designed.

The increase in the population of 1821 was attributed to the ingress of Irish as servants and labourers; and the decrease in 1831 is attributed to the efforts of the heritors to check such ingress, with a view to the relief of the poor's funds.

There is no town in this parish, and the only villages are the Sandhead, containing at last census a population of 121; and the little village beside the church, with a population of 72.

The number of acres cultivated or occasionally in tillage, is

constantly waste,

under wood,

supposed capable of being brought under cultivation with
a profitable application of capital,

19100

2300

375

1115

The farm-steadings in the parish, with few exceptions, are in a very commodious state. The farmers prefer the cultivation of wheat to that of barley. They practise the system of grain-cropping, and a farmer who, at the time of the old Statistical Account, could not produce three square yards of turnips in his garden, can now have a field of 20 acres.

Upon the whole, the modern system of farming, including re claiming waste land, draining, &c. is practised in the parish and on the most approved plan; and for respectability, politeness, and intelligence, the farmers of Stonykirk need not shrink from a comparison with those of any parish in this district of Scotland.

Rental. The rental of the parish amounts to L. 12,000 per

annum.

Quarries, Mines, &c.-There are none of these worked in the parish; and the salt manufacture noticed in last account is quite neglected, as is the cultivation of flax.

V.-PAROCHIAL ECONOMY.

The nearest market-town is Stranraer, about six miles distant from the church. It is also the nearest post-town; but, under the new post-office regulations, we have a petty office at the village beside the kirk, one at Sandhead, and another between that and Kirkmaiden, also an intermediate station between this parish and Stranraer.

Ecclesiastical State. The parish church is situated about two miles from the Bay of Luce. It stands about six miles distant from the southern boundary, and nearly the same distance from the north-western limits of the parish. Though capable of accommodating nearly 1000, it is still too limited for the population when the inhabitants are disposed to attend. It was erected in 1827. The sittings may be considered as all free. The manse was erected about fifty years ago. It since received a new kit

chen and dining-room, and repairs are still required. The glebe is about eight acres in extent. The grain stipend consists of 4 chalders of meal and 4 chalders of barley.

The number of families attending the Established Church is 410; of Dissenting or Seceding families, 74; of Episcopalian families, 2; of Roman Catholic families, 10.

Education. There are, besides the parochial school, five others not endowed. Only the common branches of education are or can be taught in the private schools. The branches taught in the parochial school are, English, writing, arithmetic, English grammar, Latin, Greek, and French, with book-keeping, and practical mathematics. The rate of wages at the parochial school, which may be said to regulate those of the others, is 2s. 6d. per quarter for reading English; 3s. when writing is learnt with it; 3s. 6d. for English grammar and arithmetic; Latin, Greek, and French, with book-keeping, 5s. The parochial schoolmaster's salary is L. 25, 13s. 3d.; and his school fees do not exceed L. 10 a year. The number of the young between six and fifteen years of age who cannot read or write is 23, and the number above fifteen who cannot read or write is 4.

Poor and Parochial Funds.-The average number of persons receiving parochial aid amounts to about 60. The amount of contributions, on an average, may be stated thus: From church collections, L. 55; legal assessments, L. 58.

Ale-houses.-There are 5 licensed ale-houses or inns in the

parish.

Fuel. The fuel generally used is peat, cut from mosses on the estates of Freugh and Port of Spittal.

MISCELLANEOUS OBSERVATIONS.

The parish presents, undoubtedly, striking changes since the date of the Old Account-in the mode of farming, and in the general aspect of the parish. Besides the parochial road from Stranraer to Kirkmaiden, passing through this parish, about eight miles along which the mail is carried thrice every week,—another road, almost parallel, runs through the western district, and opens a communication with Kirkmaiden and Portpatrick on the west. These roads are again intersected with three others, which afford a communication through the whole parish, and great accommodation to the farmers. Still, there is a want of roads in the northern district of the parish. The public are in daily expectation of en