Gazetteer of Scotland

KIR
state in the neigbourhood, has labour-
ed to improve his own fortune, and
set a laudable example to the other
landholders in the district. He has di-
vided his lands into small farms ; and,
within these 12 or 15 years, a village
of nearly 100 families has been raised
in the vicinity of the church. By his
exertions, different branches of manu-
facture have been introduced, and so-
cieties formed for the prosecution of
therri. A considerable fair is annually
held ; and, some years ago, races were
established, which have given a won-
derful degree of publicity to the place,
and have been the means of collecting
great numbers of spectators. These
are attended by the nobility and gentry
of Dumfries-shire and Galloway ; and
the sports of the day are concluded
by a ball in the evening, in an assembly
room lately built in the village, and
fitted up in a style of elegance and
accommodation which excites the a-
stonishment of strangers. Population
in 1801, 1007.
KIRK PA TRICK (EAST). Vide
Kilpatrick. (East).
KIRKPATRICK-FLEEMING ; a
parish in Dumfries- shire, about 6 miles
in length, and on an average 3 in
breadth, containing in all 9000 Scots
acres. The surface, which rises gent-
ly from the S. to the N. presents a
pleasing variety and striking contrast ;
in several parts the lands are in a high
state of cultivation, inclosed and shel-
tered with natural woods and planta-
tions ; while here and there, large
tracts of uncultivated ground, covered
with its original heath, meet the eye.
The soil of the arable land varies con-
siderably, but is in general fertile, and
produces tolerable crops of wheat,
oats, barley, potatoes, &c. It is wa-
tered by the small, river Kirtle ; and
the rivers Black and White Sark have
their source in it. Freestone and lime-
stone are abundant ; and there are se-
veral appearances of coal, but none
has yet been wrought. Here are se-
veral mineral springs, two of which
contain the same mineralizers as the
Hartfel Spaw. There are several ele-
gant mansion-houses, which, with
their surrounding pleasure grounds,
much increase the beauty of the coun-
try ; and several fortified towers, par-
ticularly Redhal!, the ancient seat of
fhe FJeeihings, well kaQwn'fqr'its'sral-
KIR
lant defence against the English army
in the time of Robert Bruce. Popu-
lation in 1801, 1544.
KIRKPATRICK-IRONGRAY; a
parish in Kirkcudbrightshire, about 9
miles in length and 2 in breadth. The
eastern extremity, which is only 2
miles distant from Dumfries, is level,
and the soil dry and fertile ; the rest
of the parish is hilly, except a tract of
low lands on the banks of the Cluden
and Cairn rivulets, which water the
parish. There are several pits of marl,
which the farmers have been in the
practice of using for upwards of 60 or
70 years, and, by incessant cropping,
have reduced the land to a sort of
caput mortuum. They now know how
to manage it, by taking fewer crops,
and by laying it out with dung and
grass seeds. Like the rest of Gallo-
way, particular attention is paid to
the rearing of sheep, of winch there
are about 4000 in the parish. On a
water which falls into the river Cairn
there is a bridge over a romantic wa-
terfall called the Routing bridge, from,
the noise made by the water imme-
diately under it. Population in 1801,
730.
KIRKPATRICK-JUXTA, -or
KILPATRICK-JUXTA ; a parish in
Dumfries-shire, of a triangular figure,
each side being about 8 miles long,
bounded en the N. and E. by the ri-
ver Annan. The general appearance
is rather bleak, interspersed with moss
and moor, and almost without inci-
sures. - From the water side, which is
Hat and populous, the ground rises to
the summit of the hiil of Queensberry,
on the W. border, elevated 3000 feet
above the level of the sea. The soil of
the low ground is shallow and dry, but
tolerably fertile ; the higher grounds
are covered with heath and natural
wood. There are distinct vestiges of
a Roman way, leading from the great
camp at Brunswark in Middlebie pa-
rish, to a small rectangular encamp-
ment in this parish, called Tatius-
holm ; near which several pieces of
gold and silver coin have been found.
There are several ruinous fortified
towers, some of which are of great
size. Pooulation in 1801, 596.
KIRKPATRICK (WEST). Vide
Kilpatricx (West):
KIRKTOUN; a parish in the
, county of Roxburgh; s miles long,