Scotland > 1868, 1878 - Slater's (late Pigot & Co.'s) Royal national commercial directory and topography of Scotland > 1878 > Part 1

DUMPRIES-SHIRE.
SLATER'S
LOCHMABEN,
"WITH THE PARISHES OF TINWALD AND TORtHORWALD, AND THS VILLAGES OF COLLIN, ROUCAN, SMALLHOLM,
GREENHILL, HECK, HIGHTAE AND NEIGHBOURHOODS.
JUOCHMABEN is a town of considerable antiquity, a royal
burgh, the seat of a presbytery, and capital of the parish of the
name, Go nii':^ 4, IVoni Edinburgh, 70 s.e. from Glasgow, 33 s.e.
from Sanqu '.tr, '^J n.w. from Carlisle, 21 s.e. from Thoruhill, the
same distaocij w. from Langholm, 15 s. from Moffat, 13 n.w. from
Annan, 10 w.n.w. from Ecclefechau, 8>^ n. by e. from Dumfries, and
4 w. from Lockerbie; situated in a level country, surrounded by a
beautiful amphitheatre of hills, and by all the charms which wood
and water can bestow, for few towns are situated in a district of so
rich and varied beauty, and few are associated with so many
historical events. It traces its origin to a very early age, and
derives its name from its situation being among a number of
beautiful lakes, or lochs; the loch on which it is so delightfully
placed, the word Xoc/tmabc;;. signifying in Scoto-Irish the lake ou
tho white plain. The Castle Loch, which flows very near the south
side of the town, is about three miles in circumference; the Mill
Loch is somewhat of Icss^dimensions, and lies on the north side of
the town — this loch flows at times even up to the doors of the
houses. In these two lochs there is a fish called the vendace, or
vendise, which is peculiar to those waters, and is said not to be met
with anywhere else in Britain. It is delicately formed, about six
inches long, and resembles a yoimg herring. How it came here is
not esactly known, some suppose it to have been brouglit from La
Vendee, in Franco, when Bruce's castle was a royal residence, and
hence the name vendace. There is an annual vendace club, com-
posed of gentlemen of the county, who meet once a year, about the
end of July, to have a day's flsliing and recreation on the Castle
Loch. Tliere is also another vendace club who fish in the Mill
Loch. These two lochs, as well as folu- others of considerable
extent, are much resorted to by boating and flshiug parties, and
form a very agreeable recreation both to the inhabitants and also
to tourists and visitors. Tho Dumfries, Lochmaben and Lockerbie
branch of the Caledonian line has a station here, and also others
at AiiiSFiELD and Shieldhill. The town owes its rise to the
protection of a castle of vast strength, which was built by Robert
Bruce, Lord of Auuandale, and was the chief residence of the
Eruces till the end of tho thirteenth century. It stood on the
north-west of the hik-^- which is called Castle Loch, and was sur-
rounded by a deep moat, the outline of all which is still to be seen.
This ancient castle was succeeded by a much larger fortress, built
on a peninsula on the south-east side of the same loch; this
edifice with its outworks covered about 16 acres. After diiiereut
grants to various relations of the Bruces, it was annexed by parlia-
ment iu 1487 to the Crown, and is now the property or in the
keeping of tho Earl of Blansfield. Some of the walls stiil exist:
they are of great thickness, and, with the melancholy firs which
mingle with them, present a gloomy yet interesting mass of ruins.
The period of the lirst erection of Lochmaben into a royal burgh
is of too remote a date for conjecture; its present charter was
granted by James VI., and states that it is a renewal of charters
granted by his illustrious predecessors— its date is 16th of July,
1612. Fromthis charter it appears that the town was more than once
destroyed and burnt during the civil wars, its public edifices plun-
dered, and its ancient records, &c. totally lost; but although the
whole of the former privileges have been regained, the place itself
has never recovered its" former consequence. The municipal
government is vested in a provost, one baillie, a dean of guild, a
treasurer and five councillors. The burgh unites with Dumfries,
Kirkcudbright, Annan and Sanquhar in returning one member to
parliament. The town house, with its tower and deck, stands in
the middle of the principal street, opposite to which there is in
course of erection a statue of Robert Bruce. A sul scription
library affords information to tlie gentlemen by whom it is sup-
ported. There are two freemasons' lodges, two curling clubs, a
bowling green, and other associations. There is a branch estab-
lishment here of the National Bank of Scotland, and also a Savings
Bank for the town and neighbourhood. Lochmaben is not a place
of much trade; with the exception of weaving stockings, shirts, &c.,
which is carried on to a considerable extent, there are no manu-
factories. It is a rural town, and a place of resort for tourists and
strangers, who in the summer months visit it as a place of
retirement and recreation. The parish church is a handsome and
convenient building in the pointed style, with a bold square tower,
in which are two well-toned bells; the foundation stone was laid
April 10th, 181S, and was opened for divine worship in July, 1820;
the cost of ita erection was about £3,000. It is capable of accom-
modating about 1,400 persons.
Tlie Free church, built in 1844, is a plain and neat atructuro,
capable of accommodating 700 persons; the cost of its erection was
about £800. There is a chapel for the United Presbyterians, and
one for the Reformed Presbyterians or Cameronians, at Hightae,
about three miles from Lochmaben. Fairs for the sale of pork are
held on the second and fourth Mondays in January, on the first and
third Mondays iu February and March, ou the last Monday in
November, aud on the second and last Mondays in December; and
for seeds on the third Monday in March.
Within the i)arish of Lochmaben there are also four villages
known as the " Four Towns," viz.: Smallholm, GreenhilLjHsck,
and HiGHTAE. They are remarkable in Scotland as holding their
lands by a peculiar tenure ; the proprietors of lands iu these baro-
nies are called liingly tenants, and by successive warrants and pro-
tections of the King iu 1593, 1602, and 1664, declared to have right to
continue their possessions undisturbed and at their old rent, so
long as they shall continue to pay the same. These baronies are
said to have been conferred on the retainers of the Bruce, aud
many of tho present holders can trace their ancestry for hundreds
of years back. Son succeeds father, and the title is completed by
entry of the name in Lord Mansfield's Rental Book, and the usual
solemnities of service and inflefment, otherwise common to the law
of Scotland, are here unknown. The parish comprises 10,813 acres,
and in 1871 had a population of 3,085; of this number the village
contained 1,24J.
The small village of ,Tinwald, which is situated about six miles
from Lochmaben, was the birthplace of PatGrson,the pi'ojecfcor of
the Bank of England, and the planner of tho disastrous Darien ex-
pedition. The parish is of a triangular figure, each side of which is
about 43o miles iu length; it contains 10,283 acres; the northern
boundary is watered by the pleasant river Ae. The greater part of
the parish is arable ; within its precincts, five miles from Dumfries,
is Amisfield Castle, the seat of the ancient family of Charteris.
Population in 1871, 993.
The parish of Torthorwald lies near the foot of Nithsdale, and
is bounded by Tinwald on the north, by Lochmaben and Houswald
on the east, aud separated on the west from Dumfries parish by the
Locliar water. It extends sis miles in length from north to south,
by a breadth, at the northern extremity, of a'.'out two miles and a
half, tapering to a point on the south, with an acreage of G,831. The
village, which is situated in the north of the parish, is about four
miles from Lochmaben, and tho same distance from Dumfries. In
this village is an excellent classical and commercial academy: and
in the vicinity are the ruins of the ancient castle of Torthorwald,
supposed to have existed since the 13th century. On the road
between Dumfries and Annan is Collin, and near the parish church
is RoucAN, both villages belonging to this parish, which in 1871 had
a population of 2,098.
POST OE'E'ICS, High street, Lochmaben, Jane Henderson, Post iViifress.— Letters arrive from all parts (from Lockerbie) at
half-paat seven morning, and are desx)atched thereto at ten minutes past four afternoon.
Money Order and Telegraph Oj)ice and Savings BanJi.
Post OSfice, HiGHTAE, Matthew Rae, Post Master. — Letters arrive from all parts (from Lockerbie) at half-past eight morning, and
are despatched thereto at four afternoon.
Post OMce, Torthorwald, Robert Henderson, Post Jlfasfer.— Letters arrive from all parts (from Dumfries) at eight and (from
Lochmaben) at ten morning, and are despatched to Dumfries at ten minutes past four afi:ernoon, aud to Lochmaben at eleven
morning.
Post Ot^QG, Templand Village, William Brydone, Post Jlfrtstcr.— Letters arrive from all parts (from Lockerbie) at nine morn-
ing, and are despatched thereto at ten minutes before three afternoon.
GENTRY AND CLERGY.
Barbour John, Esq. Heck
Bate John, Esci- of Broadchapel
Brodie William, Esq. of Bush
Brown Rev. Matthew, Preston House,
Hightae
Byi'ne Jolm William, Esq. of Elshieshields
Tower, and of Drumness, Stewartry of
Kirkcudbright
Carruthers Wm. Francis, Esq. of Dormont
Crinean Miss Mary, Castle st
Dickson Miss Mary, Templand village
Duncan Rev. Joseph Rogers, Blanse,
Torthorwald
Elliot Mrs. Mary, West st
Hill Rev. Ebenezer B. Free Church Manse,
Lochmaben
Jacltson John, Esq. of Amisfield
Jardine Sir Alexander, Bart. Jardine Hall
Jardiae Robert, Esq. of Castlemilk
Johnstdiie Mr. George, West st
6C4
Johnstone Mrs. Helen, Hjgh st
Johnstone John, Esq. of Hallheaths
Johnstone Mr. John, West st
Liddell Rev. Thomas, d.d. Manse,Lochmaben
Linton Sir William, k.c.b. Skairfield
Macdonald Pi,ev. Alexander, Lochmaben
Marsland Josenh. Esq. Glenae
Rae Mr. Matthew, Hightae
Held Mr. John, Lochficld
Reid Mr. Thomas (surgeon), High st
Tinning the Misses — , Tinwald House
Vallance Rev. James, Tinwald Manse
Watson T. E. Esq. National Bank, High st
Yorstoun Mordon Carthew, Esq. of East
Tinwald
ACADEMIES & SCHOOLS.
Board School, Lochmaben— John Clarke,
master
Grammar School Hightae— William Han-
nah, master
I-l
High Town School, Trailflat — William
Cowan, master
Parochial Schools : —
CoUin— Peter Dewar, master
Tinwald — William Crocliett, master
Torthorwald — William Goldie, master
Rae William, Templand village
Wilson James, West st
BACON CURERS.
Rae Matthew, Hightae
Richardson James, Mossburn
Telfor George, Hightae
Underwood George, Blacknowe
Wright John, High st
BAKERS,
Dunlop John, East st
M'Nish John, East st
Stitt Thomas, High at