Imperial gazeteer of Scotland, or, Dictionary of Scottish topography > Volume 1

CARRICK.
251
CARRIDEN.
small inn. Here also is a Free church, whose
yearly receipts in 1853, amounted to £24 2s. M.
CARRICK, C'uac, or Craig, any rocky locality,
either a single mass of rock, or a tract of country,
small or large, which has a rocky surface. The
word, especially in the form of Craig, is often used
also as a prefix in Scottish descriptivetopographical
names, — as Craignish, ' the rocky peninsula.'
CARRICK, the southern district of Ayrshire. It
is bounded on the north by Kyle, or Ayr proper ; on
the east by Kirkcudbrightshire; on the south by
Wigtonshire; and on tho west by the Atlantic
ocean. It comprehends the parishes of Ballantrae,
13arr, Colmonell, Dailly, Girvan, Kirkmichael, Kirk-
oswald, Maybolo, and Straiton. Its extent is about
32 miles in length, by 20 in breadth; its superficial
area may be estimated in round numbers at 300,000
acres. Its surface is hilly; and corresponds in
numerous places to the name Carrick, ' a rock.'
The mountains, especially on the north-west, seem
to be a continuation of that great ridge which, ex-
tending from the confines of England, through the
counties of Selkirk, Peebles, Lanark, and Dumfries,
meets the western ocean on the mutual border of
Ayrshire and Galloway. In the valleys between the
hills, and along the sea-shore, are many stripes of
level ground of a fine clay or loamy soil. The chief
rivers are the Girvan and the Stinchar. The Doon
forms the northern boundary; There are several
lakes, and a great part of the country is still covered
with natural wood.
Our old historian, Boece, with his usual fertility
of imagination, has discovered, in this district, a
large city totally unknown to every other historian.
Bellenden thus abridges his account of it: " In Car-
rick wes sum time ane riche ciete vnder the same
name, quhais ruynus wallis schawis the gret mag-
nificence thairof." Boece calls this city Caretto-
nium; but acknowledges his hesitation whether this
was the origin of the name Carrick or not. In a
manuscript emoted by Dr. Jamieson, we have the
following curious statement: — " No monuments of
batells to be seen in this couutrey, except nerr the
villidge of ancient Turneburrey, alonge the coste,
betwixt a litell promontorey and the sea. Ther is
3 werey grate heapes of stonnes, callid wulgarley
iJk Kernes of Blackinney, being the name of the vil-
lage and ground. At the suthermost of thir 3
Cairnes ar ther 13 gret tale [tall] stonnes, standing
vpright in a perfyte circkle, aboute some 3 ells ane
distaunt from ane other, with a grate heighe stonne
in the midle, wich (sic) is werily esteemid be the
most learned inhabitants to be the bvriall place of
King Caractacus; being most probable, in so far as
Hector Boetius sayes, that the King wes interna in
Carricke, quherein he remained during the most
pairt of his rainge [reign] ; and that from him this
countrey wes named Carricke ; and that thir
stonnes, his monument, are as yet standing nerr
the toune of Tumberrey, wich was questionles the
ancient Carrictonium. This same conjecture is
so muehe the more probable in that, that King
Galdus, that succeedit him, (I meane Carractake,)
his buriall place is yet knawin, within 3 mylles to
the toune of Vigtoune, in Galloway, which is after
the same forme, being 19 stonnes in compas, and 3
in the midle, wich then hes beine the most honor-
able forme of buriall, befor churches and church
yairds were designed places of sepulture. Ther is
found and obserued this yeir 1632, within a myle to
the castle of Turnburrey, some sandey landes, newly
discouered, wich formerly had beine ouerblouen.
Yet the new discouery reaches, in the ancient
ground, dounwards above ane eUe and a halflfe, as
the ther standinge knowes cleirly demonstrate, ex-
posing to the beholders numbers of coffins neatly
hewin of fivo stonnes, with oute eouer or bottome,
beinge 7. footc longe, and 3. vyde, all laying east
and weste, with an equall proportione of distance
ane from ane vther."
Carrick fell into the hands of the father of Robert
Bruce, by his marriage with Margaret, Countess of
Carrick, daughter of Neill, the Earl of Carrick. See
article Turnberry. King Robert granted the earl-
dom to his brother David. It afterwards reverted
to the Crown; and the title is still retained in the
royal family, the Prince of Wales, as prince and
steward of Scotland, being bom Earl of Carrick,
John Steward is not only designed ' Comes de Car-
ryk,' but the first-born of King Robert II. This
can be no other than that prince who, on his acces-
sion, changed his name to Robert, and thence ob-
tained the ludicrous soubriquet of John Fairnyear,
i. e., ' John of the last year,' or ' formerly John.'
David, the first-born of this King Robert, is de-
signed 'Comes de Carrie,' a. d. 1397, when, with
some others, nominated for settling disputes about
the marches with Richard, "our adversary of Eng-
land." This was that unfortunate prince who was
afterwards starved to death by his inhuman uncle,
who is named, in the same deed, as one of his asso-
ciates, under the designation of ' Robertus Comes de
Fyf, Frere du Roy.' The " lands and barony of
Tumeberrie" are mentioned as part of the heredi-
tary property of the Earl of Cassillis, a.d. 1616
The Duke of Argyle is hereditary keeper of the
palace of Carrick, as well as of those of Dunstaff-
nage and Dunoon. It may be viewed as a vestige
of the ancient honours of this palace, although now
in ruins, that one of the pursuivants (signiferi) em-
ployed in making royal proclamations, and in sum-
moning those accused of treason, bears the name of
Carrick. Among the original Melrose charters are
several of the old Earls of Carrick. Their seals
bear a winged griffin, but no armorial charge.
There is an interesting one, by ' Margeria, Comitissa
de Karrick,' and her husband, ' R. de Brus, Comes
de Karrick.' Both seals are entire, and identical,—
only the Countess's is a great deal larger than her
lord's. This Bruce's father, the competitor, bore
the arms of Annandale, a saltier, with a chief, plain.
Marjory and her husband bear the saltier and chief;
but the latter charged with what might perhaps be
considered as the Carrick griffin, though its wings
are rather scant}', — and it is very like a lion passant.
Population of Carrick in 1831, 25,536; in 1861,
27,224. Houses, 4,401.
CARRICK CASTLE. See Loch-Goil.
CARRICTONIUM. See Carrick.
CARRIDEN, a parish, containing the villages of
Blackness, Bridgeness, Cuffabouts, Grangepans, and
Muirhouses, on the coast of Linlithgowshire. It is
bounded on the north by the frith of Forth, and on
other sides by the parishes of Borrowstownness, Lin-
lithgow, and Abercorn; and it approaches within J
of a mile and 1 mile respectively the post-towns of
Borrowstownness and Linlithgow. Its length along
the coast is 3 miles; and its breadth is nearly 2
miles. The surface is very unequal, rises rapidly
from the shore, declines again to,the south, com-
prises part of the Irongath or Glour-o'er-em hills,
and has there an extreme altitude of 519 feet above
sea-level, yet is all arable and enclosed. The soil
is light and early, producing plentiful crops. There
is plenty of excellent sandstone ; and the whole
parish lies on coal of the best quality. The chief
landowners are the Duke of Hamilton, the Earl of
Hopetoun, Sir John G. Dalyell, Bart., Hope of Car-
riden, and two others. The total yearly value of
raw produce was estimated in 1843 at £19,379.