OS1/10/5/2
| List of names as written | Various modes of spelling | Authorities for spelling | Situation | Description remarks |
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| Carlaverock [continued] | Stone dikes and farm steadings are in general commodious. The middle and western part is hilly and attains an elevation of about 800 feet in that of Wardlaw, but like similar parts in Nithsdale the acclivity is so gentle that the whole admits of cultivation, - towards the East the land or surface is low and flat.- The high land is generally light, dry and fertile interspersed however with spots of wet, moorish and shallow soil.- The principal hill features are Ward Law and Bankend Hill which attain an elevation only of 600 to 800 feet.- The principal streams are the Nith and Lochaw which respectively form an estuary at S.W. [South West] and S.E. [South East] extremities Parish.- THe Nith is navigable for vessels of from 60 to 70 tons but ship of 300 tons occasionally sail up as far as Glencaple where they unload.- Salmon, Pike, Eel and flounder fisheries are carried on to some extent in the Nith by means of stake nets the entire proceeds from which scarcely amount to £150 annually. The Lochaw still retains its character in this Parish as a sluggish and almost stagnant Stream and its sinuosities here are perhaps more frequent and remarkable than at any other point of its course.- Several tiny tributaries also water the Parish. The Solway Frith washes this Parish on the South which stretching therefrom (that is the South point of the landward part of the Parish) to the Coast of Cumberland is 12 miles broad, but is fordable at low water and during very low tides - The whole expanse of land belonging to Caerlaverock and which is exposed by the reception of the tide is called the Blackshaw Bank.- The Solway Frith in connection with River Nith commences about 11/2 mile below Glencaple Quay from about which point the River Nith frequently shifts its Channel in its course to the Channel or low water of the Solway Frith. The manufacture of salt was for many years extensively carried on all along the Coast and the inhabitants being exempted from duty thereon, it was at one time a very considerable source of revenue to the Parish - it was however discontinued when the duty generally was taken off salt.- No manufacture whatever is carried on - Shipbuilding only to a small extent is carried on and two vessels of about 60 tons may be annually launched. No minerals are worked but it is asserted by engineers that Coal is abundant but at such a depth as to prevent the possibility of its being advantageously wrought. No Railway passes through the Parish but surveys have been recently made in connection it is supposed with the contemplated Portpatrick Line.- As the entire Parish lies upon a bed of Sandstone it has been quarried in several places.- There are no Turnpike Roads, but both the public and Parish afford excellent communications There is one Parish Church which was erected in 1781. to accommodate 470 sitters,- Situate near the foot of Parish it is inconvenient for many of the Parishioners and being unpaved within and damp is considered unwholesome consequently many of the adherents resort to the Dumfries Churches - The Stipend is £182.5.91/2. Patron Marquis of Queensberry. There is also one Parish School partly upheld by the Heritors but in great measure supported from the Bequest of the late Dr. [Doctor] Hutton first Physician to King William and Queen Mary who was a native of this Parish. The Salary is £35.0.0 with £40.0.0 from the Hutton bequest. It is called Huttonhall School or Academy and there is also a Boarding School connected with it.- There are also two other Schools endowed or rather supported entirely by the Hutton fund respectively at Bankend and Glencaple villages - A Free Church has been erected at Glencaple during the present it is a plain structure with a very small belfry.- There are two villages and ports Glencaple and Kelson, the former is modern & tidy, much resorted to by Dumfries denizens during the Summer as a bathing place.- It consists principally of a long row of houses stretching along the banks of the Nith for about 21 chains having a short Street near the North end which diverges towards the East. All the houses are in excellent repair in front of which are trim flower plots. The Quay or port projects about 31/2 chains into the River Nith at which vessels unload & at present it is in a somewhat dilapidated state. It is merely a subsidiary Port to that of Dumfries (and is merely) an accommodation for vessels that are unable from their burden to reach the Burgh,- In Glencaple are the Free Church, an endowed school, two public houses and a Sub Post Office.- Kelson is a hamlet situated about a mile north, part of which is within Dumfries Parish. It presents a wretched and dilapidated state and as a village and port must soon be numbered among the things that were. - In it is one Public house also a small Shipbuilding yard, but wherein a visiter to realize its pretensions would be taxed to Launch the imaginative germe to find a burthen for its stocks.- At Glencaple there is likewise a Shipbuilding yard wherefrom annually either one or two vessels are launched,- Bankend village is situate towards the East side of Parish and consists of one storey thatched houses in which is a sub. Post Office and an endowed School.- Parish Population about 1400. + The antiquities in this Parish are a Roman Camp on Ward Law which is supposed to belong to the period of Julius Agricola landing in Scotland a little south of which on the same elevation there is a British Camp in excellent preservation being boldly defined by two lines of entrenchments and which is believed coeval with the former, for Chalmers in his Caledonia remarks " it is here we see for the first time a Roman Camp opposed to a British hill fort."- "First time" evidently refers to circumstance that this was the first station occupied by Agricola after landing in Scotland.- Mr. Maxwell the proprietor of Caerlaverock states that a watch was kept in the British Fort during Feudal times hence arose the name Wardlaw, the feudal troops he says were also here mustered and probably; he adds, on the same ground where the Roman legions assembled more than a thousand years before.- The original Castle from which this Parish takes its name was of triangular formation and moated, remains of which are visible so recently as the commencement of this Century - the foundations still exist imbedded several feet in time-accumulated soil, but still no difficulty is felt in discerning the precise site and realizing its formation.- It is de Antiquario the Carbunterigum of Ptolemy.- The Castle of Caerlaverock the residence of the ancient family of Maxwell forms the grand attraction of this Parish.- It was long the seat and residence of the Lords of Maxwell Wardens of the Western March.. In 1296 Sir Herbert the Lord of this Castle is said to have sworn fealty to Edward 1 but that Monarch in person besieged and took it in 1300.. After various turns of fortune it was handsomely repaired in 1638 by Robert 1st. Earl of Nithsdale - two years subsequent thereto it was besieged and taken by the covenanted rebels under Lieutenant-colonel Home - from which period it apparently ceased to be an object of contest or residence as the Maxwell family transferred their habitation to the Tower, still existing on the Dale near the East side of the Parish,- Caerlaverock Castle is considered the finest specimen of castellated architecture in Scotland, and though in ruins is wonderfully entire It is built in the triangular form - the outer front wall is massive, the inner court two storeys of 120 feet on each side - contained a suit of apartments, in which may still be traced some very skilful sculptured work, - behind stood the great banqueting hall flanked by the large Tower, standing 90 feet along the base of the triangle.. It was originally surrounded by several fosses, one of which is still deep and wide.- Its date of foundation is uncertain. The ruins are now enclosed and preserved with great care by the present Proprietor. The Site of an Ancient Church or rather Chapel is still pointed out by locals and which was subordinate to the principal Church of Caerlaverock anterior to the Reformation - It was dedicated to St. Columba but whether attributed to Culdee origin or how instituted does not appear.- The Monks thereof however seem not to have been so fortunate as many of their brethren in sharing of the good things of this life for they seized upon a well close bye from which no one was permitted to drink without leaving a portion of victuals or in lieu thereof, a coin. Remains were visible at the end of last Century but have now entirely disappeared - The well still continues to send forth its pure waters.- The Site of an ancient Church called Kilblain is also shown at the N.E. [North East] side of Parish. It was originally the Parish Church of Kilblain part of which Parish was united to that of Caerlaverock immediately subsequent to the Reformation.- A Border Tower is situated towards the East point of Parish which is sometimes called improperly The Isle from the circumstance of the ground originally attached to it having been surrounded by Lochar water.- Here Robert second Earl of Nithsdale - sometimes called the philosopher lived and also died 1667. Two Moats exist which are similar to others in their features - the one called Bailie Knowe doubtlessly accommodated the Judicial Courts of the ancient Kilblain Parish as its situation is therein - The other is not far from Kelton which must be a very ancient village judging from present appearance. Its site was well chosen for the accommodation of the Baron Bailie who doubtlessly resided in Kelton - Entrenchments at the South end of Parish are believed to have been those of a Camp used during the Feudal period. But the form is peculiar - in fact they assume the shape more of what are termed Bow Butts, * See Page 52. + This Roman Camp cannot be traced with accuracy until the crop of the field in which it is situated has been cut down |
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[Page] 2Parish of Caerlaverock Co. [County] Dumfries
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DANIALSAN, ADobie
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