OS1/10/36/3

Continued entries/extra info

..a Cameronian Church 1 1/2 mile S.S.E. of Hightae, erected 1796 by the Relief Congregation - was sold by them to the present Owners for £70 - is capable of holding about 400, but there are only about 40 members - stipend £50. A Free Church which can accommodate 600 - was erected 1843-4. Stipend about £120 with Manse. Two Parish Schools, supported in a great measure from an endowment by James Richardson Merchant Reading, who mortified £200, in 1726 for the one in the Burgh, £100 to Hightae School with £20 for its erection - A public library also partly upheld by a bequest of £100 from Mr Richardson, which is kept in the Burgh Schoolmaster's home, _ a Public or Town Hall, a Lockup, Market place, a Bank, three sub Post Offices, four Inns, a Free Kirk School and a Subscription School. The number of Proprietors in landward part of the Parish is 106 which with three of the Burgh make a grand total of 247 Heritors or Proprietors. Number of inhabited houses 618 - Population 2900.
The Western or Nithsdale Roman Road as reported by General Roy and as shown in his map in the lower part of Annandale traversed from a point near the junction of the Kinnel and Annan, N.W.W. through this Parish passing close to Woody Castle Camp. _ The District wherein it traversed has been entirely cultivated within the last 30 years. _ In several places pavement or [----?] has frequently been dug up, and several respectable locals state that from personal inspection, a large portion of the Roman Road was quite visible and in excellent preservation previous to the improvements. Though the track is now entirely effaced these Authorities have no doubt as to its site. _ A Camp called Woody Castle is still traceable by its intrenchments on a Knoll in the Vicinity of the Burgh, which though of round formation General Roy and Antiquarian Authorities term a Roman Post._(See "Wood Castle" in General Roy's R. Antiquities) Some Authorities in locality state that this Knoll is the site of an ancient Castle - hence the name Woody Castle. _ No mention of this Castle is made by any authority._Two small earthern works in Plan 42/7 can only be classified as Hill Forts. A Castle is generally allowed to have stood on Castle Hill which was founded by de Brus family during 12th Century and which is supposed to have been the original Lochmaben Castle - the birthplace of King Robert Bruce - that it was demolished by that Monarch, and the building material appropriated to the erection of the existing Lochmaben Castle._ Authorities are however conflicting viz. A small portion of Lochmaben Castle with its defences can be still visible on a neck of land jutting a considerable way into the South of Castle Loch. At the entrance of this isthmus, a fosse is still distinctly seen, which is said to have admitted the Water of the Loch at both ends and so to have converted the site of the Castle into an Island. Other three if not four fosses are also visible and occur at brief intervals in the Approach to the fortress. What remains of the structure itself is only the heart of the walls. This Castle with appendages originally covered a space of 16 Acres. It was upheld until the Union and previous thereto was reckoned one of the strongest Border Fortresses. It sustained many sieges being at all times much coveted by the English Monarchs, but perhaps it derives more celebrity from its association with King Bruce._ The Date when founded is doubtful, though often attributed to the 13th Century._ The villages called the Fourtowns of Lochmaben were bound to furnish a certain number of cattle and other provision to the Garrison and also to fill up any deficiency in the number of its defenders - as an equivalent King Bruce granted to them small portions of land, - or rather to inhabitants thereof - and which many of the descendants still hold without any Title or Deed thereto._ They were called the King's kindly tenants. Three Border Towers existed in this Parish; two of which still remain respectively at Elshieshields and Old Spedlins both towards N.Wn. extremity of Parish. No traces of the other one exist. The Market Cross of Lochmaben is a pillar surmounted by a cross._ As predecessor was destroyed in 1479. Some building materials then remaining over at the erection of Elshieshields Tower, the Magistrate of the Burgh purchased them for the purpose of erecting the present cross and as the price thereof made over to the Owner of the Tower, Lochmaben Mill and Mill lands.*_ Near the Southern extremity is Rockhall Moat said to be of very ancient date but still in excellent preservation._ It was at one time called Beacon Hill, from which it has been disputed whether it was used as a Watch or Beacon Post or Moat ._ Several Chapels are reported to have existed within this Parish, of which there are now no visible trace or remains._ The sites of these are still [p---tted?] out viz. Rokele Chapel near Rockhall Moat, St Thomas' Chapel near the middle of Wn. Parish Boundary and another towards Nn district. Little information can be obtained respecting them, only that Rokele Chapel belonged to the Earl of Glencairn as in 1223 after a lengthly disputation with the Monks of Gysburn[?] it was specially reserved to William of Glencairn._ The site of St. Magdalene's Church has been shewn. It was originally a fine Gothic edifice with a very large choir therein, belonged to the Monks of Gysburn to whom it was granted by Robert de Brus who received it.
*This Property now yields and annual rent of £100. which may in some measure account for the Bankruptcy of the Parish.

Transcriber's notes

Although I have completed the page, there are a few words I still can't get. They are all in square brackets.