OS1/10/30/2

Continued entries/extra info

[page] 2 Parish of Kirkconnel County of Dumfries

[continued from page 1]
Spa in Moffat._ A Turnpike to Ayr ye [?which] traverses the Southern division from Sanquhar N. W. [North West] also the Glasgow and South-Western Railway. Coal abounds [iron ?] is wrought to some extent. _ Lime and iron-stone are said to exist which however have never been worked. _ There is only one village-Kirkconnel- w[hich] consists of a regular Street of one storey buildings stretching from West to East a distance of nearly 1/4 [one quarter] mile. This village is modern and has altoget[her] [a] tidy appearance. _ The Parish Church situate at the Western extremity of the village was erected at the beginning of last century - the parochial Sc[hool] is situate about 2 chains East of the foregoing- they are commodious and in good repair. _ The principal proprietor of the Parish is the Duke [of] Buccleuch who owns about 25,500 Acres._ Farm Steadings are in good repair, some of which are constructed upon the most approved pr[incipals?] There are no public works. _ Population of the Parish 1200. _

There exist few Antiquities of which any particular notice is taken by authorities. _ The Celtic Deil's Dike _ a continuation of the embankment shewn in Sanquhar traverses the Southern division of this Parish in a N. Wn. [North Western] direction into Ayrshire (See Sanquhar Name Book). _ The sites of a Druidical Cairn and Circle are shewn. _ Stones which shew marks of having [been] exposed to the Action of fire are built into a neighbouring wall. A Trench is still discernible where the Site of a Circle has been shewn. _ [Robert] Simpson in his history of Sanquhar confirms the character assigned thereto from the Name "Laganaweel - the hollow of blood" in the immediate vicinity of these Objects of Antiquity. _ The Site of An Ancient Church dedicated, to St [Saint] Connel is shewn_Also that of this Saint's [?grave] The New Gazetteer of Scotland says "The Ancient Church of this Parish was dedicated to St. [Saint] Connel whom a very old tradition asserts ? have been buried on Glenwharry Hill near Old Kirkconnel and the present Minister of the Parish lately satisfied himself [?by /with] personal inspection of the Spot, that the tradition is true". _ The Site of An Ancient Stronghold is shewn called Castle Robert of [? Connel] however no authentic information exists beyond that traditionally reported in the district. _ An Ancient Font Stone near S.En. [South Eastern] Parish boundary may still be seen. _

March 1857

Transcriber's notes

Some words have been "lost" in the fold of the book. I have made an informed guess about these.

Last sentence- not sure about the type of stone -may be "Font" but need this checked