Strathendrick, and its inhabitants from early times

THE DISTRICT OF STRATHENDRICK 279
Creinch, Torrinch, and Aberinch are small wooded islands. Creinch is
triangular in shape, a quarter of a mile long, and nearly the same in breadth.
Torrinch is nearly half a mile long and narrow, and Aberinch is very small.
These three islands belong to Sir George Leith Buchanan.
"About the year 1740 Loch Lomond was frozen over, and it was in that
year, we believe, that Mr. Buchanan of Drummikill, and Mr. Govan of Park,
two of the neighbouring proprietors, ventured upon the ice in pursuit of wild
swans, and in crossing over the lake at the broadest part, where there was a
spring and an open space on which the wild swans were congregated, rashly
ventured too near the spring. Mr. Govan was drowned, and Mr. Buchanan was
found dead, supporting himself with his arms extended upon the ice." 1
The parish was formerly much more extensive, and about two hundred years
ago a portion comprising several farms was detached and added to the parish of
Bonhill. There had been originally two churches, and two burying grounds,
evidenced by the names of the farms, which are "Little old Kirk" and "Shaneglis"
(Gaelic, sean eaglais, old church). About fifty years ago several stone coffins
and bones were dug up on the farm of Little Old Kirk, showing that there
must have been a burial ground there in ancient times.
The population of the parish at the census of 1891 was 900. It has been
gradually decreasing.
1 Chiefs of Coltjuhoun, Vol. II., p. 126.