OS1/10/25/1A

Continued entries/extra info

(Page) 1A

Are there any Detached portions of this parish?
Are there Detached portions of any other parish situated within the account area of the parish of Holy wood?

It must however have been found advantageous to retain the Sacred Character of the Parish and it is probable the name Holywood was recognised by the Roman Catholics as at the dawn of the Reformation the following "For the Parish of Holywood "1619" was inscribed upon a Silver Communion Cup still preserved as res Sacrce of the Parish._ Halie or Holy_Scotch- means Holy._Holywood Parish is bounded in the North-west and North by Dunscore, on the North-east by KirKmahoe, on the South by Dumfries in Dumfries-Shire and Terregles and Irongray in Kirkcudbrightshire and on the South-west by Irongray. It is of irregular and of very various breadth. It extends 10 miles in length and averages in breadth throughout about 1½ miles - the narrowest point being only ¼ of a mile and the broadest 2½ miles. Its super-ficial area may be roughly computed at 8,820 imperial acres, vizt (videlicet) 300 acres of moorland and 350 of moss, 120 of meadowland and about 550 of wood; and about 7,500 of arable land. The surface is flat and there are only one or two inconsiderable hills, what may be termed Uplands; but the general aspect of the whole Parish con-tributes highly to form part of the rich and beautiful vale of Lower Nithsdale. Agricultural improvements have perhaps been more spirited and successfully carried out here than in any other Parish of the County, the annual productiveness of the land throughout having doubled in amount during the last 40 years.

From the North, the River Nith glides along the Eastern boundary and in its course forms two tiny Islets. Though fordable at three places during Summer, it very often during Winter comes down with such speed and bulk as to deny the opposition of embanKments in the more exposed situations. Cairn Water intersects the Parish at the most contracted part of its breadth and under this name forms the South-west boundary until it joins Auld Water of Cluden where these united Waters assume the name Cluden forming at intervals the South boundary until they join the River Nith, a little below Lincluden. Glengaber Burn is the only other Stream of notice; which has its source in the Parish and flows bendingly through the Parish till it falls into the Cluden Water nearly opposite to Irongray Church. Five other hills water the Parish.- Limestone and hard red Sand-stone exist in the centre of the Parish but never have been properly worked, - lead ore has also been turned up. The modern man-sions are Portrack, Gribton, Broomrigg, Newton-Aird (and) Cowhill and Dellawoodie. Three are twovillages in the Parish with a respective population of about 200. Houses in the Parish, about 197. Aforesaid property about £8,000. Holywood is in the Presbytry and synod of Dumfries. The Parish Church is built in the cruciform style having a plain square tower and has sittings for about 530. It stands near the site of the old Abbey of Holywood from which the stones were taken to build it - its situation is very inconvenient, being not more than a mile from the lower part and upwards of 8 miles from higher part of the Parish. Patron Crichton of Keoch. There is a Manse and glebe attached. There are also three endowed Schools, with respectively £25.6/8d/ £16 and £10.6/8 salaries The site of the Abbey of Holywood has already been remarked upon Page 84, as also FourmerKland. 2 Towers built by the Maxwells in the 16th Century, and eleven stones point out the site of a Druidical circle or Temple,- these constituting the Antiquities of this Parish. --- The Parish is intersected by the Dumfries and Glasgow T. (Turn) P. (Pike) and along the Cluden by the Ayr road there are also five or six other excellent roads. The Glasgow and South-Western Railway runs along the east end of the Parish, - it enters and leaves the Parish by means of two viaducts respectively across the Nith, and there is a branch Station about a mile east of Holywood village.

There are no detached portions of this Parish
There are no detached portions of any other Parish situated within the boundary of Holywood Parish. JBJ. (signed) J B Junor c/a (Civilian Assistant)

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Murray

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