Agnews of Lochnaw

1683] MOTE-HILL OF INNERMESSAN. 401
siderable place in the Kinds of Galloway, and the greatest town
thereabout till Stranrawer was built."
Up to comparatively recent times we learn from the oldest
inhabitants that " there were at Innermessan fourscore, houses of
the letter sort having brewing kettles ; " and in the retours of
various Sheriffs are lists of house-properties, each dwelling-
house having " yards and gardens f as well as two mills, belong-
ing to the family of Lochnaw.
The Statistical Account of Scotland gives the following par-
ticulars : —
" At Innermessan is a large circular mound called the moat ;
its circumference at the base is three hundred and thirty-six
feet, and from the foundation to the top is seventy-eight feet.
The name Moat, 1 a Saxon word, would seem to indicate that it
was a place of Judicial assembly. The fosse would lead us to
believe that it had been used as a fortlet or place of defence.
This Innermessan was the site of the ancient Eerigonium, a
town of the Novantes. It was situated on the Eerigonius Sinus,
the modern Lochryau.
" In subsequent times there was the town and castle of Inner-
messan, the castle belonging to Sir Andrew Agnew of Lochnaw.
The town of Innermessan seems to have been the most con-
siderable place in the Ehinns of Galloway. Every vestige of the
town and castle is now obliterated. Innermessan is properly
Invermessan, the influx of the Messan."
On this mote-hill, courts of justice were probably often held
by the early Sheriffs. And the castle, commanding as it did the
road into Ayrshire, was doubtless often the rallying-point whence
skirmishers " in jacks, and scryppis, and bonnets of steel" issued
eager for the fray.
The site of the castle was immediately behind the modern
farm-house which bears its name ; in digging the foundations for
which, many remains of buildings were discovered, among which
were bricks of very ancient manufacture. Early in the present
century, unfortunately, no interest whatever was felt in local
1 Mote is the correct word for a Court-hill, Moat for a place of defence.
2 D