Topographical dictionary of Scotland > Volume 2

KIRK
KIRK
Ancient Seal.
The burgh, under its
charter, is governed by a
provost, two bailies, a trea-
surer, and a council of thir-
teen members, chosen under
the provisions of the Muni-
cipal Reform act ; and the
municipal and parliamen-
tary boundaries, which are
nearly identical, comprise
the whole of the royalty.
There are six incorporated
trades, the squaremen, tai-
lors, clothiers, hammermen and glovers, shoemakers,
and weavers ; the fees of admission as members vary
from £1 to £1. 10. for sons and apprentices of freemen,
and from £3 to £6 for strangers. The revenues of the
corporation, arising from lands, the fishery, ferry, and
harbour dues, average about £1000 per annum. The
magistrates exercise civil and criminal jurisdiction ; but,
as the seat of the sheriff's court is within the burgh,
very few cases of the former are brought under their
consideration, and the latter kind of jurisdiction is
chiefly confined to petty cases of misdemeanor. The
burgh is associated with those of Dumfries, Annan,
Lochmaben, and Sanquhar, in returning a member to
the imperial parliament ; the right of election is vested
in the £10 householders, of whom there are 150, and
there are about 205 whose rents are above £5 and
under £10. The county-hall and gaol, erected in 1816,
at an expense of £5000, form a handsome range of
building in the castellated style, with a lofty tower ; the
hall and court-room are elegantly decorated, and the
gaol is under excellent regulation. On the opposite
side of the High-street are the old gaol and court-
house, a curious building, near which is the ancient
market-cross, with a pair of jougs for the punishment
of delinquents, and the date 1054.
The parish includes the ancient parishes of Gait-
way and Dunrod, which, on the dilapidation of their
churches, were annexed to it in 1 683. It is bounded on
the south by the Solway Frith, and is about eight miles
in length, and three and a half in breadth, comprising
an area of 15,000 acres, of which 3000 are arable, 500
meadow and pasture, 500 woodland and plantations, and
the remainder hilly moor, affording tolerable pasturage
for sheep and cattle. The surface is diversified ; on the
shores of the Dee it is tolerably level, but in some other
parts rises by continued undulations to a height of 400
feet above the level of the sea. The river, after uniting
with the streams of the Deugh and the Ken, forms a
boundary of the parish, and joins the Frith at Kirkcud-
bright bay; it flows through a romantic tract of country,
between banks of rugged and precipitous rocks clothed
with wood, and makes some picturesque cascades. It is
navigable for ships of any burthen to Kirkcudbright,
and to the lower bridge of Tongland for vessels of 200
tons. There are several burns in the parish, in which
are found abundance of yellow trout, and, towards the
end of autumn, sea-trout and herling ; and near the
farms of Culdoch and Jordieland is a lake abounding
with trout equal to those of Loch Leven.
The soil is principally a clay loam, alternated with
moss ; in some parts of a dry and gravelly quality, and
in others of unrivalled fertility. The crops are, oats,
102
barley, wheat, potatoes, and turnips ; the system of
agriculture is improved ; the lands have been well
drained and inclosed, and the farm-buildings generally
are substantially built. The cattle are mostly of the
Galloway breed, and are reared in considerable numbers,
as are also the sheep, which are mainly the Leicestershire
breed. The substrata of the parish are chiefly grey-
wacke, porphyry, and trap ; and near the shore are found
boulders of granite and greenstone. There is but little
indigenous wood. The plantations are usually oak, ash,
elm, beech, plane, Spanish chestnut, larch, spruce, and
Scotch and silver fir ; they are well managed, and in a
thriving state, and on some of the lands are various
other varieties, including walnut, birch, alder, maple,
laburnum, poplar, and willow. The rateable annual value
of the parish is £11,541. St. Mary's Isle, the seat of
the Earl of Selkirk, is beautifully situated a mile to
the south of the town, on what was formerly an island,
but is now a peninsula projecting into the bay of Kirk-
cudbright ; it was the site of a priory founded by Fergus,
lord of Galloway, for Augustine monks, and dedicated
to St. Mary. There are still remaining some portions of
the ancient priory, incorporated in the present noble
mansion, which is embosomed in a demesne enriched with
stately timber, and commanding some highly-interesting
and diversified prospects. The houses of Balmae, Jane-
field, St. Cuthbert's Cottage, and Fludha, are handsome
residences finely situated.
The ecclesiastical affairs are under the super-
intendence of the presbytery of Kirkcudbright and
synod of Galloway. The minister's stipend is £281. 10.,
with an allowance of £50 in lieu of manse, and a glebe
valued at £1S per annum; patron, the Crown. The
church, which is one of the most elegant ecclesiastical
structures in the country, was erected in 183S, at an
expense of £7000, towards which the Earl of Selkirk
contributed more than £4000 ; the interior is well ar-
ranged, and contains 1500 sittings. There are places
of worship for members of the Free Church, and the
United Secession. The Kirkcudbright academy is under
a rector and two other masters, all appointed by the
corporation, who pay to the rector a salary of £60, and
to each of the others £50, in addition to the fees.
The course of instruction includes the classics, mathe-
matics, and the whole routine of a commercial educa-
tion ; the number of scholars is 200 on the average.
The buildings, which were erected in 1815, on a site
given by the Earl of Selkirk, were completed at an ex-
pense of £1129, and contain three large class-rooms, a
library, and other apartments : in front is a piazza, for
the use of the pupils in unfavourable weather. Two
parochial schools are maintained, of which the masters
have a salary of £25. 13. each, with a house and garden.
There are also a school for females, of which the mistress
receives £20 per annum from the funds of the burgh ;
and a school, of which the master has £10 per annum
paid jointly by the burgh and by the Countess of Sel-
kirk ; with various other schools partly endowed ; and
a Sabbath school under the superintendence of the
minister, in which are about 300 children. Some ves-
tiges remain of the ancient churches of Galtway and
Dunrod, of which the cemeteries are still used as places
of sepulture. Loch Fergus has been drained, and nothing
is now left of the original castle of the lords of Galloway;
but there are some remains of that of Kirkcudbright,