Historical and genealogical account of the principal families of the name of Kennedy

116 APPENDIX.
houfes of the Gentry being decayed and rained, it lias loft much of its ancient beautie. Juft
oppofite to this Venall, there is another, that leads North-weft from the chiefe ftreet to the
Green, which is a pleafant plott of ground enclofed round„with an earthen wall, wherein
they were wont to play at foot-ball, but now at the gowffe, and byaffe-bowls. At the Eaft end
of the principall ftreet are other two lanes ; the one, called the Foul Venall, carryes North-
ward ; the other furder Eaft, upon the chiefe ftreet, paries to the South-east, and is called the
Kirk- Venall, and is the great refort of the people from the towne to the Church. The houfes
of this Towne, on both fydes the ftreet, have their federal gardens belonging to them ; and
in the lower ftreet there be fome pretty orchards, that yeild ftore of good fruit.
The Church is very capacious, well furnilhed with feats below, and lofts or galleries
above ; the principall whereof is that belonging to the Earl of CqJJillis. On the Eaft end of
the Ifle there is the SeJJlon Loft, well adorned with two rows of feats, a higher and lower,
round about it, for the accommodation of the people, who are wont to be Catechifed in this
apartment. The Schoole is upon the Eaft end of the Church, feperated from it by a par-
tition of timber, wherein doors and windows open, to give them, not only a profpect into the
Church, but opportunity of hearing at the greateft diftance.
In this Jurifdiction there be nyne Churches, all of them built of good free-ftone, and
covered with fkleit ; made fo capacious as to containe the people of the refpective parifhes ;
and they are generally all of them very well endowed with competent maintenance, and other
good accomodations for the Minifter ; having all of them tolerable good Manfes and gleibs.
Thefe nyne Churches have fometyme been a diftinct Prefbyterie, under the name of the
Presbyterie of Mayboll, which thereby appears to have been the feat thereof; which
feems very reafouable, as being moft capable to lodge fuch as on that account lhould refort
thither ; and having the prefence of the Magistracy to aflift and fecond the exercife of difci-
pline. And of late ane eflay was made for erecting it anew, under the designation of the
Presbytery; but there being difficulty to fatisfie the parties anent the feat thereof, it was
let fall. All the tyme that they acted diftinctly, the Meetings were either circular, lyke
visitations, or by turns, at Girvan and Mai/boll. The nyne parifhes are Mayboll, Kirkmichael,
Straton, Barre, Calmonell, Ballantrae, Girvan, Dallie, and Kirhqfwald.
6. ' The White Horse Inn,' which formerly belonged to the Lairds of Kilhenzie. 7. ' The Garden of
Eden,' and the House to which it is attached, which was the residence of the Abbots of Crossraguel. 8.
The House where Abbot Quentin Kennedy and John Knox held their celebrated Conference or disputa-
tion, and is now ' the Red Lion Inn.' A great number of other ancient Houses are still extant, an exa-
mination of the Title-deeds of which would show the proprietors to have been the principal Gentry of the
district of Carrick. Enough has been noticed to show the ancient splendour of Maybole. Twenty-eight
of these winter Mansion-houses can still be reckoned.