OS1/10/44/1

Continued entries/extra info

1
Parish of Sanquhar - Co [County] of Dumfries

[The Situation column contains:]
In N. Wn [North Western]
district of the
County of Dum-
-fries. -

[After the Parish entry there is a description of size, principal features and history, etc. This description is continued on several subsequent pages.]

The Parish of Sanquhar is bounded on the North by that of Kirkconnel, on the East by Lanarkshire and
Dunisdeer Parish, on the South by Penpont and on the West by Ayrshire and Kirkconnel. - There is no detached part of Sanquhar within
any other Parish, nor is there a detached portion of another Parish within it's [see note] boundaries. - Its figure is irregular. - It measures in extreme length
16 miles - that is from a point on En. [Eastern] Parish Boundary about ¼ mile East of Wanlockhead Lead Mines to Blacklarg Hill. - It's breadth varies
from 6½ miles to 1¾ miles; having an average breadth however of about 5 miles.- As [-of-] Statistics it is said to contain 61¼ square miles and [-of-]
State of Agriculture therein 39,529. of which 5,583 acres were cultivated, 735 in wood, 1500 capable of cultivation, 181 undivided Common, and 31,530.
permanent pasture and irreclaimable land. - The general face of the district is rugged and uneven and may be termed a mountainous or
highland district.- The hills in general however are in pasture but in a few instances towards the En. [Eastern] Parish Boundary they are covered with
heath and present a bleak and barren surface.- The Parish is formed into two nearly equal divisions by the River Nith in the vale of which river
the best and greater part of the arable land is situate, which is in general dry and gravelly and in some instances a fine & deep loam.- The
greatest elevations are East Mount Lowther and Blacklarg Hill which attain an altitude of nearly 3,000 feet. There are many other consid=
=erable eminences of from 2000 to 2500 feet above Sea level.- Most of the hills have a gradual ascent, - towards the S.E. [South East] however they shoot up
With uncommon boldness, East Mount Lowther being the most conspicuous of this class.- There are several considerable Streams, all of which contribute
their Waters to the River Nith in this Parish, Kello Water and Crawick Water on Wn. [Western] Parish Boundary are the principal tributaries, Menock
Water, Euchan Water, Wanlock Water and Glendyne Burn are also important Streams, contributing respectively a considerable volume of water to the
River Nith the principal Stream of the Parish.- These Streams are fed by many mountain rills which pursue their course through picturesque glens
and deep defiles.- Coal is wrought, to a considerable extent in the vale of Nith, which is supposed to be a continuation of the Seam from the
County
[There is a small 'cartoon' drawing of a hand indicating 'over']

Transcriber's notes

The author sometimes uses the abbreviation "it's" with apostrophe for the possessive instead of the correct (today?) "its".
In the long description of the Parish, the author also uses a period with horizontal line as separator between sentences. I transcribed that as ".-".
There is also an abbreviation which I am not sure of yet - see [-of-]. Consultation on the forum suggests: 'by', 'by the', 'per', 'of' - looking for other instances on going through the volume home in on 'of' - see Page 233, or 'P' - see Page 274. Overall I have gone for 'of' and so transcribed.