CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY BOUGHT WITH THE INCOME OF THE SAGE ENDOWMENT FUND GIVEN IN 1 89 1 BY HENRY WILLIAMS SAGE Cornell University Library NA 972.G2A1 V.2 Fourth [-fifth] report and inventory of 3 1924 015 428 661 Cornell University Library The original of this book is in the Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924015428661 THE EOYAL COMMISSION ON' THE ANCIENT AND HISTOEICAL MONUMENTS AND CONSTRUCTIONS OF SCOTLAND FIFTH KEPOET AND INYENTORY OF MONUMENTS AND CONSTRUCTIONS IN GALLOWAY VOL. n. COUNTY OF THE STEWARTRY OF KIRKCUDBRIGHT EDINBURGH: PRINTED UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF HIS MAJESTY'S STATIONERY OFFICE By NEILL & CO., Limited, Bbllbvue. To be purchased, either directly or through any Bookseller, from H.M. STATIONERY OFFICE (Scottish Beanch), 23 Forth Stkebt, Edinbtjroh; or WYMAN AND SONS, Limited, 29 Bkbams Buildings, Fetter Lane, E.O., and 54 St Mart Street, Oakdifp ; or E. PONSONBY, Limited, U6 Grafton Street, Dublin ; or from the Agencies in the British Colonies and Dependencies, the United States of America, the Continent of Europe and Abroad of T. FISHER UNWIN, London, W.C. 1914. Price Nine Shillings. CONTEisTT^. EoYAL Warrant Appointing Mr A. 0. Curle to be an Additional Commissioner . . . . . iii EoYAL Warrant Appointing Mr W. M. Mackenzie to be Secretary .... . iv Fifth Eeport . . . .v. List of Ancient and Historical Monuments and Con- structions in the County of the Stewartry of Kirkcudbright which the Commissioners deem most worthy of Preservation . . . . ix List of Ground Plans and Illustrations . xiv List of Parishes . . ... xviii Bibliography ... . . . xix Introduction to Inventory of Ancient and Historical Monuments and Constructions in the County of the Stewaktry of Kirkcudbright . . xxi Inventory ....... 1 Indkx ........ 281 Map of the County of the Stewartry of Kirkcudbright, indicating the Position of Monuments,, etc., by Numbers referable to the Inventory . . .ai end. GEOEGE E.I. George the Fifth, by the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and of the British Dominions beyond the Seas, King, Defender of the Eaith, to Our Trusty and Well- beloved Alexander Ormiston Ourle, Esquire, Writer to the Signet, — Greeting ! Whereas it pleased His late Majesty, by Letters Patent under the Seal appointed by the Treaty of Union to be kept and made use of in the place of the Great Seal of Scotland bearing date the seventh day of February 1908, to appoint Our Eight Trusty and Well-beloved Councillor, Sir Herbert Eiistace Maxwell, Baronet, together with the several persons therein mentioned, to be Commissioners to make an inventory of the Ancient and Historical Monuments and Construc- tions connected with or illustrative of the contemporary culture, civilisation, and conditions of life of the people in Scotland from the earliest times to the year 1707. And wheekas We have deemed it expedient that an addition should be made to the number of Commissioners so appointed. Now KNOW YE that We, reposing great trust and confidence in your knowledge, discretion, and ability, have nominated, constituted, and appointed and do by these presents nominate, constitute, and appoint you, the said Alexander Ormiston Curie, to be one of the Commissioners for the purposes of the said Inquiry in addition to and together with the other Commissioners, named in the said Letters Patent. Given at Our Court at Saint James's, the ninth day of August, one thousand nine hundred and thirteen, in the fourth year of Our Eeign. By His Majesty's Command. T. M'KINNON WOOD. GEOEGE E.I. George the Fifth, by the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and of the British Dominions beyond . the Seas, King, Defender of the Faith, to our Trusty and Well- beloved William Mackay Mackenzie, Esquire, Master of Arts, Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, — Greeting ! Whereas it pleased His late Majesty by Letters Patent under the Seal appointed by the Treaty of Union to be kept and made use of in the place of the Great Seal of Scotland bearing date the seventh day of February 1908, to appoint Our Eight Trusty and Well-beloved Councillor, Sir Herbert Eustace Maxwell, Baronet, together with the several persons therein mentioned, to be Commis- sioners to make an Inventory of the Ancient and Historical Monuments and Constructions connected with or illustrative of the contemporary culture, civilisation, and conditions of life of the people in Scotland from the earliest times to the year 1707. And whereas by the said Letters Patent Alexander Ormiston Curie, Esquire, Writer to the Signet, is appointed to be Secretary to the said Commission. And whereas the said Alexander Ormiston Curie has vacated the office of Secretary upon his. appointment to be an additional member of the said Commission. Now KNOW YE that We, reposing great trust and confidence in your knowledge, discretion, and ability, have nominated, constituted, and appointed and do by these presents nominate, constitute, and appoint you, the said William Mackay Mackenzie, to be Secretary to the said Commission. Given at Our Court at Saint James's, the ninth day of August, one thousand nine hundred and thirteen, in the fourth year of Our Eeign. By His Majesty's Command. T. M'KmNON WOOD. FIFTH REPORT OF THE ROYAL COMMISSION ON THE ANCIENT AND HISTORICAL MONUMENTS OF SCOTLAND. To THE King's Most Excellent Majesty. May it please your Majesty, — We, your Majesty's Couimissioners, appointed to make an Invencory of the Ancient and Historical Monuments and Construc- tions connected with or illustrative of the contemporary culture, civilisation, and conditions of life of the people in Scotland from the earliest times to the year 1707, and to specify those which seem most worthy of preservation, humbly present to your Majesty this our fifth Keport. During the summer and autumn of 1912, Mr A. 0. Curie, then Secretary to the Commission, continued and completed the. survey and examination of the monuments and constructions in Galloway. The first volume, containing an Inventory of the monuments and constructions in the County of Wigtown, giving the situation and characteristics of each monument, with 'its bibliography, a reference to the Ordnance Survey sheet (6-inch scale) on which the object is noted, and the date on which it was visited, was submitted and published in- the autumn of last year ; and the second volume, relating to the Stewartry of Kirkcudbright, treated in similar detail, with numerous illustrations and ground-plans, and supplied with a map showing the positions of the various monuments and constructions, or groups thereof, is now presented. An appendix" to this Eeport contains a list of those monuments in the said Stewartry which, in the opinion of your Commissioners, seem most worthy of preservation. As in former Eeports, these have been divided into two classes, viz. (a) those which appear to be specially in need of protection, and (6) those worthy of preservation, but not in imminent risk of demolition or decay. Wt. 5410/13— 600— 2/14— N. & Co., Ltd.— Gp. II. Sch. B. vi UISTOKICAL MONUMENTS (SCOTLAND) COMMISSION. Besides the completion of the Inventory of monuments in the Stewartry, the survey of tlie monuments in the County of Dumfries wiis undertaken during the summer of 1912 and finished in the spring of 1913. Considerable progress has also been made with the illustrated re-issue of the Inventory for Berwickshire, which is now going through the press. The survey of East Lothian has been completed this summer, and the survey of the prehistoric monuments in Midlothian has also been carried through. The Commissioners have pleasure in reporting again tha^ through- out the districts visited, proprietors of estates and their tenants readily afforded facilities for the inspection of monuments situated on their lands, while considerable assistance has been rendered by the parish ministers, as well as by other residents with special local knowledge and interest in the work. Your Commissioners further acknowledge their indebtedness to the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland for placing at their disposal a number of illustrations, and for the facilities afforded in the use of their library. They desire also to recognise the help received from Dr Joseph Anderson, late Assistant Secretary of that Society, whose deep learning on all archaeological matters has been constantly at their service; from Mr Eae Macdonald, Albany Herald, for assisting in the blazonry of arms ; also from Mr James Hewat Craw, West Foulden, Berwick-on- Tweed, who has surveyed and planned every known defensive con- struction in Berwickshire and placed the entire results of his work at the disposal of the Commission. Your Commissioners likewise desire to express their thanks to Mr F. C. Eeles, who has kindly assisted the Commission in cases in which his special knowledge has been helpful. Your Commissioners note with satisfaction the passing of the Act which, in amending the existing Ancient Monuments Acts, gives the State greater powers of acquisition and control over ancient and historical monuments ; whereby they hope that many prehistoric as well as historic remains scheduled in these Eeports as specially in need of protection may be preserved. From time to time your ' Commissioners continue to have their attention drawn to threatened interference with ancient structures ; or their advice is sought in regard to contemplated alterations ; and though such work does not actually fall within the scope of the , Commission, they have felt it desirable in the public interest to render assistance where possible. 'Your Commissioners again note with pleasure an increasing desire on the part of proprietors owning monuments of historical or antiquarian interest to place them under the care of your Majesty's Office of "Works, and they feel assured that the appointment of the Commission, and the interest it is stimulating throughout the country, have tended not a little to this development. Since our last Report Mr Curie has resigned the Office of Secretary, on his appointment as Director of the National Museum of Antiquities. In accepting Mr Curie's resignation the Commissioners desire to place on record their high appreciation of the exceptionally valuable services rendered by him throughout the five years he has discharged the office of Secretary with untiring diligence and fidelity ; INVENTORY OF MONUMENTS IN STEWARTEY OF KIRKCUDBRIGHT. VU and to express the sincere pleasure they feel in welcoming him as a colleague. Mr W. M. Mackenzie has entered upon his duties as Secretary, while Mr J. Graham Callander has been appointed Archseologist to the Commission. HEEBERT MAXWELL', Chairman. FRANCIS C. BUCHANAN. CHARLES J. GUTHRIE. W. T. OLDRIEVE. G. BALDWIN BROWN. THOMAS ROSS. THOMAS H. BEYCE. ALEX«. 0. CURLE. W. M. MACKENZIE, Secretary. Edinburgh, December 1913, LIST OF ANCIENT AND HISTORICAF. MONUMENTS AND CONSTRUCTIONS IN THE COUNTY OP THE STEWARTRY OF KIRKCUDBRIGHT WHICH THE COMMISSIONERS DEEM MOST WORTHY OF PRESERVATION. I.— MONUMENTS AND CONSTRUCTIONS SPECIALLY IN NEED OF PROTECTION. ECCLBSIASTIOAL StRTJCTURBS. PA: New Abbey or Sweetheart Abbey (No. 380) New Abbey. Lincluden Convent and College (No. 431) Terregles. Castellated and Dombstic Stbucturbs. Cardoness Castle (No. 8) . Rusco Castle (No. 9) . Plunton Castle (No. 51) . Drumcoltran Castle (No. 276) Barholm Castle (No. 283) . Hills Castle (No. 330) Mote. TwynholmXNo. 467) Rook Sculptures. Lower Laggan Cottage (No. 22) . High Banks (No. 240) . . . . Cairns. Cauldside (Cairns and Stone Circles, No. 16) Bargatton (No. 46) . . . " • Water of Deugh (No. 91) . " Cairn Avel," Carsphairn (long cairn, No, 94) Slewcairn (No. 125) . " Stroanfreggan Cairn" (No. 160) "White Cairn," Corriedow (No. 161} Cairnholy (Nos. 287, 288) . Larg Moor (Stone cist, No. 291) . Anwoth. Do. Borgne. Kirkgunzeon. Kirkmabreck. Lochrutton. Twynholm. Anwoth. Kirkcudbiight. Anwoth, Balmaghie. Carsphairn. Do. Colvend and Southwick.. Dairy. Do. Kirkmabreck. Do. HISTORICAL MONUMENTS (SCOTLAND) COMMISSION. Cairns (continued). "Cairnderry Cairn" (No. 346) . " Cairn Kinna," Cairnkinna Rig (No. 347) "White Cairn," Bargrennan (No. 349) " White Cairn," Bargrennan (No. 350) "King's Cairn," Kirriemore (No. 351) "Sheuohan's Cairn," Highlandman's Eig (No. 352) Cordorcan (No. 353) . . . • . Cordorcan Burn (No. 354) . " Drumfern Cairn," Drannandow (No. 355) Drannandow (No. 357) . The Nappers, Drannandow (long cairn, 358) Drannandow (No. 359) .... "Drumwhirn Cairn" (long cairn. No. 361) "Boreland Cairn," Boreland Plantation cairn. No. 362) Cree Bridge (No. 363) Kirroughtree (No. 364) AucTiencairn (No. 422) Lairdmannoch (No. 442) . No, (long MinnigafF. Do. Do. Do Do. Do. Do. Do. Do. Do. Do. Do. Do. Do. Do. Do. Berwick. Tongland. Stone Circles. High Auchenlarie (No. 18) Holm of Daltallochan (No. 97) Glenquicken (No. 292) Claughreid (No. 293) East Hill (No. 332) . Drannandow (No. 366) Park (No. 445) . Lairdraannoch (No. 446) . Anwoth. Carsphairn. Kirkmahreck. Do. Loohrutton. Minnigaff. Tongland. Do. Standing-Stones. Newton (No. 29) . " The Thieves," Blair Hill (No. 367) Anwoth. Minnigaff. Miscellaneous. Cross-slabs, Braidenoch Hill (No. 100) . . Carsphairn. Font, St Mary's Isle, Kirkcudbright (No. 261) Kirkcudbright. II.— MONUMENTS AND CONSTRUCTIONS DESERVING PROTEC- TION BUT NOT IN IMMINENT RISK OF DEMOLITION OU DECAY. Ecclesiastical Structures. parish. The Gordon Monument, Anwoth Church, (No. 2) Anwoth. Cross-slab, Anwoth Church (No. 3) . . . Do. Buittle Church (No. 73) Buittle. Maclellan's Monument, Church of the Greyfriars, Kirkcudbright (No. 216) . . Kirkcudbright. INVENTORY OF MONUMENTS IN STEWARTRY OF KIRKCUDBRIGHT. Xl Ecclesiastical Structubbs (continued). parish. Effigy of Edward Maxwell, Terregles Church (No. 432) Terregles. Monument of Sir Robert and Lady Maxwell of Spottis . .... Do. Castbllated and Domestic Structures. Barscobe House (No. .35) . . Ealmaclellau. Buittle Castle (No. 74) . Buittle. Buittle Place (No. 75) . . . . . Do. Earlstoii Castle (No. 155) . . Dairy. The Tolbooth, Kirkcudbright (No. 219) . Kirkcudbright. Kirkcounel Tower (No. 456) . . . Troqueer. Motes. Polcbree (No. 10) . " Boreland or Green Tower Mote," Boreland (No. 11) Kirkclaugh (No. 12) . Balmaclellan (No. 37) Edgarton (No. 45) . Horeland (No. 54) Roberton (No. 55) . Barmagachan (No. 86) Dairy (No. 157) Lochrinnie (No. 158) Moat Park, Cally (No. 150) Kirkcormack (No. 191) Ingleston (No. 192) . Minnigafif (No. 337) . Machar's Hill, "The Beacon" (No. 338) Ingleston (No. 385) . Kirkland, Parton (No. 390) Boreland of Parton (No. 391) Kirkcarswell (No. 400) Linpluden (No. 433) . Troqueer (No. 457) . Trostrie (No. 466) . Urr(No.489) . Forts. Trusty's Hill (vitrified. No. 13) . " "Watch Knowe," Craigmuie (No. 38) Little Duchrae (No. 42) . Craig Hill, Lochangow^r (No. 43) " Borness Batteries " (No. 60) . Knockbrex (No. 61) . Doo Cave (No. 62) . Barnheugh(No.'63) .... "Castle Haven," Kirkandrews (No. 64) Nethertown of Almorness (No. 79) Castlegower (vitrified, No. 80) . Carininnow (No. 87) .... Portowarreii (No. 116) Castle Hill Point, West Barcloy (No. 118) Anwoth. Do. Do. Balmaclellan. Balmaghie. Borgue. Do. Do. Dairy. Do. Girthon. Kelton. Do. Lochrutton. Do. New Abbey. Parton. Do. Rerwick. Terregles. Troqueer. Twynholm. Urr. Anwoth. Balmaclellan. Balmaghie. Do, Borgue. Do. Do. Do. Do. Buittle. Do. Carsphairn. Colvend and Southwick. Do. XII HISTORICAL MONUMENTS (SCOTLAND) COMMISSION. X! ORTS (connnuea). PARISH. "Mark Mote" (vitrified), EookclifFe (No. 120) . Colvend and Southwick "The Moyle," Barnbarroch (No. 121) Do. Glengappock (No. 134) . . Crossmichael. Loch- Roan (No. 135) Do. Trowdale "Mote"(No. 140) . Do. " Croft's Mote" (No. 141) . Do. Stroanfreggan (No. 159) . . Dairy. ' "M'CuUoch's Castle," Arbigland (No. 210) Kirkbean. Meikle Sypland (No. 224) . . Kirkcudbright. . Do. North Milton (No. 227) . Do. Upper North Milton (No. 228) Do. Milton Cottage (No. 229) Do. Drummore (No. 231) Do. Kirkland (No. 232) . Do. "CarseMoat"(No. 233) . Do. Tarkirra (upper, No. 279) . Kirkgunzeon. Dmmcoltraii (No. 280) Do. Moat Hill, Margley (No. 305) Kirkpatrick-Durham. Doon of Urr (No. 309) . Do. Maonaughton (No. 319) Kirkpatrick-Irougray. Hallhill (No. 321) . Do. Little Merkland, Nether Dullarg (No. 39 2) Parton. Ben Tudor (No. 401) . . Eerwick. Wraith Plantation (No. 402) . Do. Auchencairn (No. 403) Do. Auchencairn (No. 404) Do. Dungarry, Ben Tudor (No. 406) Do. Suie Hill (No. 407) .... Do. Nether Hazelfield (No. 408) Do. "Castle Muir," Roscarrel Bay (No. 409) Do. Castle.Greavie(No. 413) . Do. Castle Creavie (No. 414) . Do. Kirkcarswell (No. 415) Do. Kirkcarswell (No. 416) Do. "Glennap Fort" (No. 417) Do. Craigraploch (No. 418) Do. Doon . Hill, Balig (No. 419) Do. "Plot's Knowe," Mabie Moss (No, 461) . Terregles. Cumstounend (No. 470) . . Twynholin "Doon," Nun Mill (No. 472) . Do. Campbeltown " Mote " (No. 473) Do. Green Island, Milton Loch (No. 491) . . Urr. Rook Sculptures. Trusty's Hill (No. 14) . . Anwoth High Auchenlarie (No. 19) Do. Cardoness House (No. 20) . Do. Mossyard (No. 21) . . Do. Cairnharrow (No. 25) . . . Do. ClauchandoUy (No. 66) . . Borgue. Milton Park, Townhead (No. 241) . . Kirkcudbright. ■The Grange (No. 243) Do. Little Stookerton, or Brockcleugh (No. 24 3) Do. INVENTORY OF MONUMENTS IN STEWARTRY OF KIRKCUDBRIGHT, xiji Rock Soxjlpturbs {continued). Cambret Moor (No. 295) . NewlawHill(No.421) Caibns. High Auchenlarie (No. 17) Lamford (No. 89) "Water of Deugh (No. 90) . Craigengillan (No. 95) Cairntosli Hill (No. 175) . Bagbie (Cairn and Stone Setting, No. 286) "Meikle Cairu," Minnydow (No. 310) Stone Circle. ■ Drummore (No. 237) .... StandincPStones. " Standing-Stone of Dalarran," Dalarran Holm (No. 40) . Bagbie (No. 297) Redcastle (No. 494) Miscellaneous. Cross-slabs — Cardoness (No. 26) Kirkclaugh (No. 27) DaltaUochan (No. 99) . . Dalshangan (No. 101) . "Palace Yard," Enrick (No. 176) . Sepulchral Monuments, St Cuthbert's Churchyard — Cajsane grave-stone (No. 252) Maxwell grave-stone (No. 253) Ewart Monument (No. 258) . Sculptured Stones, Miunigaff (No. 370-1) Heraldic Stone, Miunigaff (No. 372) Minnoch Bridge (No. 375) PARISH. Kirkmabreck. Berwick. Anwoth. Carsphairn. Do. Do. Girthon. Kirkmabreck. Kirkpatrick- D urh am . Kirkcudbright. Balmaolellan. Kirkmabreck. Urr. Anwoth. Do. Carsphairn. Carsphairn. Girthon. Kirkcudbright. Do. Do. Miunigaff. Do. Do. Xfote. — The following monuments, which are under the charge of H.M. Office of Works, are not included in the foregoing lists : Dundreniian Abbey and Sculptured Stones (No. 398) Maclellan's House (Kirkcudbright Castle, No. 216) Carsluith Castle (No. 282) . Orchardton Tower (No. 76) . . . Threave Castle (No. 4l) . Berwick. Kirkcudbright. Kirkmabreck. Buittle Balmaghie. LIST OF GROUND-PLANS AND ILLUSTRATIONS. INTRODUCTION. PARrsH. Figure. Name. Dairy . . A Flint knife from cist in " Stroanfreggan Cairn" Kirkcudbright Balmaclellan . B C D E F Kirkcudbright G Urn from AVhinnyliggate Horned mask of bronze from Torrs Upper stone of Quern from Balmaclellan Bronze mirror from Balmaclellan Collar-shaped plate of bronze from Bal- maclellan Plan showing the relative positions of monu- • ments in the town of Kirkcudbright Page. ■xl xli xlii xlii xliii Iv INVENTORY. Parish. Anwoth . Figure. 1 Name. Tomb (west side), No. IN Inventory. Anwoth The Gordon Church 2 2 Cross-slab, Anwoth 3- 3 Cardoness Castle from the south 8 4 Do. : hall fireplace in north wall 8 5 Do. : plan 8 6 Eusco Castle from the south-east 9 7 Do. : doorway with arms, 9 8 Do. : plan 9 9 " Boreland or Green Tower Mote " 11 10 Mote, Kirkclaugh 12 11 Sculptured symbols, Trusty's Hill 14 12 Cairn and stone circle, Cauldside 16 13 Do. do.: plan 16 14 Stone circle. High Auchenlarie 18 15 Cup and ring marks, Bardriston 19 1 6 Cup- and ring-marked stone, Cardoness 20 17 Do. do. 20 18 Cup and ring marks, Mossyard 21 19 Cup- and ring-marked stone, Lower Laggan Cottage 22 20 Cup- and ring-marked stones at High Auchenlarie and Kirkclaugh 19 & 23 21 Cup and ring marks, Cairnharrow 25 22 Cross-slabs, Cardoness 26 23 Cross-slab, Kirkclaugh 27 24 Standing-stones, Newton 29 INVENTORY OF MONUMENTS IN STEWARTRY OF KIRKCUDBRIGHT. XV Parish. FiSUM !. Name. , ^O- '^ Inventory, Balmaclellan , 25 Barscobe House 35 26 Do. : plan 35 fiahnaghie 27 Threave Castle from the south-west 41 28 Do. : interior looking south 41 29 Do. : from the east, showing en- trance gateway 41 30 Do. : block plans 41 31 Do. : plan 41 32 "Mote,"Edgarton 45 Borgue . . 33 Plunton Castle from the south-east 51 34 Do. : plan 51 35 Balmangan Tower 53 36 Mote, Boreland 54 37 Mote, Koberton 55 38 Fort, " Borness Batteries " 60 39 •' Castle Haven " : plan 64 40 Do. : view through the outer and inner main door- ways 64 41 Do. : exterior view of doorway leading from court to beach 64 42 Do. : view of south end o'f central court 64 43. Do. : view of northern part of central court 64 44 Penannular brooch of bronze from " Castle Haven " 64 45 Spiral finger-ring of bronze from Do. 64 46 Bead of blue glass from Do. 64 47 Gup and ring marks, ClauchandoUy 66 48 Bone Cave, Borness 68 Buittle Carsphairn Colvend and South wick Crossmichael 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 Buittle Church : interior 73 Do. : window in north wall of chancel ' 73 Do. : plan 73 Buittle Castle 74 Buittle Place 75 Orchard ton Tower 76 Do. : arched ambry, with piscina 76 Do. : plan 76 "Cairn Avel" Stone circle, Holm of Daltallochan Cross-slab, Daltallochan Cross-slab, Braidenoch Hill 61 Wall of Fort, West Barcloy 62 Fort, Gflengappock 63 Do. do. : plan 64 Do. "Croft's Mote" 94 97 99 100 118 134 134 141 XVI HISTORICAL MONUMENTS (SCOTLAND) COMMISSION. Pabish. Figure. Name. No. IN Inventobt. Dairy . 65 St John's Church, Daby 153 66 Earlston Castle 155 67 Hill Fort, Stroaufreggan 159 Kells . 68 Sculptured slab, Kenmure Castle 180 69 "Adam and Eve" stone, Kells 186 Kelton . 70 Mote, Ingleston 192 71 Do. do. 192 72 Caldron found in Carlingwark Loch 201 Kirkbean 73 Cliff Fort, "M'CuUoch's Castle" 210 74 Preston Cross 211. Kirkcudbright 75 Maclellan's Tomb, Kirkcudbright 216 76 Dunrod Church 217 . 77 Maclellan's House (Kirkcudbright Castle) 218 78 The Tolbooth, Kirkcudbright 219 79 Do. do. : plan 219 80 Fort; North Milton 227 81 Do. Milton Cottage 229 82 Do. Dunrod 230 83 Do. " Drummore Castle " 231 84 Stone circle, Drummore' 237 85 Cup and ring'marks. High Banks 240 86 Do. do. 240 87 Do. do. 240 88 Do. do. 240 89 Do. Milton Park 241 90 Do. ■ do. 241 91 Do. do. 241 92 Do. The Grange 243 93 Do. do. 243 94 Do. do. 243 95 Do. Blackhill Cottage 245 96 Do. Balmae 246 . 97 Do. Torrs 248 98 Do. do. 248 99 Do. Little Stockerton 249 100 Do. do. 249 101 Do. do. 249 102 Do. Galtway 251 103 Do. do. 251 104 Do. do. 251 105 Do. do. 251 106 Carsane grave-stone, St Cuthbert's Church- yard 252 107 Maxwell grave-stone, do. 253 108 Castledykes, Kirkcudbright 262 Kirkgunzeon . 109 Drumcoltran Tower from the south 276 110 Do. : from the north 276 111 Do. : plan 276 112 Fort (upper) Tarkirra 279 113 Do. Drumcoltran 280 INVENTORY OF MONUMENTS IN STEWARTRY OF KIRKCUDBRIGHT, xvil Pabish. FiGURB. Name. No. IN INVENTOKY Kirkmabreck 114 Carsluith Castle 282 115 Barholm Castle 283 116 Do. : entrance 283 117 Do. : plan 283 • 118 Cairn and stone setting, Bagbie 286 119 Cbambered cairn, Cairnholy, showing re- mains of chamber and frontal semicircle from the rear 287 120 "Galdus'sTomb" 287 121 Chamber of cairn, Cairnholy 288 122 Long cairn, Cairnholy : plan 288 123 Stone cist, Larg Moor 291 124 Stone circle, Olenquicken Moor 292 125 Do. do. : plan 292 126 Stone circle, Claughreid 293 127 Cup and ring marks, Kirkmuir 294 128 Do. do. 294 129 Cup and ring marks, Cambret Moor 295 Kirkpatrick- 130 Carved oak panels, Kirkpatrick-Durham 313 Durham Lochrutton 131 HiUs Castle from the north-west 330 132 Do. : plan 330 133 Stone circle, Easthill 332 Minnigafi 134 Garlics Castle : plan 335 135 Do. : fireplace 335 136 " Cairnderry Cairn " : megalithic chamber 346 137 Do. : plan 316 138 " White Cairn," Bargrennan 350 139 Do. do. : plan 350 140 " Boreland Cairn " 362 141 Stone circle, Drannandow 366 142 " The Thieves " 367 143 Do : plan showing enclosure 367 144 Upright pillar : cross sculptured in relief, at Minnigaff 370 145 Heraldic stone, Minnigaff 372 146. Minnoch Bridge 375 147 Do. : plan 375 New Abbey . 148 New Abbey from the north-west 380 149 Do. : do. north-east 380 150 Do. : south transept, interior 380 . 151 Do. : plan 380 152 Do. : do. 380 153 Abbot's Tower 382 Parton . 154 Kirkland Mote, Parton 390 155 Mote, Boreland of Parton 391 Berwick 156 Dundreniian Abbey : north transept, exterior 398 157 Do. do. : interior 398 158 Do. : south transept 398 159 Do. : south transept and Chapter-house 398 160 Do. : plan 398 XVlll HISTORICAL MONUMENTS (SCOTLAND) COMMISSION. Pamsh. Rerwick Terregles Figure. 161 162 , 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 171 172 Name, Abbot's monument, Dundrennan Cellarer's monument, do. Monuments of Abbots Egidius, Dundrennan Monument of Abbot Brian, do. Fort, Diingarry Hill Fort, Suie Hill Cup and ring marks, Nether Linkens Do. Newlaw Hill No. IN Inventory. 398 398 398 398 406 407 420 421 Princess Margaret's Tomb, Lincluden 431 Lincluden, south transept and rood-screen from north-west 431 Nave and south transept from south-east 431 Nave and transept from south- Do. Do. 173 174 175 176 177 west Do. : plan Terregles "Queir" Effigy of Edward Maxwell at Terregles Mote, Lincluden " Cullochan Castle " 431 431 432 432 433 434 Tongland . 178 179 Stone circle, Lairdmannoch Fort, Castle Hill 446 451 Troqueer . 180 181 Kirkcounel Tower, courtyard from north Do. : plan 456 456 Twynhohn . 182 Fort, Campbeltown 473 Urr . 183 184 185 186 187 Edingham Castle Mote of Urr from the east Do. : plan Fort, Waterside, Haugh of Urr Do. Green Island, Milton Loch 488 489 489 490 491 LIST OF PARISHES. Page of Page op Inventory. Inventory. Anwoth . 1 Kirkgunzeon . 145 Balmaclellan . 25 Kirkmabreck . 151 Balmaghie 28 Kirkpatrick-Durhai n . 166 Borgue . 37 Kirkpatrick-Irongra Ly 169 Buittle . 52 Lochrutton . 173 Carsphairn 62 Minnigaff 178 Colvend and Southwick 67 New Abbey 200 Crossmichael . 75 Parton . 212 Dairy . 82 Rerwick 217 Girthon 90 Terregles 242 Kells . 94 Tongland 258 Kelton . 97 Troqueer 263 Kirkbean 105 Twynholm 267 Kirkcudbright 108 Urr . 273 iNVENTOKY OF MONUMENTS IN STEWARTRY OF KIRKCUDBRIGHT, xix BIBLIOGRAPHY. Ancient Scottish Lake Dwellings, or Crannogs, by Eobert Munro, M.D. (Edinburgh : David Douglas, 1879). The Antiquities of Scotland, by Francis Grose, F.A.S. (London: 1789). Archaeological and Historical Collections relating to Ayrshire and Galloway. Archaic Sculpturings of Cups, Circles, etc., upon Stones and Rocks, by Sir J. Y. Simpson(Edinburgh : 1867). The Book of Caerlaverock : Memoirs of the Maxwells, Earls of Nithsdale, Lords Maxwell and Herries, by Sir "William Eraser (2 vols. Edinburgh : 1873). Caledonia, by George Chalmers, F.R.S., F.S.A. (Paisley : Alexander Gardner. New edition, 1887-1894). Calendar of the Laing Charters, a.d. 854-1837, belonging to the University of Edinburgh, edited by the Eev. John Anderson (Edinburgh : James Thin, 1899). The Castellated and Domestic Architecture of Scotland, by David Macgibbon and Thomas Ross, Architects (Edinburgh: David Douglas, 1887- 1892). Celtic Scotland, by- W. F. Skene (Edinburgh: Edmonston & Douglas, 1876). Characteristics of Old Church Architecture in the Mainland and Western Islands of Scotland, by T. S. Muir (Edinburgh : 1861). Chronicles of Linoluden, as an Abbey and as a College, by William M'Dowall, F.S.A. Scot. (Edinburgh : Adam and Charles Black, 1886) Coll and Tiree : their Prehistoric Forts, etc., by Erskine Beveridge (Edinburgh : T. & A. Constable, 1903). Criminal Trials in Scotland from 1488 to 1624, com- piled from the original records and MSS., with historical notes and illustrations, by Robert Pitcairn, W.S., F.S.A. Scot. (Edinburgh : 1833). A Large Description of Galloway, by Andrew Symson, Minister of Kirkinner 1684, with an appendix containing original papers from the Sibbald and Macfarlane MSS. (Edinburgh: 1823). The Douglas Book, by Sir William Eraser (4 vols. Edinburgh: 1885). The Early Christian Monuments, by J. Eomilly Allen and Joseph Anderson, LL.D. (Edinburgh : Neill & Co., Ltd., 1903). The Ecclesiastical Architecture of Scotland, by David Macgibbon and Thomas Ross, Architects (Edin- burgh : David Douglas, 1896-1897). The Gallovidian, vol. iii. Abbreviated Reference. Scottish Lake Dwellings. Grose's Antiquities. Ayr and Gall. Arch. Coll. Archaic Sculpturings. The Book of Caerlaverock. Laing Charters. Cast, and Dam. Arch. Old Church Archi- tecture of Scot- land. Pitcairn. Symson. Early Christ. Men. Eccles. Arch. XX HISTORICAL MONUMENTS (SCOTLAND) COMMISSION. The Hereditary Sheriffs of Galloway, by the late Sir Andrew Agnew, Bart., of Lochnaw (Edinburgh : David Douglas, 1893). A History of Dumfries and Galloway, by Sir Herbert MaxweUj Bart. (Edinburgh and London : Black- woods, 1896). History of the Family of Cairnes or Cairns, and its connections, by H. C. Lawler (London : Elliot & Stock, 1906). History of Galloway, illustrated with maps, by the Eev. William MacKenzie (Kirkcudbright: John Nicholson, 1841). History of the Lands and their Owners in Galloway, by P. H. M'Kerlie (Edinburgh : William Paterson, 1870-1879). History of Liddesdale, Eskdale, Ewesdale, Wauchope- dale and the Debatable Land, by Robert Bruce Ai-mstrong (Part I. Edinburgh : 1883). Memorials of the Abbey of Dundrennan in Gallo- way, by the Eev. Aneas B. Hutchison, B.D. (Exeter : W. Pollard, 1857). Picturesque Antiquities of Scotland, etched by Adam de Cardonnel, 1788. Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland. Rambles in Galloway, by Malcolm M'Lachlan Harper (Dumiries: R. G. Mann, 3rd ed., 1908). Registrum Magni Sigilli Begum Seotorum. The Register of the Great Seal of Scotland. The Reliquary and Illustrated Archaeologist, edited by J. Romilly Allen, P.S.A. Scotland in Pagan Times : The Iron Age, by Joseph Anderson, LL.D. (Edinburgh : David Douglas, 1883). Scottish Market Crosses, by John W. Small, F.S.A. Scot. (Stirling : Aneas Mackay, 1900). The Scots Peerage, vols, iv., v., edited by Sir James Balfour Paul, Lord Lyon King of Arms (Edin- burgh : David Douglas, 1907-1908). The Sculptured Stones of Scotland, edited by John Stuart, LL.D. — Spalding Club — vol. i. 1856; vol. ii. 1867. Statistical Account of Scotland (1797). Statistical Account of Scotland, New (1845). Tour in Scotland in 1769 (4th ed.) and 1772, by Thomas Pennant. Tours in Scotland in 1747, 1750,. and 1760, by Bishop Pococke, edited by D. W. Kemp — Scottish History Society — (Edinburgh : T. & A. Constable, 1887). Transactions of the Dumfries and Galloway Natural History and Antiquarian Society. Wardrobe Accounts of Edward I. Abbreviated Eeference. Hist. Dumf. ^ Gcdl. Lands and tkeir Owners in GcAlovoay. History of Liddes- dale, etc. Dundrennan Abbey (Hutchison) Antiquaries. Reg. Mag. Sig. The Reliquary. SmaU's Grosses. Stat. Aeet. New Stat. Acct. Pennant's Tour. Pococke's J'ours. Trans. Dumf. ^ Gall. Ant, etc., Soc. INTRODUCTION TO INVENTORY OF ANGIENT AND HISTORICAL MONUMENTS AND CONSTRUCTIONS IN THE COUNTY OF THE STEWARTEY OF KIRKCUDBRIGHT. PART I. Historical Sketch. The district of Galloway, comprising the modern county of Wigtown and the Stewartry of Kirkcudbright, long retained a distinction from the rest of southern Scotland through its ethnography, language, and jurisprudence. The earliest specific mention of its inhabitants seems to occur in Tacitus's chronicle of the second campaign of Julius Agricola, who, probably in the summer of a.d. 79, carried his victorious arms against a branch of the great tribe of Brigantes, which may have been the race distinguished by Ptolemy as Selgovse, dwelling on the north shore of the Solway, a name in which one seems to trace an echo of the Roman appellation of this people. These Selgovse probably occupied what is now Dumfriesshire, and were separated on the west by the river Novius, now the N"ith, from another tribe which, from that river, Ptolemy designates Novantse ; just as Bede, six centuries later, wrote of them as Mduarii — people of the Nid or Nith. It is not suggested that the people themselves used the titles of Selgovae and Novantse, which would be applied by the invaders to distinguish the inhabitants of different localities, in the same arbitrary fashion as early British settlers called the inhabitants of North America "Indians," and the Dutch colonists of South Africa classified the aborigines as Hottentots and Bosjesmans or Bushmen. The late Dr Skene, reasoning from " the remains of numerous Roman camps and stations which are still to be seen " in Galloway, assumed that Agricola had penetrated that district and established garrisons there.* But facts are wanting to support this opinion! The numerous traces of Roman occupation in Dumfriesshire are in notable contrast to the absence of similar remains in Galloway, where, unless a few rectangular entrenchments of doubtful origin can be claimed as Roman, nothing has been found attributable to Roman origin except portable objects in metal, pottery, or glass. The so-called Roman Bridge over tlie Minnoch is a fine, bold structure of mediaeval char- * Celtic Scotland, vol. i. p. 44. xxii HISTORICAL MONUMENTS (SCOTLAND) COMMISSION. acter, and no Eoman road has been traced further west than the Nith, which has always been the eastern boundary of Galloway. In fact, Galloway is more devoid of signs of Eoman occupation than any other district of southern Scotland. This is all the more significant by reason of the immense number of land forts and lake-dwellings which remain in both the Shire and the Stewartry. The inference is almost irresistible that, while the legions subdued the Selgovae, they failed, or did not think it worth while, to carry their arms through the difficult and poor hill country of the Novantae ; although it is far from improbable that Agricola exacted tribute from the chiefs as the price of immunity. The few Latin inscriptions remaining in Galloway — notably the Peter Stone at Whithorn (No. 471 of vol. i. for Galloway) and the remarkable sepulchral slabs at Kirkmadrine (Nos. 440 and 441 of that vol.) — cannot be assigned an earlier date than the very latest years of Eoman occupation, for they are the work of Christian ecclesiastics, and Christianity obtained no entrance into Galloway, nor indeed to any part of the. island of Britain, until Bishop Ninian undertook his mission about the year 396. These Novantae or men of Galloway emerge in historic times as Plots, claiming the right, conceded to them as late at least as 1138, to form the advanced guard of the royal Scottish army. The authority exercised over Galloway by Kenneth, first king of the realm of Alba, afterwards to be known as Scotland, and his successors for at least two centuries to come was very fluctuating and shadowy. It is uncertain how and in what degree the Galwegian Picts became subject to the Saxon rulers of Northumbria. It is equally uncertain at what period the province was marked off from Clydesdale by the earthwork known as the Deil's Dyke, whereof the broken course may still be traced over hill and glen, moss and moor, from its western extremity on the shore of Loch Eyan to its eastern terminus at Southmains on the Nith — a distance of about fifty miles. In the 9th century Galloway was exposed to frequent raids by Norsemen, and its chiefs were often fain to ally themselves with these dreaded rovers in their piratical descents upon Ireland. When Eognvald the Dane conquered Northumbria and expelled the Saxon King in 937, he is said to have claimed authority as Dux Galwelensium — Duke of the Galwegians — in right of the hereditary superiority of the Saxon Kings over the Galloway Picts. In the following century, when Malcolm Ceannmor, son of the murdered Duncan, defeated and slew Macbeth in 1057, the work of consolidating the realm of Scotland began in earnest. Malcolm, with sagacious intent, conciliated the Norse element among his subjects by marrying Ingibjorg, the widow of the powerful Norse Jarl Thorfinn. Tradition and custom inclined the Galloway Picts to resume allegiance to their former overlords, the Saxon Earls of Northumberland • but both Norse and Saxon power was on the wane : geography, language, and racial affinity prevailed, and the Gaelic-speaking' Picts of Galloway became noruinally lieges of the King of Scots. Still their distinct nationality continued to be officially recognised (as' when in 1124 David I. made proclamation of his accession to "all good men of my kingdom— Scots,* EngUsh,t Anglo-Normans, and * The aorthem Celts. t The Saxons of Lothian, Dumfriesshire etc. INVENTORY OF MONUMENTS IN STEWABTEY OF KIRKCUDBRIGHT. Xxiii Gralwegians "), and it required repeated applications of the strong, hand to put down insurrection under their native chiefs and to thwart their attempts to renew the connection with England. The chequered early history of this province is clearly reflected in its place-names and family names. Judging from the great pre- ponderance of Gaelic in both, the Galloway Picts must have belonged to the Goidhelic brancli of the Celtic race, being thus distinct from the Brythonic or Cymric population of Strathclyde, as they also were from the Saxon inhabitants of Dumfriesshire, where Saxon names now greatly preponderate. Saxon place-names form a very small minority in Galloway, those which are probably the oldest of" them, such as Whithorn, Saulseat, Sweetheart, having originated in the early connection with the Saxon hierarchy of Northumbria, i.e. York. In addition to these, of course, there are fairly numerous place-names in later English, some of which were applied after Gaelic ceased to be the sp^ch of the commonalty. The Norse element may be recognised in names like Sinniness, Sorhy, Kilquhockadale, and Glenstockadale (the two latter having received Gaelic prefixes). A further legacy of the Northmen exists in the frequent term "fell" (fjall), used in conjunction with the Gaelic names of hills, e.g. Fell of Barhullion, Mochrum Fell. Thus we have foreign vocables imbedded, as it were, in a matrix of Gaelic, which language is known to have continued as the vernacular, at least in the hill districts, until the latter half of the 16th century. Place-names often commemorate the names of historical personages. Thus Loch Fergus, near Kirkcudbright, seems to owe its name to the stronghold which Fergus, Pictish lord of Galloway, built for himself in the 12th century on what is still called the Palace Isle. He was a prodigal benefactor to the Church, having founded the Premon- stratensian Abbey of Saulseat (Monasterium viridis stagni*) near Stranraer, the Premonstratensian Priory of Whithorn (Candida Gasa), Tungland Abbey on the Dee and the Abbey of S. Maria de Trayll (now St. Mary's Isle), both near Kirkcudbright, and perhaps Dun- drennan Abbey, a Cistercian house, also in that neighbourhood.f The horrible fate of Uchtred, who succeeded his father Fergus as Lord of Galloway in 1161, is traditionally commemorated in the name of a cave near Portpatrick — Cave Ouchtred [Ouchtriemackain (No. 415 of vol. i. for Galloway)]. After the capture of WilHam the Lyon in 1174, Gilbert the younger son of Fergus rose against his elder brother Uchtred, seized his castle and hunted him through the hill country until he captured him in the aforesaid cave. He then not only blinded him (which was recognised in early times as an effective means of disposing of a political opponent) but brutally mutilated him in other ways,I and left him to die miserably. Uchtred founded Lincluden Abbey, and his son Koland, having succeeded in regaining the lordship by force of arms on Gilbert's death in 1185, built Glenluce Abbey. Koland was succeeded in 1199 by his son Alan, last lord of the native line, who possessed * The Monastery of the Green Lake, so called from the colour which is periodi- cally imparted for a time to the water by the multitudinous development of certain micro-organisma — Osdllatoria, Diatoms, etc. + The foundation of Dundrennan Abbey is sometimes attributed to David I. \ " Abscisis testiculis et oculis evulsis." xxiv HISTORICAL MONUMENTS (SCOTLAND) COMMISSION. immense estates in the counties of Northampton and Leicester, and, as an English baroil, took a leading part in the controversy with King John. He was present at the signing of Magna Charta at Runnymede in 121 5. His death in 1234 marked the passing of Pictish ascendancy in Galloway and the substitution of feudalism, for his only legitimate offspring consisted of three daughters, each of whom married an Anglo- Norman baron. Helena married Eoger de Quenci, Earl of Win- chester ; Dervorgilla married John de Balliol of Barnard Castle, by whom she became the mother of John Balliol, King of Scots 1292- 96 ; and Christian married William de Fortibus, Earl of Albemarle. The partition of the ancient lordship of Galloway among these three alien magnates did not at all commend itself to its minor chiefs and Pictish population. Alan had left an illegitimate son Thomas, and Alexander II. had to lead an army into Galloway to suppress their attempt to regain independence under the said Thomas. Feudalism was now as thoroughly established in Galloway as in the rest of King Alexander's realm. The people were no longer free, for, except the libere tenentes or free tenants, who held lands from the barons or from religious communities, they became bondmen * and neyfs, adscrifti glebce, and henceforth every charter of lands conveyed to the landlord, whether layman or cleric, power over the persons and property of londi et nativi, which only fell short of being absolute in that the law, which bound the serf and his posterity to the soil, also protected him from capricious sale or removal by his lord. The numerous " motes " or " mottes " which remain in Galloway have been referred to the period when the Anglo-Norman lords were inaugurating feudal institutions in the province. Utterly repugnant as these institutions were to Celtic or Pictish tradition and custom, intermarriage and general expediency reconciled the principal native chiefs to the new order of things, which they were shrewd enough to perceive had the effect of increasing their authority among their own people ; and although it was well on in the 15th century before the civil and criminal code of Galloway was completely assimilated to that of the rest of Scotland, the history of the province may be con- sidered to have become merged, in that of the realm from the death of Alan in 1234. PART II. The Stewartryf of Kirkcudbright extends northward from the shores of the Solway Firth between the counties of Wigtown and Dumfries, * The term "bondman" is still in universal use in Galloway to signify a farm-labourer serving on a yearly engagement. + A Stewartry was an administrative division analogous to a Sheriffdom and represented a regality— lands over which their lord had virtually royal jurisdic- tion — that had fallen to the Crown ; in the case of Kirkcudbright by forfeiture in a case such as Annandale by inheritance. The " Stewart " thus had the powers of a lord of regality, in criminal matters rather wider than those of a sheriff while also a royal officer. Lands lapsing to the Crown which were not of regality' would cohstitute a bailiary and be administered by a bailie. Wigtown, the other part of Galloway; was a Sheriffdom or Shire proper. That the Stewartry of Kirkcudbright took its designation from that town, while the " Stewart," after the fall of the Douglases, had his seat at Threave Castle, suggests that its institution preceded the rise of that family in the district and probably dates from the re- INVENTORY OF MONUMENTS IN STEWABTRY OF KIRKCUDBRIGHT. XXV and comprises an area of about 900 square miles. The western half, in which is situated the Kells range, is the most mountainous region in the south of Scotland, many oiE the hills rising to a height of between two and three thousand feet. The rest of the shire is undulating and hilly, the landscape being studded with numerous knolls and hillocks of outcropping rock even throughout the low- lying arable land. The river Cree, flowing into Wigtown Bay, forms the western boundary, while eastward the estuaries of the Fleet, the Dee, and the Urr have formed the gateways through the cliffs and rocky foreshore that give access to the interior. On the extreme east the Nith divides the Stewartry from Dumfriesshire. That the sea and rivers have a relation to the spread of population in the earliest times is a fact that hardly needs demonstration, but it is made clearly apparent by the results of the survey of Galloway, and, as will be shown later, is further emphasised in the survey of the monuments of Dumfriesshire. The obvious inference is that the centre of the county being covered for the most part with track- less forests and impassable swamps, the immigrants followed the coast line, landed on the sandy bays or by the river estuaries, and gradually spread inland along the main arteries, keeping for the most part to the higher and drier ground. Cairns. Though the conclusion that the long chambered cairns are the monuments of the earliest settled neolithic invaders may well be called in question from the fact that objects of neolithic art are found in abundance over the country where no long cairns are or probably have ever been, yet the statement that such cairns are the earliest monuments of the human race in Scotland is not equally open to objection. These cairns are distinguished from the later cairns of the bronze age by the construction within them of a burial chamber, accessible by a passage and capable of being used for repeated inter- ments, whereas the latter contain a stone-built cist or cofSn intended for a single act of burial. If a chambered character be assumed from the external form of the cairn, even when no portion of the chamber is exposed, and if we include in the computation denuded chambers, the number of such cairns in the Stewartry is eleven. Of these five may be termed long cairns and five round cairns, while one, represented by the chamber only, and known as " Galdus's Tomb " at Cairnholy (No. 287), must remain doubtful, though its structural features indicate the long- horned cairn type. Exempted from the foregoing enumeration is a cairn at Slewcairn, Colvend (No. 125), which though elongated is probably not chambered. No particular rule of orientation seems to have determined the erection of the long cairns in this region, for the direction in which adjustments after the War of Independence. Like that of Sheriff elsewhere, the ofaee became hereditary, and compensation had to be paid to the holder for the abolition of this privilege under the Heritable Jurisdictions Act 1747. The title, however, continued in the style of the " Stewart-Depute," though we have in 1748 the alternative " Stewartry or Shire " of Kirkcudbright. Such distinctions having since disappeared, the "Stewartry" remains only as an historic survival in nomenclature. XXvi HISTORICAL MONUMENTS (SCOTLAND) COMMISSION. the longest axis lies varies considerably from almost east and west to north and south. The cairns to which, from the relics found in them, a neolithic antiquity is ascribable, are distinguished by their having at one end a frontal bay or creseentic recess, the points of which spread out- wards and suggest the epithet of " horned," which has been applied specifically to this class. The outline of the crescent is demarcated by tall standing-stones placed at a short distance from each other, of which two in the centre form the portals .of the passage giving access to the chamber. In addition to possessing a frontal bay, the form of the horned cairns found in the Stewartry conforms to the general rule elsewhere in expanding in breadth from back to front. Of this class there are three examples all on the extreme west, two, including "Galdus's Tomb," at Cairnholy (Nos. 287 and 288), and the other on the east side of the valley of the Cree at Boreland (No. 362), some 1^ miles north of Minnigaff. In two of these, as shown on the plans (figs. 122 and 140), the characteristic features are well represented. The fine cairn at Cairnholy has been dilapidated to such an extent that little beyond the frontal crescent of standing- stones, the passage, and the chamber remain, with a few boulders here and there to give an indication of the original dimensions. The Boreland cairn, on the other hand, has not been excavated, and, its external form being comparatively complete, it may be regarded as complementary to that at Cairnholy, on the assumption, which is not unwarrantable, that its internal arrangements are similar. Though regular building, a feature so noteworthy in the long cairns of Caithness, is not visible on the sides of this construction in its present condition, yet there is a remarkable number of upright stones rising like buttresses from its edge along the flanks, and probably serving some such purpose, an arrangement which finds an analogue in the long-horned cairns of Coille na Borgie in Sutherland.* In contrast with the horned cairns of Sutherland and Caithness, there is evidence of horns at one extremity only; in this respect they present an analogy to the long barrows of England. If it be assumed that in the two cairns at Cairnholy we have remaining the complete arrangements of the chambers, there has been in each a single chamber approached by a short passage 9 feet in length, entered by a very narrow opening between two tall portal stones. The chambers are distinctly of the dolmen type, formed of massive slabs in cist fashion. The cover remains only on " Galdus's Tomb," a large block, measuring superficially some 7 feet 11 inches by 7 feet 6 inches and Testing on the back slab and the two sides. The front slab which closes the chamber does not reach to the roof, and in the chamber of the neighbouring cairn, though the roof is gone, the slab at the front is lower than that at the back, indicating a similar arrangement. The sides, to some extent, have been formed by the imposition of large blocks one above the other, but building, such as is found in the chambers of the cairns of the Northern counties, is here conspicuously absent. The structure is more primitive, resembling in this respect the dolmens of Cornwall, Ireland, or Brittany. Adjacent to the Boreland cairn is another cairn (No. 361), the shape of which suggests that it also may have belonged to this class, * Inventory of the Monuments of Sutherland (No. 243). INVENTORY OF MONUMENTS IN STEWARTET OF KIRKCUDBRIGHT. XXvii but it has been greatly pillaged for stones, and no trace of. a frontal crescent is now apparent. At Newton, some 2 miles to the south-east of Caimholy, a con- struction (No. 29) which has had four erected pillars, one at each corner of a cist-like tomb, has probably also been a chamber ; but the cairn has been removed in toto and the structure itself is fragmentary. Farther up the basin of the Cree, at a somewhat high elevation and on the moorland, are the remains of another chambered cairn (No. 358) which the dyker has sorely spoiled for material, leaving the chambers partially exposed. Here we have a cairn which does not to the same extent as the foregoing resemble externally the horned cairns of the North, but has its exact counterpart in the neighbouring shire of Wigtown, and that both in its external aspect and in the arrangement of its chambers. Its form is elliptical, and there is no indication of a frontal crescent, though a single tall column lying adjacent is suggestive from its resemblance to the portals at Cairnholy. The chambers, which are cist-like, entered re- spectively from the ends of the cairn and from the sides, are at least four in number, and in their disposition and construction resemble those in the Wigtownshire cairns at High Gillespie * and Kilhern.-j- The cairn, though greatly dilapidated, is not in a condition to admit of a satisfactory plan being made. A chambered cairn which, approximates in form to a long cairn, but differs from the normal plan, is the " Cairnderry Cairn " (No. 346) near Bargrennan, on the upper reaches of the Cree. It is pear-shaped, measuring some 92 feet in length by from 70 to 80 feet in breadth, and contains three megalithic chambers of the usual dolmen type placed radially and much resembling in appearance the chambers in the Wigtownshire cairn known as the " Caves of Kilhern." It is of interest to note that the side of one of the chambers is formed of a large boulder which has evidently been split before being utilised. It will be observed that all the foregoing cairns lie in the valley of the Cree from its estuary to near its source. As we follow the coast-line of the Stewartry eastward the next river encountered is the Fleet, a stream with a short course through a deep glen which leads to a wild, rocky, uninhabitable region among the hills. There are no remains of long cairns or apparently of any chambered cairns in its basin. Some 6 miles farther eastward is the estuary of the Dee at Kirkcudbright. With a long meandering course under different names, and through Loch Ken, the waters of the Dee take their rise in Loch Doon on the Ayrshire border, draining the eastern flank of the Kells range. Throughout its whole length there is not a trace of a chambered cairn either long or round, but if we follow its affluent, the Water of Deugh, to Carsphairn, where the mountainous country opens out on to the high plains of Ayrshire, we meet the long cairns once more. " Cairn Avel " (No. 94), near the village of Carsphairn, is distinctly a long cairn, though the chamber has not been exposed, and in the group of cairns further up the Deugh the upright slabs in one distinctly suggest a chambered character. The absence of chambered cairns throughout the course of the Dee cannot be accounted for by any present condition of agriculture implying * Inventory of the Mormments of Galloway, vol, i. {Gounty of Wigtown), No, 346. + Ibid., No. 269, xxviii HISTORICAL MONUMENTS (SCOTLAND) COMMISSION. their destruction, for the lesser cairns and stone circles have survived in that region. East of the Cree, from the coast nearly to the latitude of Carsphairn, no long cairn is met with, nor in fact any chambered cairn, unless, which is possible, the " White Cairn," Corriedow (No. 161), some 5 miles to the east of St John's town of Dairy, be of that character. It will be found, however, when the survey of the ancient monuments of Dumfriesshire is completed, that there is an extension of the class eastward indicating an immigration by an easy pass through the hills, past Glencairn and on beyond Queensberry Hill. Though in the present state of our knowledge we cannot say more than that the chambered cairn builders did not seemingly reach this latter district via the coast of the Solway and the southern regions of the Stewartry, it is probable that when the survey of the monuments of Ayrshire has been overtaken a similarity of plan in the adjacent cairns of that county may indicate the line of penetration. As perhaps also affording some indication of the distribution of those early prehistoric settlers, it is noteworthy that whereas the Shire of Wigtown has yielded to the National Museum of Antiquities a remarkable series of neolithic products of man's handicraft, the Stewartry of Kirkcudbright has been productive of exceedingly few such objects. The recognisable chambered cairns, other than long cairns, and ex- cepting " Cairnderry," in the Stewartry, are four in number, all situated in the extreme north : three in Minnigaff parish near Bar- grennan, one in the parish of Carsphairn, and all four adjacent to the Ayrshire border. Of these, only in one, the " White Cairn " (No. 350), is the chamber fully exposed. It is likewise of the dolmen type, con- structed for the most part of large blocks of stone showing very little building, and covered with massive slabs which rest directly on the vertical sides, there being none of the architectural refinement dis- played in the corbelled roofs of the North-country chambers. The plan of this chamber is wedge-shaped, gradually diminishing in breadth from the back to the opening of the passage, conforming in its design to that of certain Irish dolmens. On none of the chambered cairns in this region of the south-west of Scotland has any scientific exploratory work been carried out, and consequently we have no knowledge of any peculiarity in the pottery or other grave goods which they may contain. Though only three round cairns can be classified as chambered at the present moment, it is quite possible that on excavation others may yet be found to belong to this type. Passing to a consideration of the cairns presumably of the bronze age and circular in form, with the possible exception of the cairn on Slewcairn (No. 125(1)), already referred to— the form of which approxi- mates to that of a long cairn, and which may belong to a transitional period — we find, as might be expected, that they are more numerous than the others, that their distribution is more extensive, and that they penetrate farther inland along the Solway Firth. Including in our calculation the recorded sites from which cairns have been removed at a comparatively recent date, and excluding the doubtful hill-top cairns, we have within the Stewartry 73 such cairns, of which twenty- INVENTORY OF MONUMENTS IN STEVVARTRY OF KIRKCUDBRIGHT, xxix six occur in the basin of the Cree alone, seven near its estuary in the parish of Kirkmabreck, and nineteen along the course of the river in the parish of Minnigaff. Outside that area the parish which can claim the largest number is Carsphairn, where, just as in the case of the chambered cairns, the penetration has probably been from the north. The numbers in the other parishes are small, the largest total being four in Eerwick, while not a single cairn or a site is recorded from Kells, Keltou, Kirkpatrick-Irongray, or Terregles. Though no scientific excavation is recorded from any of these cairns, the cists in several cases have been laid bare in the process of their demolition. The cist on Larg Moor (ISTo. 291), illustrated in tig. 123, gives a good example of a bronze-age tomb placed above the ground level, which is not very usual. In the cairn at Cauldside (No. 16) a secondary cist has been inserted high up in the cairn, while no doubt a primary cist lies at its base, such as may be seen on the site of the cairn to the northward, where a cist is exposed in the ground, its upper edge almost flush with the natural surface. In the large cairn at Stroanfreggan (No. 160) the cist contained a fine example of a flint knife (fig. A), without any accom- panying pottery, and at the points of junction of the slabs there had been a luting of fine yellow clay which still bore the impress of the worker's fingers. The circumference of this cairn was marked by large boulders placed at intervals, a feature conspicuous around many of the round cairns of Sutherland, but less notice- able in the southern counties. The same arrangement, however, is apparent around a large cairn at Craigengillan (No. 95), not far distant from Stroanfreggan but in the adjacent parish of Carsphairn. Two round cairns (Nos. 363 and 393) appear to rise from level platforms extending several feet out from their bases, a feature occa- sionally noticed in other regions.* The inferences which appear to be deducible from the distribution and range of these two types, the chambered and the cisted cairn, the one neolithic or transitional, the other belonging to the bronze age, are, that both sets of immigrants reached Galloway by sea from the west, and not by any route north- ward from the centre of the island ; that the chambered cairn builder had not spread eastward in Galloway beyond the estuary of the Cree, when he was overtaken by later immigrants, who either brought with them, or attained shortly after their arrival, a knowledge of metallurgy; and that the limited range of the earlier race, as far as it can be held to coincide with that of their monuments, does not suggest that a period of vast extent intervened between the two settlements. Other than the long cairns, there are no monuments which we can definitely identify as belonging to the neolithic period. With the bronze-age period it is different. Both stone circles and * Inventory of the Monuments of Sutherland, Nos. 235 and 443, and of Tfigtown, No. 260. Fig. A.--Fliiit knife from Stroan- freggan (No. 160). :iXX HISTOEICAL MONUMENTS (SCOTLAND) COMMISSION. rock sculpturings are referable to this age, and both classes of monu- ments occur in the Stewartry. Stone Cibcles. The stone circles number apparently thirteen, though of that number some are very imperfect. They are divisible into two main classes, those encircling a central boulder and those without any central stone. In the former class are the circles at Claughreid (No. 293), on Glenquicken Moor (No. 292), and at the north end of Lairdmannoch Loch (No. 446). In the first two the central stone is a massive boulder with all the appearance of having been ice-borne, and the stones which form the circle are also boulders and of comparatively low elevation. The circle near Lairdmannoch Loch is presumed to be of the same class, but the central stone is much less massive, and the encircling stones are almost entirely sunk beneath the surface, so that their true character is not absolutely certain. The second class has been as a rule of larger diameter ; the stones in the periphery are also placed at greater distances apart, and are not always boulders but frequently irregularly shaped slabs of rock. The character of material selected wherewith to form a circle may have been entirely a matter of convenience, but the presence of a central boulder points to a definitely conceived plan in the minds of the constructors, which differentiates this class from that in which the enclosed area is devoid of any monolith. Each of the three noted circles with central stones stands in an isolated position, though the circle by Lairdmannoch Loch is within 80 yards of a cairn ; but two, if not three, of the other class appear to have been definitely erected in association with sepulchral cairns, and possibly have each formed part of an original plan. The two circles at Cauldside (No. 16), one of which is very fragmentary, occupy in both instances the same relative position to a circular cisted cairn, while remains of the circle at High Auchenlarie (No. 18), the arrangement of which is now not very easy of discern- ment, appear to have stood in contact with a cairn. The fact that these three constructions are all in the parish of Anwoth is another instance of local variation of type so frequently met with in regard to all classes of prehistoric monuments. At Bagbie (No. 286), in the neighbouring parish of Kirkmabreck, may be seen another setting of small standing-stones closely associated with a cairn. What form this setting may have taken it is impossible to say. The fact that the stones are placed with their broad faces at right angles to the line of the circumference is against the supposition that it has been a circle ; and though the two stones remaining in the most northerly of the two circles at Cauldside are similarly arranged, the remains of that circle are too meagre to admit of an inference that such an unusual characteristic was a feature of the whole construction. "The Thieves" stones at Drannandow (No. 367) are probably the remains of a circle, and, if so, the surrounding bank is an unusual feature, though a similar low bank was seen forming an inner circle in the stone circle of Torhousekie in Wigtownshire, and in the north and east of Scotland it is not unusual to find such a bank actually on the line of the circumference. When we turn to consider the distribution of the stone circles, we find that of the whole thirteen INVENTORY OF MONtTMfiNTS IN STEWARTBY OF KIRgCUDBRIGHT. XXXI no fewer than seven are situated near the estuary, or in the basin of the Cree. Of the others, one is associated with other early remains in Carsphairn parish. Two, those at Park (No. 445) and Ernespie (No. 202), are in the river basin of the Dee: one at Drummore is just outside it on the east side of Kirkcudbright Bay, and one at Lairdmannoch Loch is adjacent to the valley of the Tarfif, a stream which falls into the Dee near the town of Kirkcudbright. The other unaccounted for lies within 3^ miles of the town of Dumfries, far re- moved from any other monuments of its class in the Stewartry group. In treating of these monuments of the bronze-age, attention may be directed to the somewhat remarkable group of associated remains at Cauldside (No. 16) in Anwoth parish. Between Cambret Hill, rising to a height of 1150 feet on the north, and Cairnharrow with an altitude of 1497 on the south, lies a wind-swept valley not inappropriately bearing the name of Cauldside, whose lowest level is some 700 feet above the sea. The heather grows deep over its peaty soil, and'in the vicinity of the remains there is no indication that the plough has ever torn the surface where it flourishes, or that any other settlement than that of the period to which these monuments are attributable has ever existed in this region. The object that first attracts attention is a large circular cairn some 63 feet in diameter and rising to a height of 10 feet, in which just below the summit there lies exposed a secondary short cist. In front of the cairn is the stone circle already referred to, of which ten stones remain in situ, while some 150 yards behind it to the northward is the site of a second large cairn, in the floor of which is an opened cist and in front of which are the remains of a circle. Eastward of the first cairn, and commencing some 300 yards distant, is a group of small cairns, somewhat large for their class, and though no hut circle is identifiable in their immediate vicinity, one (No. 15) was noted at a slightly higher elevation to the south. On the south side of the valley, high up on the shoulder of Cairnharrow, is a cup- and ring- marked rock (No. 25), while on the north side, some 400 yards back from the existing cairn, there lies a large detached block also sculptured with cup and ring marks; one of these is the largest single figure known in the Stewartry and is treated spirally. Though it would be unwise to aver that all these monuments are contem- poraneous, it is permissible to refer the origin of each one of them to the bronze age. EocK Sculptures. Throughout a restricted area of the Stewartry cup and ring markings * have been discovered in very considerable numbers, and topographically are capable of division into two main groups, one on the east side of the estuary of the Cree, not extending beyond the Fleet, and the other in a region stretching eastward from the estuary of the Dee to an imaginary line drawn north and south through Dundrennan. A subsidiary group of small extent is to he met with * Markings noted by Mr Coles on the stones of the circle at Hills appear to be natural. Those noted by him on the stones in a cairn at Conchieton are also of doubtful authenticity, and, eveh. if artificial, are of a different character, being simple cup markings. xxxii , HISTORICAL MONUMENTS (SCOTLAND) COMMISSION. on the west side of Kirkcudbright Bay. The northern limits of these groups are equally restricted, for thus far no single . example falls to be recorded, in the western group north of the latitude of Creetown 54° 54', nor in the eastern group north of Nether Linkens 54° 52', to the north-west of Ben Tudor. Northward, at the furthest point inland 7 miles from the Solway, or eastward, 17 miles from the mouth of the Cree at Creetown, no single unquestionable example has so far been observed and recorded. As was the case in Wigtown- shire, the greater number lie comparatively near to the coast. When we consider the distribution in relation to that of other monuments, we do not find it co-extensive with any particular class. That of the long cairns exceeds it northward up the Cree, but falls considerably short of it in penetration eastward; the stone circles more nearly correspond, for six of the thirteen monuments of that class come within the areas of the two groups, and a seventh, the circle at Park, is just outside it. But the stone circles also have attained a much wider range, as will be shown by their occurrence in Dumfriesshire, where cup- and ring-marked rocks are as yet unknown. Likewise the round cairns, with a similar bronze-age attribution, have a much more diffused extension. Where, however, the cup- and ring- marked rocks occur in greatest numbers, other prehistoric monuments are to be found in the neighbourhood,indicating an early settlement. If it is possible to draw any conclusion from the facts of this distribution, it is that the rock sculpturings of Galloway are referable to a compara- tively early period of the bronze age. Two instances can be pointed out where cup- and ring-marked rocks are situated in proximity to stone circles — one at High Auchenlarie (No. 19) where a sculptured rock faces the circle at a distance of some 51 feet, and the other on Cairnharrow near Oauldside (No. 25) as previously noted, where, however, the proximity is not so marked. With few exceptions the sculpturings occur on living rock, on which the planes bearing the scrib- ings vary in position from an almost horizontal angle, as at Kirkmuir (No. 294), to a very steep inclination, as at Little Stoekerton (No. 249). The other sculpturings are on detached fragments of rock : one of them, the second noted, on Cairnholy farm (No. 296), a block of whinstone, is just such a block as might have been used in a stone circle, though no trace of such a monument now remains in the vicinity. Not a single example occurs on a boulder. As a general rule the sculpturings on each rock form groups of several figures, and it is thus the exception to find isolated markings. The figure most frequently met with consists of a small cup surrounded by one or more hollowed penannular rings, having a groove passing from the central cup outwards between the ends of the rings. This radial groove in many instances diverges on passing the outer ring and forms a connecting channel with some other figure. This may be regarded as the type in this region, though from it there are numerous departures. However much the groups may appear to resemble each other at first sight, it will be found on closer observation that the scheme of arrangement is never repeated thus suggesting that the agents of their production were not hampered' by any rule. There does appear, however, to be a general tendency for certa;in features or characteristics to be reproduced within geographical limits; thus on the remarkable group at High Banks (No. 240) the most prominent figure is an encircled cup occupying INVENTORY OF MONUMENTS IN STEWARTEY OF KIRKCUDBRIGHT. XXXiii the centre of a portion of the rock taking somewhat the form of an oblong shield. Around this figure the field or surface of the shield is entirely covered with numerous small sharply defined cup marks. About 1 J miles to the eastward, on the north side of Newlaw Hill, is a sculptured rock (No. 421), the surface of which around the main figures has been similarly treated. Such«a feature did not come under observation elsewhere. At Clauchandolly (No. 66), in two groups, one on either side of the same field, there appears in place of a cup with concave section, a hollow disc with the sides cut down vertically. Nowhere else did this form emerge. With regard to the various forms and figures employed in the designs, while the main motif is the cup surrounded by circles cut by a radial groove, there are various noteworthy divergences. On two detached slabs at Cardoness House (No. 20), brought originally from Auchenlarie and Laggan Hill respectively, for the radial groove there is substituted a fillet produced by the excisipn of a narrow line on either side ; the stone at Lower Laggan cottage (No. 22, fig. 19) is covered with a series of unusually large cups, surrounded each by a single ring and interconnected by channels or ducts of very sliallow depth, being little more than scorings of the surface; the large cup and ring mark at Mossyard (No. 21) rests on the lower side of a large double concentric circle; the peculiar features of the designs at High Banks, Newlaw, and Clauchandolly have already been referred to. Complete circles are very unusual, though the extreme attrition of the designs has occasionally caused the existence of the radial groove to be overlooked. Only one instance of the use of a spiral occurs, and that on the stone at Cambret Moor (No. 295); and the fact that the spiral is cut by a radial groove raises the suspicion that the spiral may in this instance have been evolved from the faulty tracing of the concentric circles, though the free end suggests its intentional formation. As far as possible, all the examples of rock sculpturings are illustrated in the accompanying Inventory, as it is realised that only by so doing, wherever such figurations occur, can a comprehension of the prevailing type or local variation be arrived at with perchance some elucidation of their mysterious significance, or indication of the provenanqe whence their authors brought these designs to each particular district of this country. Many of the illustrations reproduced in this volume are from blocks kindly lent by the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, from original drawings made by Mr F. R. Coles, to whose industry in making records of ancient monuments in the Stewartry the Com- missioners have been much indebted. Hut Circles and Small Cairns. In very few places in the Stewartry did hut circles, with or without associated small cairns, or the small cairns by themselveS: come under observation. The occurrence near Cauldside of a single hut circle and of numerous cairns, the former not in close proximity to the latter, is afterwards remarked on, while groups were also met with in the parish of Colvend and Southwick on either side of the Mid-burn. They were found too on Cairnkinna Eig, near Corrafeckloch, in the vicinity of some large cairns ; while numerous small cairns without any evident hut circle exist on the moor to xxxlv HisTOKtOAL Monuments (Scotland) commission. the east of Drannandow (No. 360), where other large cairns are likewise situated. These hut circles with the associated small cairns, which appear to be sepulchral, are no doubt the dwellings of the ^ people at an early period, and, from the constructions which are generally to be found in their vicinity, as well as from the results of excavations made elsewhere-, that period probably commences with the bronze age and extends over the early iron age. So constant is ^ the association of hut circles with the small cairns, that it is a fair assumption that where the latter are found alone the -hut circle has formerly existed in the group, but that owing to the nature of the material used in its construction, either timber or turf, it has entirely disappeared. Defensive Constructions. The defensive constructions recorded in the Inventory of the Stewartry number 140, and presumably the sequence of their erection extends over a long period of time. That sequence, however; owing to the small amount of systematic excavation that has been done in this field of archaeology in Scotland, is still practically unascertained. There are, however, certain types, such as the mote-hills of the Anglo-Normans and the rectangular square or oblong entrenchments of the Romans, which can with comparative assurance be identified and relegated to their proper position, while others, from the methods of their construction or their situation, may occasionally, but with less certainty, be attributed to particular epochs. Thus a fort whose entrenchments have required no more formidable tool for its con- struction than a deer-horn pick and a spade, may conceivably be of earlier origin than another, of which the trench has been quarried through rock, a process probably calling for the employment of an iron tool. The distribution of the forts may possibly also give some clue to their chronology, if regarded topographically in relation to other prehistoric remains. In comparison with every other class of monument, the distribution is much more extensive, and this is still the case even when the motes of early historic date are eliminated from consideration. With regard to the earliest monuments of all, the neolithic cairns in the Cree basin, an absence of forts in their neighbourhood at once suggests an inference that probably no forts are referable to the chambered cairn builders. In the parish of Kirkma- breck, where early constructions are unusually numerous, there is but one fort (No. 284), and that not lying in close proximity to any of these remains. Similarly in the parish of Minnigaff the few defen- sive constructions other than mote-hills — leaving out of account the indefinite entrenchment known as " Wallace's Camp " on the Cree (No. 341) — are probably of late date. Conversely, however, in the parish of Berwick, where only four cairns are to be found, and these all within a few hundred yards of each other, there are as many as nineteen forts. The conclusion to which these circumstances point is that the majority of the defensive enclosures in this region belong to a comparatively late time. Where the natural conditions of soil or climate have been most advantageous for crop or grazing, there primitive enclosures are most numerous, while the vicinity of a coast-line of cliffs, or of hills readily adapted for defence, also seems to have furnished an additional attraction in such a region. Thus INVENTORY OF MONUMENTS IN STEWARTEY OP KIRKCUDBRIGHT. XXXV in the seaboard parishes with fertile land and a defensible coast-line forts will be found to predominate. Farther up the river valleys, which form the highways to the interior, or on the sides of passes through the hills leading to a more attractive champaign beyond, strategic sites have usually been taken advantage of, as has been the case with the forts of Dungarry (No. 406) and Suie (No. 407) com- manding the pass through the Ben Gairn group of hills to the valley of the Dee. Turning to the individual constructions, we may with advantage consider them under six heads : — 1. Promontory or cliff forts. 2. Hill forts. 3. Forts of regular geometrical form. 4. Small defensive enclosures, possibly of a domestic character. 5. A broch-like structure. 6. M6te-hills. 1. Promontory or cliff forts. — In this class the builders have seized the natural advantages of situation afforded by cliffs either presenting a straight face over river or coast-line or meeting so as to form a salient angle at a point or promontory. A single rampart and a trench across the neck of a promontory, or passing in a segmental curve from edge to edge of the cliff, form the usual defences, though occasionally the position may be strengthened by additional lines. The examples of this class in the Stewartry are as a rule earthworks, and the trench or trenches show no rock-cutting. From this type, however, there is one notable exception, the fort at Castle Hill Point (No. 118), to be mentioned hereafter. . The fort known as "Borness Batteries" (No. 60), overlooking the Solway, belongs to the more important class of such forts, being defended by two trenches and three ramparts, while the "Doon," Nun Mill (No. 472) in the adjacent parish of Twynholm, shows double trenches and ramparts. These forts bear a considerable resemblance to each other, and along the crest of the inner mound in both there are visible the remains of a narrow stone parapet; from the middle rampart in the " Borness Batteries " a number of upright stones protrude at an average distance of some 11 feet apart, an arrangement the purpose of which is not obvious.* This fort is situated in close proximity to the Borness Cave (No. 68), from which a remarkable collection of early iron-age relics were recovered associated with a fragment of Ist-century Eoman pottery. The fort at Castle Hill Point referred to above is, as regards situation, also a promontory fort, but its artificial features bear no resemblance to the other forts of that class, its main line of defence being a massive stone wall some 10 feet in thickness. 2. Hill forts. — These forts, though classified together according to their situation, are not all of the same character, as some occupy prominent heights such as Dungarry (No. 406) and Suie (No. 407), while others are situated on hills of comparatively low elevation. Those that fall within the former category are, for the most part, * A number of upright pillars similarly placed in a rampart may be seen on the outer rampart at the end of the early iron-age fort on Bonohester HiU, parish of Hobkirk, Roxburghshire. XXXvi HISTORICAL MONUMENTS (SCOTLAND) COMMISSION. stone-works, aud are now much dilapidated. The most notable among them are, perhaps, the two already mentioned, Dungarry Fort on the shoulder of Ben Tudor, and the fort on Suie Hill, both occupying commanding positions in the group of hills around Ben Gairn, at an elevation of 750 and 800 feet over sea-level. They have both been surrounded by massive stone walls, while adjoining each, probably for securing the cattle in the event of an attack, is an annexe, which in both cases lies to the back of the fort and towards the hill country. Though much ruined, the original thickness of the main walls in each instance was estimated at from 12 to 13 feet. Two other hill- top enclosures formed of dry-stone masonry, and remarkable for their extent, are to be found on '• The Moyle," Barnbarroeli (No. 121), and Barstobric Hill (No. 441) respectively, the former measuring some 1000 feet in length, and the latter 850 feet. These two enclosures have much in common, and have probably been intended for the pro- tection of the flocks and herds of their respective districts against an invading foe, rather than as forts capable of being manned at every point to repel an attack. A fort showing unusual features, and falling to be placed in one or other of the two categories, is that on the Wall Hill near Craigraploch (No. 418), curiously irregular in its lines, but remark-able for the number of apparent hut hollows in the interior, pointing to a long-continued occupation. Of the forts on hills of lesser elevation that on Glengappoek — known locally as a mote, though showing no features which merit its inclusion in a list of typical motes — is constructed on very different lines from the ordinary hill fort ; the ascending slope which terminates in a rock face being cut out into a series of scarps surmounted with walls further strengthened by terrace and trench. Not dissimilar in character, though much smaller, is another so-called " mote " at Campbelltown (No. 473) in Twynholm parish. Another fort occupying a conspicuous summit, though only of comparatively low elevation, is that at Drummore (No. 231) in Kirk- cudbright parish, a strongly defended position with a system of ramparts and trenches which distinguishes it from other hill forts in this region. It is peculiar further, if surface indications can be relied on, in being apparently furnished with two wells. Three of the hill forts may be classed as vitrified, but whether the vitrifaction has been partial or complete, so ruinous is their condition, it is now probably impossible to say. They are— the fort on Trusty's Hill (No. 13) in Anwoth parish, on Castle'gower (No. 80) m Buittle parish, and 'Mark Mote" (No. 120), in the parish of Colvend and Southwick. Vitrified stone was picked up on all three sites, and on the two last-named it appeared to be firmly embedded at the base of the wall on the very top of the rock. All three hill-tops are rocky and uneven. No one of them is within sight of another. The "Mark Mote" commands the estuary of the IJrr while Trusty's Hill may be said to command that of the Fleet. Castle- gower IS situated some 4 miles inland west of the Urr valley On another small fort occupying an isolated hillock, the so-called "Mote" of Edgarton (No 45), pieces of fused stone were picked up from the ruins of Its walls. This fort, though having a general resemblance to a mote, does not conform to that type. The rock cutting in its trench, however, indicates a late date. INVENTORY OF MONUMENTS IN STEWARTRY OF KIRKCUDBRIGHT. XXXvii 3. Forts of regular geometrical form. — These may be practically subdivided under Jhree heads : — circular, oval, and rectangular. Circular forts. — Of the circular constructions a number occupy elevated situations, are of small diameter, and are surrounded by simple lines of defence; such are certain forts in the parishes of Crossmichael and Kirkpatrick-Durham. They are for the most part earthwork. A larger circular fort, not situated in such an exposed situation as the foregoing, is that on Drumcoltran Hill (No. 280), which appears to be a pure earthwork. Many years ago a hoard of six bronze rapier blades was found in its trench, and one of these is now preserved in the National Museum of Antiquities, Edinburgh. A discovery of spear-heads of bronze and other relics is likewise said to have been made in a small circular fort at MacNaughton (No. 319), in the parish of Kirkpatrick-Irongray. Oval forts.— The oval forts are a class of particular interest in this region, there being a number presenting identical features in construction which appear to differentiate them from the other forts of regular form as a type. The typical example which may be cited is that known as "Crofts Mote" (No. 141), in the parish of Crossmichael. It lies at an elevation of some 300 feet above sea- level in comparatively low-lying cultivated land, and is formed from an oval hillock. The summit appears to have been levelled ; along the flanks, about half-way up the artificially formed scarp, runs a terrace, which is transformed to a trench supplemented by one or more ramparts as it rises towards the summit level and passes round either end. Closely analogous constructions are : — the upper fort at Tarkirra (No. 279) in Kirkgunzeon parish, Castle Creavie (No. 413), Kirkcarswell (No. 416), Glennap (No. 417), all in Berwick parish ; Kirkchrist " Mote " (No. 468) in Twynholm parish ; while slightly differing in character from the type but bearing a family resemblance are, Hall Hill " Mote " (No. 321) in Kirkpatrick-Iron- gray parish, the fort at Doon Hill, Balig (No. 419), in Eerwiek parish, and the fort at Cumstounend (No. 470) in the parish of Twynholm. To the majority of these the term "mote" is applied on the maps, and presumably locally; and though that term is given somewhat loosely to defensive sites throughout Galloway, it is not wise absol- utely to disregard its application, for though it is employed to designate constructions which do not conform to the recognised mote type, its use is certainly restricted. All the forts of this class show a direct approach by roadway through the lines of their defences to the interior, a feature which, though not found in connection with an actual mote-hill, is nevertheless associated with the base-court or bailey when that is present ; and the rock cutting, which is a structural feature of niany of them, may also be taken as an indication of their late date. Though the absence of any elevated plat which might have served as the site of a wooden castle is not in conformity with the true mote type, yet a close resemblance is apparent between the defensive treatment of the hillocks from which these forts are fashioned, and that which has been applied to the site of the Mote of Urr, the most important mote in the south of Scotland. Bectangular forts. — ^The mere fact that an earthwork is rect- angular on plan is no longer sufficient to prove its Roman origin, for XXXviii HISTORICAL MONUMENTS (SCOTLAND) COMMISSION. such a plan was certainly adopted in mediaeval times and probably earlier. It cannot, therefore, be admitted without further evidence that any of the forts in the Stewartry which have hitherto been regarded as Eoman are entitled to such an attribution. As regards two of these, the forts at Whinnyliggate (No. 225) and Bombie (No. 226), both in the parish of Kirkcudbright, it may, however, be truthfully asserted that there is nothing in their situation or form inconsistent with a Eoman character. Both are very imperfect, and in neither is the position of the entrance apparent. They lie within 1^ miles of each other, on opposite sides of the glen of the Balgreddan burn. Some 2f miles to the southward of the Bombie fort lies another rectangular enclosure at Dunrod (No. 230); but while the situation of the other two forts is a factor which might be adduced as argument for their Eoman origin, the situation of this fort in low-lying ground, immediately overlooked by higher ground, militates against such an attribution. Par two more rectilinear earthworks a Eoman authorship has likewise been suggested — the fort on the " Watch Knowe " at Craigmuie (No. 38), in Balmaclellan parish, and that at Carminnow (No. 87), on the Water of Deugh in the parish of Carsphairn ; but beyond their rectilinear and quasi-rectangular form there is nothing in their appearance alone to justify such an assumption. 4. Small defensive enclosures, possibly of a domestic character. — Under this head may be grouped a number of small circular con- structions situated in low-lying marshy ground, which do not appear to have been crannogs : Trowdale (No. 140) in Crossmichael Parish ; Arkland (No. 306) in Kirkpatrick-Durham parish ; Dildawn (No. 193) in Kelton parish; and the "Picts Knowe" (No. 461) in Mabie Moss in the parish of Troqueer. Two small enclosures in the parish of Kirkcudbright, one at North Milton (No. 227) and one at Milton Cottage (No. 229); another at Gillfoot of Netherthird in Kelton parish (No. 194); and a fourth at Kirkcarswell (No. 415), though more strictly defensive, seem from their small size to fall under this head. The general resemblance which they bear to each other in their situations on the summit of slight rocky eminences seems to point to a common origin. 5. A broch-like structure. — Though no broch has been discovered in the Stewartry, there lies in the parish of Borgue, at Castle Haven, Kirkandrews (No. 64), a construction the features of which differ- entiate it at once from all other forts in that region, and connect it with the brochs and duns of the western isles of Scotland. Occupying a low rocky promontory and constructed of dry-stone masonry, it consists of a main building shaped like the letter D, enclosing a courtyard measuring some 60 feet from north to south by 35 feet from east to west, and of an outer surrounding wall, where the site is not by nature impregnable, some 24 feet distant on an average. In the heart of the wall of the main building is a series of galleries resembling the chambers of a broch, and, even more closely, the galleries which are to be found in certain structures in the island of Tiree and probably on other islands on the west of Scotland.* These latter structures under the name of semi-brochs are described (op cit) as circular or sub-circular dry-stone erections enclosing a central * Coll and Tiree : their Prehistoric Forts, etc., by Erskine Beveridge, INVENTORY OF MONUMENTS IN STEWARTRY OF KIRKCUDBRIGHT. XXxix space some 35 to 40 feet in diameter, the wall having within its thickness a passage or ground-level gallery, more or less continuous, and varying from 28 inches to 36 inches in width. No trace of stair or upper galleries is to be found even in the best preserved, a fact which distinguishes them from the broch type. The absence in the Castle Haven structure of any suggestion of unusual height of walls, of the previous existence of stairs within the walls, or of upper galleries, makes its analogy with these so-called semi-brochs of Tirce more distinct than with the brochs proper. The outer covering wall with steps leading to the top is an arrangement to be found in certain Caithness brochs, and comparison may be made with the plan of the broch of Nybster in the parish of Wick, Caithness, for an illustration of this.* The relics found in the excavation of this fort, comparatively few in number, were such as might have come from an early iron-age site, but there was an absence of pottery and of any object that could be pointed to as a charjicteristic broch relic. 6. Mote-hills. — There appear to be within the Stewartry twenty- six regular mote-hills, for the most part simple truncated cones with or without the addition of a base-court or bailey. The most typical construction of this class is undoubtedly the Mote of Urr (No. 489), which is formed on a natural hillock arising from the centre of the Urr valley, some 3 miles to the north-west of Dalbeattie. The mote separately defended by an encircling trench has been erected at one end of a base-court. No gangway over the trench has made the summit easily accessible; the bridging of the ditch was effected in all typical motes probably by a wooden and movable structure. The base-court, on the other hand, as elsewhere, has been entered by a roadway over the trench on solid ground. The mote is of the usual form, a simple truncated cone rising to a height of 33 feet, with a summit nearly level measuring 91 feet by 76. The mote of Kirkclaugh, or Caerclach (No. 12), is also a fine example of a mote and bailey, the details of which are well-preserved. The typical plan, as represented in the foregoing, has been conspicuously departed from in two instances, the " Boreland or Green Tower Mote " (No. 11) and the Lochrinnie mote (No. 158). Both of these are oblong and quasi-rectangular plateaux, very readily adaptable to defensive purposes. The former, which projects from the- coast-line and has an elevation at most of 25 feet, is divided into two unequal areas by a slight trench, the area at the distal end being the smaller and, though of like elevation to the other, probably representing the mote. A broad and deep trench, uninterrupted by any gangway, severs the plateau at the landward end. Tlie whole structure is reminiscent of the "castles" of Lochmaben and Dumfries in the neighbouring county. The mote of Lochrinnie conforms more to the type, in that one of the two areas into which it has been divided lies at a slightly higher level than the other, thus clearly distinguish- ing the mote from the base-court. Other four motes show a departure from the ordinary circular plan, the motes of Polchree (No. 10) and Kirkcarswell (No. 400) being approximately square, and the motes at Trostrie (No. 466) and Roberton (No. 55) being oblong. On the summit of a number some alteration in the level, usually a hollow, * Inventory of Ancient Monuments for Caithness, p. 159, fig. 42. x] HISTORICAL MONUMENTS (SCOTLAND) COMMISSION. probably indicates the site of the original superstructure. This may- be observed on the mote-hill at Boreland (No. 54), on the mote at Cally (No. 170), or the mote of Kirkcarswell (No. 400). A peculiar low mound encircled by a slight hollow is noticeable on the summit of the mote of Ingleston (No. 192) in Kelton parish. This mote presents other peculiarities, in so far as it does not appear to have been surrounded by a trench, and that evidence of occupation in the form of fragments of pottery and an iron tubular padlock have been recovered from its scarp. Though the mote-hills of the Stewartry do not vary greatly in height, none exceeding 27 feet from base to summit, except when the natural elevation of the site is taken into consideration, yet great differences exist in the dimensions of the summit areas. Thus the mote of Balmaclellan (No. 37) measures only some 38 feet in diameter, while the mote of Troqueer (No. 457) has a summit plateau measuring 127 feet by 131 feet. As showing the situation most affected by the mote-builders, it maybe pointed out thatfourteen are situated at the edgeof a stream, and usually on the crest of a bank which has formed a natural defence in that direction, while one, the mote of Kirkclaugb, occupies an analogous position on a promontory on the coast. The mote of Lincluden (No. 433), situated close to the ruins of the college, differs from all other Galloway motes in the character of its defences. The hillock is a natural one rising by a somewhat gentle slope to its summit, and, possibly on that account, it has been encircled by terraces mounting one above the other and probably palisaded. A similar device may be seen on the mote of Lochwood in Dumfries- shire, also a natural liillock. In addition to this unusual arrangement, the small size of the summit area of this mote, 25 feet by 15 feet, is peculiar. The general configuration, however, seems clearly to indicate it as a defensive site. The site of the stone-built castle of Cullochan (No. 434), on the bank of the Cargen Water, appears to have been originally a mote, but has been in part excavated to find a secure foundation for the later structure. Miscellaneous Relics. In ihe Stewartry Museum at Kirkcudbright is to be seen a barbed harjioon-liead of bone, found in tlie river Dee at Kirkcudbright, an object generally believed from the discovery of characteristic cultural relics in the cave of Mas d'Azil in the Pyrenees, to be referable to a period of culture known as Azilian, which occupies a transitionary epoch between paki?olithic and neolithic cultures. Similar harpoons have been found iu this country in the Western Fig. B.— Urn found at Whinny- ^J^^^s, and ill the tioor of a cave at Oban. liggate (No. 267). Of the Succeeding neolithic period, a small collection of obiects exists in the same institution and another in the National Museum of Antiquities in Edinburgh ; but the number of relics of the stone age found in INVENTORY OF MONUMENTS IN STEWARTRY OF KIRKCUDBRIGHT, xli the Stewartry is not great. Nor are the rehcs of the bronze age numerous or remarkable. Among them one object of considerable rarity in Scotland, a small urn, of the type known as incense cups (fig. B), came from a bronze-age interment at Whinnyliggate, and is described wi/nt (No. 267). It is preserved in the Stewartry Museum. The relics of most importance from the district belong to the late Celtic or early iron age, the period to which most of the forts of this Fig, C. — Horned Mask of Bronze from Torrs. region are also probably referable. The perishable nature of iron by corrosion when subjected to alternating conditions of drought or moisture no doubt accounts for the lack of relics of that material, but several notable articles in bronze, displaying the characteristic art of the Celtic craftsman at the period of its highest development, have fortunately been preserved. I'erhaps the most remarkable of these is the horned mask of bronze (fig. C) found in a bog on the farm of Torrs, in the parish of Kelton, and now at Abbotsford. The object was fully described in the Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries, vol. vii. p. 334. The mask in form resembles a small chanfrein,* and measures in total length 10| inches, but is imperfect at the upper end. * Chanfrein : the armour-plate for the front part of a horse's head. xlii HISTORICAL MONUMENTS (SCOTLAND) COMMISSION. Its greatest breadth in a straight line across the back is 6 inches, and following the curve on the outside 11 inches, immediately above the point of insertion of the horns. At 3 inches above the lower margin are two circular holes, one on each side, measuring 2 inches in diameter. From between these eyeholes, and a little above the level of their centres, spring two curved cylindrical tapering horns rising to a height of 8f inches to the top of the curve, the full length of the perfect horn along the curve of the outer edge being 16^ inches. The horns are hollow, the whole object being formed of thin beaten bronze. The mask is ornamented in repousse work with a design formed of divergent spirals, repeated symmetrically but not identically on either side of the medial line of the front.* Another relic showing the art of the same period is a bronze bracelet found in 1826 near Plunton Castle, in the parish of Borgue FlC4. D. — Upper Stone of Qiiern from Balmaolellan. Fig. E. — Bronze Mirror from Balmaclellan. and now in the National Museum. It is of thin beaten bronze, 1^ inches wide and 2i inches in diameter, and is formed of two semicircular ribbed plates of thin bronze joined at the back by a hinge, on either side of which has been riveted a small rectangular plate containing in the centre an embossed scroll ornament. The expanding curves of the design on each plate contain four small studs, and a border of a single row of small studs lies along each side with round-headed pins of larger size at each angle attaching the plates. Also preserved in the National Museum are a number of bronze relics found in the parish of Balmaclellan when a bog was being drained. It is stated that they were found about 3 feet under the surface in four parcels, each wrapped in coarse linen cloth. Close by them was found the finely ornamented upper stone of a quern (fig. D). The objects consist of a circular mirror with a projecting handle (fig. E) and a number of thin plates of bronze, some being long narrow bands, others curved and cut into various shapes. The circular part of the mirror measures 8 inches in diameter, and the handle 5 inches in length. The plate of the mirror is a thin * Anderson's Scotland in Pagan Times : the Iron Age, p. 112. Blocks to illustrate figs. C, D, E, F kindly lent by David Douglas, Publisher Edinburgh. ' ^ ' ' INVENTORY OF MONUMENTS IN STEWARTRY OF KIRKCUDBRIGHT. xliii sheet of bronze, surrounded by a plain-rolled edging. The handle, which is also a thin plate of bronze similarly margined, is attached to the circular plate by rivets, and the junction is concealed by a finely ornamented plate, tri-lobate on its upper outline. The handle of the mirror is pierced with three segmental openings. A crescentic collar-shaped plate of bronze (fig. F), 13 inches in diameter and 2 inches in width, is decorated with' a chased pattern of convergent and divergent curves.* The Eoman relics found in the Stewartry are few in number, and do not afford evidence of any occupation of Galloway. From Fie. F. — Collar-shaped Plate of Bronze from Balmaolellan. Cairnholy, on the estuary of the Cree, there is in the National Museum a bronze handle of a Eoman ewer. It measures 6J inches in length, and between the points of the arms by which it has been attached to the rim of the vessel 4^ inches. The handle terminates at its lower extremity in a Medusa head ; above it the bow is divided into two compartments, of which the lower is the larger and con- tains a tripod with a serpent entwining itself around one of the legs, while above the tripod on one side is a cithera, and on the other a bow unstrung and a quiver of arrows. The upper com- partment shows a stag browsing in a forest. The projecting arms are treated in the usual fashion pertaining to such handles of this class as the heads of birds. A large collection of iron tools, etc., most of which appear to be of Eoman origin, was fished * Anderson's Scotland in Pagan Times : the Iron, Age, p. 126 et seq. xliv HISTORICAL MONUMENTS (SCOTLAND) COMMISSION. up in a bronze caldron from the bottom of Carlingwark Loch at Castle Douglas many years ago, and is also in the National Museum (see No. 201). One other small relic of Eoman manu- facture, in itself of little value but of great importance as helping to date a large number of associated objects, is a small fragment of a cup of Samian ware, referable to the 1st century, found in the Borness Cave. These associated relics include a very interest- ing series of bone objects, generally noted in the following inventory (No. 68) and likewise preserved in the National Museum. Lists of objects in the Stewartry Museum as in 1888 are to be found in the Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, vol. xxii. p. 398, and of relics from the Stewartry in the National Museum as in 1898 in the Transactions of the humfriesshire ■ aud Galloway Natural History, etc.. Society, 1898-99, p. 32. Ecclesiastical Eemains. The earliest ecclesiastical remains in the Stewartry are several sculptured stones which form a somewhat representative series extending over a long period of time, though there is lacking any representation of the earlier art of the Celtic craftsmen so richly portrayed on the sepulchral monuments of the shire of Wigtown — at Whithorn, and various other places. This is no doubt to be accounted for by the fact that no spot of peculiar veneration existed in the Stewartry in the early centuries of Christianity, nor was there any religious foundation of note in that region during the period in question. One early monument of special interest, however, the Stewartry can lay claim to, and that is the rock surface near Anwoth (No. 14), sculptured with symbols of unknown meaning. Such symbols are so frequently associated in other instances with the Christian symbol of the cross, as to justify the recognition of a Christian origin for all monuments of this class, however obscure the actual meaning of the symbols themselves may be. Of such sculptures, by far the greatest number are to be met with in the north-east of Scotland, and this is one of the only two examples to be found south of the Forth. That they belong to the period of the early Celtic church the character of the inscriptions and associated devices to be found on many of the later examples leaves no room for doubt. Of the peculiar symbols on the Anwoth rock the double disc and flowering rod symbol is found in many instances ; the fish-monster also occurs elsewhere but with less frequency, while the other two symbols appear to be unique. The only monument on which an interlacing ornament appears is a cross-slab (No. 370) standing in the ruined church of Minnigaff, while another cross-slab there (No. 371), and one (No. 27) now erected at Kirkclaugh House, but which formerly stood by the side of the mote of Kirkclaugh near the sea, are carved on the shaft with a curious reticulated ornament, possibly derived from the interlacing patterns so prevalent in the adjoining district. Of other and later mediaeval cross-slabs there occurs a group of four in the neighbourhood of Carsphairn. Three of them are plain incised crosses without enrichment, while the fourth is cut out in relief. Two of the former INVENTORY OF MONUMENTS IN STEWARTRY OF KIRKCUDBRIGHT, xlv (No. 100) are lying in an unusual situation, high up on the flank of a hill among a number of other blocks of stone. Their very existence had ahuost been forgotten, and there does not appear to be any explanation forthcoming of their strange situation. Their type is that of certain inscribed crosses found in St Ninian's Cave, Whithorn. Two incised crosses (No. 26) are to be seen in the garden at Cardoness, brought to their present position many years ago from High Auchenlarie. They have been very rudely picked out in a form in which the head rests on a shaft of equal breadth, resembling some of the cross-forms to be seen on the early cross-slabs in Wigtownshire. The Stewartry of Kirkcudbright is noteworthy as including the ruins of two important Cistercian monasteries, Dundrennan (No. 398) and Sweetheart (No. 380). Chiefly in the diocese of Galloway, but partly* in that of Glasgow, it contained no cathedral church. A mere fragment is all that remains of the Premonstratensian abbey of Tongland (No. 439) ; of the Benedictine house of St Mary's Isle (No. 265) there is nothing. There are considerable portions of the extremely beautiful collegiate church of Lincluden (No. 431), and there is Terregles "Queir"(No. 432). Of parish churches Buittle (No. 73) is a good example of a small Transitional and First Pointed church without aisles; Southwick (No. 108) contains a little work of still earlier date, and at Dairy (No. 153) is a transeptal chapel, possibly of the 16th century. Girthon (No. 167), Anwoth (No. 1), and Kirkcudbright (No. 216) show 17th-century work, the first two being chiefly of the beginning of the reign of Charles T. Dundrennan Abbey, said to have been founded in 1142 by David I., or by Fergus, Lord of Galloway, was the largest religious house in the south-west of Scotland. It was colonised from Eievaulx in Yorkshire. The greater part of choir and transepts, of late 12th- century Transitional style, are still standing with little more than the foundations of a nave of eight bays. The west front of the chapter- house is a fine piece of 13th-century work, and there are consider- able remains of the buildings on the west side of the cloisters. There are also several fragments of a fine early 14th-century stone screen, probably the pulpitinn. In Dundrennan Abbey there have also been unearthed from time to time a number of 13th- and 14th-century monuments, mostly bearing simple inscriptions commemorating the various abbots. One, however, of 14th-century date is carved with a crcJss richly decorated with a combined architectural and foliageous design, a characteristic example of the Gothic art of the period. There are four effigies within the ruin : two of 13th-century date carved in the round, and two incised on slabs of the 15th century. Of the former the most interest- ing is that of an unknown abbot ; the dagger in his breast and the mutilated prostrate figure under his feet seem to echo from the distant past some long-forgotten frragedy. The incised effigies represent a style of monument in vogue in Scotland taking the place of the English brasses of the same period. That engraved brasses were also to be found at Dundrennan, as elsewhere occasionally in Scotland, the indents alone remain to prove. A monument, adjacent to that bearing the effigy of the abbot, commemorating Sir William Livingstoun of * East of the Urr. xlvi HISTORICAL MONUMENTS (SCOTLAND) COMMISSION. Culter, in its boldly cut inscription and coat of arms, shows the style of lettering and character of grave-slab erected to a person of quality in the early years of the 17th century. Similarly worthy of remark, and of a slightly later date, are the fine tomb in Anwoth Church (No. 2), and the architecturally treated Ewart monument at Kirkcudbright (No. 258), the elaborate epitaphs on which have more literary merit than is to be found on the generality of tombstones. The other Cistercian house, Sweetheart or New Abbey, so-called in contrast to Dundrennan (which is still known locally as the Old Abbey), was founded by Dervorgilla, daughter of Alan, *Lord of Galloway, in 1273, and was colonised from Dundrennan. Here the church, though roofless and ruinous, is almost entire, and, though not so large as Dundrennan, is a good example of early 14th-century work. Like Dundrennan, it consists of a long nave with north and south aisles, transepts with east aisles, and aisleless choir. In both cases the cloisters and conventual buildings occupied the normal position on the south side. At Sweetheart even less of such buildings remain than at the older abbey, though there are considerable portions of the large wall which encircled the abbey precinct. The abbey of Tongland, colonised by Premonstratensian or White Canons from Cockersand in Lancashire, is said to have been founded by Fergus, Lord of Galloway, in the 12th century. Part of a building containing a round-arched doorway is all that is left. The early history of Lincluden as a religious house is said to date from 1164, when a Benedictine nunnery was founded by Uchtred, Lord of Galloway. At the beginning of the 15th century the convent was converted into a college for a provost and prebendaries by Archibald " the Grim," Earl of Douglas. The existing ruins belong for the most part to the second period. In plan they have been origin- ally grouped around a central courtyard or cloister with the church to the south, the provost and prebendaries' lodgings to the east, and probably other domestic buildings to the north and west. The church has been one of the finest examples of the Decorated Period in Scotland. The nave is now in a very fragmentary state, but it is of interest to note that excavations carried out in 1882 revealed portions of semicircular piers which may have formed part of the original church. Portions of the south wall and the small transeptal chapel called Princess Margaret's Aisle are all that now remain above ground. The chancel is notable for the richness of its decoration and for the unusual number of heraldic devices carved on the label termina- tions and on the corbels supporting the vaulting shafts. The most prominent feature of the interior is the recessed and canopied tomb in the north wall to Princess Margaret, the daughter of Robert III. and wife of Archibald, Fourth Earl of Douglas. The piscina and sedilia in the opposite wall are also richly decorated. The construc- tion of the chancel roof is of a somewhat unusual form. It appears to have been covered with a groined vault, above which there has been an upper floor, the timber joists resting on moulded corbels and the whole being enclosed by a pointed barrel-vault strengthened by splayed ribs at intervals. Beneath the chancel-arch is a stone rood- screen with a central arched doorway. An enriched cornice projects from each side of the top of the screen which formed the floor of the INVENTORY OF MONUMENTS IN STEWAETRY OF KIRKCUDBRIGHT, xlvii rood-loft. The sacristy and the two southmost chambers of the north wing, called the " Provost's Lodging," probably date from the same period as the church. The remaining portion to the north, consisting of three similar chambers, is said to have been built by Provost Stewart in the 16th century. There is every reason to believe that most of the churches, both of existing parishes and of the parishes suppressed in post-Eeforma- tion times, represent Christian foundations of the Celtic period. There are dedications in the names of Celtic saints; there are the early crosses at Minnigaff, and the still earlier rock sculpturings at Anwoth. The foundations of the old church of Dunrod (No. 217), a parish long since suppressed and united with Kirkcudbright, may be of Norman date. The neglected and ruinous church of Southwick has two small early lancet windows in its east wall, with jambs of unusual section having neither check nor groove for fixing glass. The old church of St Colmoqel, Buittle, is now roofless, and has suffered considerable alteration since the Reformation. The foundations of the nave may be of the Transitional period ; while the chancel, which is wider, appears to have been reconstructed, with the use of much of the older material, at the end of the 13th century or the very beginning of the 14th, when the fine chancel-arch seems to have been erected. At Girthon and Anwoth are churches mainly of the first part of the 17th century, that of Girthon containing earlier work with a piscina of unusual form. At Terregles (No. 432) there is a curious apsidal chancel of late 16th-century date, seemingly constructed, or perhaps recon- structed, about 1585, the date which appears on the south side. There are Gothic windows, curious pinnacles and buttresses, with a south doorway reminiscent of earlier work. This is an almost unique example of church-building at a time when but little seems to have been done anywhere in Scotland. It was restored by Captain Maxwell of Terregles in 1875, and is now used as a mortuary chapel. This old " queir," as it is still called locally at Terregles, contains two of the ancient choir stalls from Lincluden — some of the very few pieces of mediaeval woodwork that have survived in Scotland. At Anwoth is preserved a remarkable medieval bell, which probably dates from the end of the 14th century. At Kirkcudbright Museum is the old Norman font from Dunrod ; at St Mary's Isle, a dated 15th-century font ; and at Parton (No. 395), a fragment of an effigy of a priest in eucharistic vestments with unusual features. Slabs at Colvend, Southwick, and elsewhere illustrate, by the repellent figures of death and emblems of mortality, the morbid contemplation of the horrors of the tomb characteristic of the grave- stones of the latter half of the 17th century and of the 18th century. Of such later tombstones — on which the art of the Scottish monu- mental mason, peculiar for its imagery and symbolism, has found lively expression — a typical collection may be seen in the churchyard at Kells. Here the large number of stones showing similarity of design point to the existence of some specially gifted craftsman. No less than three of the stones bear representations of the Fall — Adam and Eve being tempted of the serpent. In one case the family arms of the deceased find lodgment in the branches of the tree, while in another a small bird is perched on the topmost bough. The Fall xlviii HISTORICAL MONUMENTS (SCOTLAND) COMMISSION. of Man has been treated as a symbolic subject on monuments from early times, and in two instances in Scotland it occurs on Celtic crosses — the one at lona and the other formerly at Farnell but now in the Montrose Museum. Castellated and Domestic Structures. The castellated structures now remaining in the Stewartry of Kirkcudbright include some interesting examples of the distinctive periods of castle- building ranging from the 14th to the 17th century. The " Edwardian " type of castle, dating from the 13th dentury, is represented by only two fragmentary ruins ; one at Castledykes (No. 262), Kirkcudbright, and the other at Buittle(N^o. 74), near Dalbeattie. The idea of this type, in contrast with the old single keep as citadel having an attached base-court or bailey, was that of a walled en- closure with defensible towers along the line of wall. Until recently nothing save an oblong grass-grown mound marked tlie site of that at Castledykes, but the excavations begun in 1912 are still going on. Up to the present time all the available information indicates that this was the site of an important castle probably dating from the end of the 13th century. The surviving portions of Balliol's Castle at Buittle are now very ruinous, but still retain the general character- istics of the First Period of stone castle-building in Scotland — the enclosing wall defended by round towers at the angles. It was from " Buttill Tour," in June 1308, that the refugee English watched Edward Bruce, their pursuer so far, drive away the cattle of the neighbourhood. A level plateau extending for a considerable distance to the north and west, may have been originally a fore-court used in connection with the castle. Courtyards of this type attached to early castles are not without parallel, and an example is to be seen to the south of Tibbers Castle, in the neighbouring county of Dumfries. With the ravages of the wars of Independence and the consequent impoverishing of the country, the means to erect the great courtyard castles that characterise the First Period were no longer available, and from about the middle of the 14th century onwards the new castles are, by comparison, small and unpretending. This later type is, generally speaking, a simple rectangular keep, oblong on plan, and built with plain massive walls, about 8 feet in thickness, containing in its height a basement and a main floor vaulted in stone, above which were the private apartments of the lord of the castle, while the upper floor and battlements were given over to the garrison. The majority of the large castles of this period, in addition to their own solid strength, were defended by the outworks of a courtyard or bailey with a drawbridge, from which there was access to the keep at the first floor level. All these characteristics are exemplified at Threave Castle (No. 41), near Castle Douglas, the stronghold of the Douglases for a period dating 1369-1455, and subsequently the headquarters of the " Stewarts " of Kirkcudbright. One of the most interesting features in connection with the defences of this castle is to be seen at the level of the openings to the upper floor, where a double row of sockets has been formed on the exterior of the north, south, and west walls to hold the ends of a projecting and covered timber platform— a bretftche or brattice tNVENTORY OF MOlfUMENTS IN STEWARTRY OF KIRKCUDBRIGHT. xHx designed for the defence of the keep at close quarters. Moreover, it gave more room and wider range for the discharge of missiles than would be allowed by the narrow windows, while assailants working at the base of the tower would be exposed to interference from directly above. The east side, with its outer loop-holed wall and angle towers and other defences, was evidently considered of such strength that a continuous bretS,che could be safely omitted. The bretS,che is a feature of the period, of which there are many indica- tions throughout Scotland as well as in France and England. During the 15th century this timber form of construction was abandoned in favour of stone parapets supported on moulded corbels of considerable projection with machicolations or interspaces between, which served the same purpose but had the great advantage of being proof against fire. Threave Castle is a typical example of the castle-building of its period. The keep is oblong on plan and of exceptional size. It forms the j)rincipal feature of the design, making both the outer defences of wall and angle towers appear insignificant as compared with the great central mass of masonry. There . is to this extent a reversion in principle to the pre-Edwardian or Norman type of fortress ; the keep is the dominating feature. Upon the level ground to the east of the castle indications exist of an outer enclosure or barmkin of considerable extent, a feature characteristic of the 15th century which was frequently added to the earlier keeps, as in this case and in the case of Craigmillar Castle, Midlothian. Examples of the courtyard type of castle, in which the buildings form part of the enclosing wall of the courtyard, ranging in date from the beginning of the 15th century to the middle of the 16th century, are not uncommon in the Stewartry. The more important are the castles of Cardoness, Rusco, Garlies, Hills, and possibly Edingham. Of these, Cardoness (No. 8) is the largest, and most representative of the type. Here the site is naturally strong, the oblong form of plan is retained, the walls are of great thickness and defended by narrow shot-holes from the ground floor ; the doorway, however, is on the ground level, and leads to a vaulted basement of two chambers with an intermediate floor above. It may be that horses and cattle were housed on the ground floor, while the herds and retainers occupied the loft in the vault. The two built recesses at the west angles of the basement are curious, and may possibly have been designed to hold fodder for the animals. There are still indications of an outer wall enclosing a narrow courtyard at the base of the keep, to the south of which there has apparently been another small courtyard enclosed by a double wall ; thus the main entrance was covered by a chain of outer defences. A wheel-stair formed within the south-east angle has. led to the great hall on the first floor, to a second floor of two apartments, and to an upper floor, parapet, and attics. No less than four wall-chambers enter directly from bhe great hall, and the windows have the usual stone seats in the embrasures. In the north wall there is a typical 15th-century fireplace with moulded jambs and a small "salt-box" at one side, also several ambries with coarse mouldings and debased Gothic ornament. The plan of the second floor is interesting : the floor is divided into two apartments by a stone partition, each room having a separate entrance from the staircase,' an arrangement which 1 . HISTORICAL MONUMENTS (SCOTLAND) COMMISSION. clearly shows a greater desire for privacy than pertained to earlier examples, and thus an advance in refinement. The plan of Kusco Castle (No. 9) is very similar in every respect to that of Cardoness, although not a sign of any enclosure remains, even on the east side where the ground is level and well adapted for such a purpose. According to the- panel over the entrance doorway this castle was built by Robert Gordon of Lochinvar during the reign of James IV. In comparing these two examples it is evident that Eusco Castle has several features indicative of a somewhat later date than Cardoness. The main walls are less massive, and the wheel-stair, being, wider, projects inwards, encroaches upon the floor-space of the upper chambers, and finishes in the form of a cape-house or watch-turret at the level of the parapet walk, features which became almost unvarying charac- teristics of the 16th-century plans. Defence, however, is still the controlling element of the design. There is the usual guard-room adjoining the main entrance, and the basement has been shut off by a doorway at the stair foot. The attics would provide accommodation for the garrison, but it is to be noted that machicolations no lon^r exist ; the stone parapet is of small projection and rests upon moulded corbels placed chequer-wise. Garlies Castle (No. 335) is the best example in the Stewartry of an early 16th-century keep with an extensive arrangement of outbuild- ings placed within an outer and inner courtyard on the north-east side. Little more than the basement floor of this castle remains. The wheel-stair at oiie end of the entrance passage appears to have had a small projection inwards, and the square recess formed at the south-west angle evidently corresponds to those of circular form described in connection with Cardoness and Eusco, to which this castle bears a striking resemblance both in plan and dimensions. A fireplace with characteristic moulded jambs and straight-arched lintel of the period was recently rescued from the ruins, and is now preserved within the keep. The ruins of Cally (No. 169) and Cumstoun (No. 465) may also be referred to this period. Hills Castle (No. 330), however, appears to be a somewhat later example, dating from about the middle of the 16th century. The entrance to the vaulted basement consists of little more than a landing ab the stair foot, the passage and guard-room being in this case omitted. The oblong form of plan is retained, but the outer walls are nowhere more than 4 feet 6 inches in thickness, so that the projection of the. wheel- staircase to the interior is considerable. At the wall-head the stone parapets rest upon moulded corbels of a somewhat elaborate design, and gargoyles carved in imitation of small cannons are placed at intervals all round the battlements. These features show a decided tendency for defensive elements to become decorative only. The completion of this tendency is illustrated in the arrangement of walls enclosing the outer courtyard to the north of the castle and the later additions on the east side. The picturesque little gatehouse on the west side appears to have been always of a purely ornamental character, probably dating from the beginning of the 17th century Such gateways are uncommon in Scotland, but a similar example is to be seen at Towie Castle in Aberdeenshire, where the arch- moulding is ornamented with the same type of " billet " enrichment employed to deqorate the cornice over the archway at Hills. INVENTOEY OP MONUMENTS IN STEWARTRY OF KIRKCUDBRIGHT. li The circular tower of Orchardton (No. 76) is unique in form, and in other respects is without parallel amongst the castles of Galloway, or, indeed, of any other district in Scotland. Originally the tower appears to have been situated within a walled courtyard, now represented by the ruins of two vaulted cellars on the south-east side. The principal apartment is on the first floor about 8 feet above the ground level, and access to it must have been gained by means of a ladder which could be raised by the inmates in time of danger. A wheel-stair, formed in the thickness of the wall, leads to the upper floors and to the parapet walk. The parapet walk is almost continuous at the waU-head, with an outer stone parapet resting upon shallow moulded corbels ; the fireplace flues are carried up in single stacks and encroach at intervals upon the width of the parapet walk. This arrangement of chimney stacks was not uncommon even at a com- paratively late date, as is demonstrated in the case of Pinkie House, Musselburgh, dating from the 17th century. The existence of a piscina on the principal floor is an exceptional feature which seems to indicate that the apartment was used as a private chapel — the only example in Galloway. In other districts, however, such an arrangement is occasionally met with, as at Afileck Castle, Forfarshire, where the private chapel consists of a small vaulted chamber formed over the staircase wing and entered from the main apartment on the third-floor level. In this instance a holy-water stoup is carved on the south jamb of the doorway and a piscina basin projects in front of an arched ambry formed in the south wall. With the exception of this example, dating from, the end of the 15th century, small chapels or oratories are usually associated with the large defensive castles ' dating from the first half of the 15th century, as at Borthwick Castle, Midlothian, and at Doune Castle, Perthshire. At Borthwick the piscina is placed in the deeply recessed embrasure of an upper floor window. Taken as a whole, the main characteristics of Orchardton seem to agree with the general arrangement of the oblong and L-shaped keeps dating from the end of the 15th century, of which many examples survive throughout the country ; but the circular form of plan adopted at Orchardton is practically unique; The position of the entrance doorway at the first-floor level is a feature of frequent occurrence in castles dating from the first half of the 15th century, and its retention in this case can be accounted for by the need of additional security in a remote and unsettled district. In this district, as in other parts of the country, the castles of the L plan are numerous and characteristic of the 16th century, a time of great activity in castle-building. A small square wing projecting at right angles to the main building gives the characteristic outline. The wing contained the stair and small upper rooms. Drumcoltran (No. 276) in the parish of Kirkgunzeon is a good example of this class of building. The walls are fully 4 feet in thickness ; a deep bar-hole shows how the door could be secured against intruders ; while the parapet walk and narrow windows could be used for defensive purposes when occasion arose. The retention of these features seems to indicate that Drumcoltran is an early example of its class, probably dating from the first half of the 16th century. The other castles of this type are, The Abbot's Tower, Balmangan, Barholm, Barscobe, lii HISTORICAL MONUMENTS (SCOTLAND) COMMISSION. Buittle Place, Carsluith, Earlston, Kenmure, Kirkconnel, Maclellan's House, Kirkcudbright, and Plutiton Castle. The general arrange- ment of all these castles is very similar to that of Drumcoltran. At Kirkconnel (No. 456), the wheel-stair in the short wing leads directly to the upper floors and to the parapet walk, while a smaller staircase leads to a room formed in the upper part of the cnpe-house in the usual way. Barholm (No. 283) is also a typical example of the period, the only exceptional feature being the design of the doorway at the re-entering angle. The rough character of the workmanship seems to indicate the hand of some local carver, and suggests a date within a few years of the 17th century. Plunton Castle (No. 51) is an ad- mirable illustration of the development from the defensive castle to the domestic building. The plan is practically identical with those of the same period, but the parapet and walk at the wall-head are omitted. The end walls are finished with crow-stepped gables and chimneys, and the side walls support the ends of the rafters. A survival of defensive construction, however, is to be seen at each angle, where circular turrets, entered directly from the attic floor, are carried by moulded corbels of ornamental design. On the north side of this L-shaped keep there are indications of a courtyard, while to the south the uneven nature of the ground seems to suggest the foundations of a walled enclosure or garden. Carsluith (No. 282) appears to have been originally a castle of the oblong plan with a wheel-stair contained in the thickness of the waU at the north-west angle, but to have been altered subsequently by the addition of a staircase wing. At the same time various changes were made at the wall-head, which converted it into a dwelling-house of the 16th-century type, with corbelled turrets at the angles similar in detail to those at Plunton Castle but in a more ruinous state. Several plain moulded corbels of considerable projection, which remain on the exterior of the north wall, suggest the existence of a projecting parapet in connection with the original castle. A carved panel over the entrance doorway contains the arms of the Browns of Carsluith, with the date 156[5], the date of the added staircase wing. The Abbot's Tower (No. 382) and Balmangan Castle(No. 53)are now in a very ruinous state, but they both possess the distinctive features common to their type and period. The castle at Buittle Place (No. 75) is now inhabited as a farm-house. It has originally been a good example of the L plan, with angle turrets supported by corbels, which are in a very fragmentary state. The main entrance appears to have been at the flrst-floor level, and there does not appear to have been any direct communication between the vaulted basement and the first floor — a very unusual feature in connection with this type of building, which almost invariably has the entrance on the ground level at the re-entering angle, whence the staircase contained in the projecting wing leads directly to the upper floors. Maclellan's House, Kirkcudbright, known also as Kirkcudbright Castle (No. 218), built by Sir Thomas Maclellan of Bombie (1582), shows the completed development of the Scottish town-house as com- pared with the defensive keep, at the close of the 16th century. No doubt its situation within the burgh would largely influence the design, since special precautions against sudden attack could be disregarded to' INVENTORY OF MONUMENTS IN STEWARTRY OF KIRKCUDBRIGHT, liii an extent which could not have been ventured, even at that date, had the castle been situated in a remote district. On plan the house is roughly of the L type with several unusual modifications. In place of the usual wheel-stair and entrance at the re-entering angle, there is a square projecting tower containing a flight of straight steps leading to the first floor (as at Dunskey Castle, Wigtownshire*), with the entrance doorway formed in the north wall of the tower. The base- ment, which is vaulted throughout, has contained the kitchen in the east wing and three cellars in the north wing ; the only access to the upper floors being a doorway at the foot of the main staircase. At the south-west angle of the main building there is a tower with a wheel- staircase formed in its north-west angle, which appears to have been the only direct means of communication between the kitchen passage and the great liall on the first floor. A service window exists at one side of the kitchen doorway, which was no doubt constructed to relieve the congestion at the entrance to the kitchen passage. Another feature of interest occurs in the small chamber entering from the staircase landing, where an aperture has been formed at the back of the hall fireplace as a means of secretly observing all that took place in the great hall. This feature occurs not infrequently in connection with keeps dating from a much earlier period — as at Liberton Tower, Midlothian, and at Affleck Castle, Forfarshire ; but it is an exceptional feature in buildings of this date. The upper floor of this house shows a great advance in the provision of bedroom accommodation. The treatment of the exterior is also characteristic of the period. There are no defensive features, and the windows are large, while the corbelled angle-turrets and staircases are purely ornamental in design. On the upper part of the staircase . tower there is a project- ing string-course in the form of a double row of miniature corbels, showing the ornamental treatment of an early defensive feature. Similarly it is to be noted that the revived dog-tooth ornament is employed as an enrichment to the moulding which surrounds the windows in the north wall of the eastern wing. The dog-tooth ornament is also freely used to decorate the arch of the monument of Sir Thomas Maclellan and Dame Grissel Maxwell in the modern- ised building to the north-east, which is said to have been part of Greyfriars Monastery. Kenmure (No. 179) obviously occupies the site of an earlier castle, but the existing building seems to date from the beginning of the I7th century, forming the south-east and south-west sides of a quadrangle which was formerly completed by an enclosing wall with an entrance on the north side flanked by towers. On plan the general characteristics of the main building are of the L type. Earlston (No. 155) is a late example of the L type, probably dating from the end of the 16th century, notwithstanding the date 1655 incised upon a stone now built into the east wall of the main wing, which possibly refers to the ruined portion abutting on the north side. The leading characteristics of the L pl.an are strictly adhered to in this example. The vaulted basement is lighted by narrow openings, the entrance doorway is formed at the re-entering angle, and the shorter wing contains the usual wheel-staircase leading to * Inventory of the Monuments of Galloway, vol. i. {County of Wigtown), No. 412, liv HISTORICAL MONUMENTS (SCOTLAND) COMMISSION. the first floor, whence a small projecting stair gives access to the upper floors. The walls and fireplaces of the principal rooms have been finished with unusually ornate woodwork, panelled and decorated with pilasters in the Eenaissance style. Barscobe (No. 35) is a late example of the same type (1648), but it has retained none of the older defensive features. The basement is unvaulted, the entrance is placed in the usual position, and the wheel- staircase in the short wing leads directly to the upper floors. The high-pitched crow-stepped gables, and the dormer windows with their pointed pediments, are wholly characteristic of the domestic architec- ture of the 17th century. Auchenskeoch Castle(No.ll5), now represented by a circular tower and fragments of walling, is of considerable interest, as it appears to be the only example in the Stewurtry of the Z type of plan, a form which occurs frequently in other districts towards the end of the 16th century. Borgue House (No. 52) appears to be a 17th-century house of the E plan, which has been subsequently added to. Coira Castle (No. 275) also appears to have been a plain domestic dwelling probably dating from the 1 7th century. Town of Kirkcudbeight. — A few scattered remnants of municipal and domestic architecture are still to be seen in the town of Kirk- cudbright, the situation of which is well adapted by nature to serve both as a place of defence and as a seaport town. To the north and west it has been defended by the Dee, by an arm of that river to the north-east, and by flat marshy ground, possibly ijicluding a fosse, to the south-west. The town therefore occupied a peninsula, having only one means of access which was secured by a gateway called the "Muckle Yett," situated at the south-east extremity of the High Street. The configuration of the ground has naturally controlled the formation of the High Street, which has continued in a north-westerly direction from the " Muckle Yett " to the Tolbooth, where, turning at right angles, it follows a north-easterly course until it meets the south bank of the Dee, which it appears to have followed for a short distance. Although the town has extended considerably in recent years to the north, south, and east, the line of the old High Street still remains, with irregularly placed houses facing the street and with narrow closes giving access to back gardens and courtyards. An illustration* of Kirkcudbright as depicted by an English spy in the 16 th century is preserved in the British Museum. It gives a bird's-eye view of the river and town showing with considerable accuracy the relative positions of the " Muckle Yett," the Tolbooth, Maelellan's House, and Greyfriars Church, and also Castle Dykes. The accompanying 'plan from the O.S. map shows the relative positions of Greyfriars Church (A), Maelellan's House (B), Auchengool House (C), the town house of the Murray s of Broughton (D), the Tolbooth (R), the Claverhouse Lodging (F), and the socket-stones of the " Muckle Yett" (G). With the exception of Maelellan's House, the Tolbooth is the building of most importance now remaining. The lower west portion has been much altered and modernised, but the square tower, terminating in a circular stone spire surmounted by a quaint weather-vane representing a ship in full sail, is a characteristic feature of the town-houses erected * History of Liddesdale, etc. INVENTORY OF MONUMENTS IN STEWAETRY OF KIBKCUBBEIGHT. Iv throughout the country towards the end of the 16th century and during the 17 th century. At the top of the outside stair leading to the tower is the Market-Cross, dated 1610, which originally stood in the open space to the north-east of the Tolbooth. RIVER DEE OO SOO 300 doo «>o_,,, i — I — h-4—^n Fig. G.— Kirkcudbright. Nothing now remains of the " Muckle Yett " except two socket stones placed one on each side of the roadway at the south-east end of the High Street. According to local tradition these socket stones are said to represent the position of a gateway which was removed during the 18th century, the masonry being re-used in the construc- tion of the existing entrance gateway to St Cuthbert's Churchyard. On the north-west side of the High Street, adjoining the water gate and not far from Maclellan's Castle, there is a good example of an Ivi HISTOEICAL MONUMENTS (SCOTLAND) COMMlSSlOlJ. 18th-century town-house (D), which is ssdd to have been built by the Murrays of Broughton. Adjoining Maclellan's House on the west is Auchengool House (C), and near the site of the " Muckle Yett " is the Claverhouse Lodging (F), both probably late 17th-century houses, but without any features of interest. Several other houses in the High Street have the remains of oaken staircases, possibly dating from the end of the 17th century. Ancient and Uislorieal Mommcnls—Stcwartrii uf KiilcuJlright. Fig. 1, — Tlie Gordon Tomb (west side), Anwotl] CImreli (Ko. 2). To face ji. 1. INVENTORY OF THE ANCIENT AND HISTOEICAL MONUMENTS AND CONSTKUOTIONS IN THE COUNTY OF THE STEWAETEY OF KIEKCUDBEIGHT. PAEISH OF ANWOTH. * Ecclesiastical Structure. 1. Anwoth Church. — The old parish church of Anwoth is situated about 2 miles by road west of Gratehouse-of-Fleet, within a walled churchyard on the right bank of a small stream called the Skyreburn. On plan, it is a simple oblong measuring about 70 feet by 18 feet 4 inches, within walls not exceeding 3 feet 6 inches in thickness. There is a doorway in both the east and west walls 3 feet 3 inches in width, with a simple splay worked on the outer jambs and cheeked for doors to open inwards. The arch-head of the west doorway has been patched in several places, but it is apparent that the form to the exterior has been semicircular. The upper part of the west wall is pierced by a single square-headed window, and the gable is finished with a square stone belfry. The south wall has contained five windows, four of which have been built up on the interior. The south-east window is 3 feet in width, divided into two lights by a moulded mullion 7 inches in width, and with jambs moulded in the form of a double hollow with a check between. At the north-east angle are the remains of an outside stair, which no doubt led to a gallery over the east end of the building. The north wall is without openings of any kind, but rough indications of a built-up doorway exist near the west end. Abutting upon the south wall at the east end of the church is a comparatively modern tomb-house with a doorway in the west wall. It measures 13 feet 6 inches by 13 feet over walls about 2 feet in thickness, the west wall encroaching 6 inches over the east jamb of the mullioned window noted above. The side walls of the church are about 9 feet 6 inches in height, and in a fair state of repair. The church as it now stands is roofless. Sepulchral Monuments. 2. The Gordon Tomh. — Within the church there stands a remark- able monument (fig. 1) of early Eenaissance type dating from the beginning of the 17th century. It occupies a central position between the side walls, and stands some 24 feet from the inner face of the east wall. On plan it is oblong, measuring 7 feet 9 inches by 4 feet 2 inches over a solid plinth, 2 feet 3 inches in height, supporting a base 1 foot 2 inches in depth, and with a projection of about 11 inches. 1 2 historical monuments (scotland) commission. Parish of Anwoth. This base is in the form of a double splay with a check between. Above this are four vertical spaces for lettering, 1 foot 5 inches in depth, the upper part finishing in a moulded cornice and ornamental frieze 5 inches in depth, with a geometrical design of alternate squares and circles, each containing respectively lozenge-shaped and circular patterns. The whole is carved in low relief within straight margins. The top of the tomb consists of a splayed course of ashlar, over which is laid' a single stone or shelf with an almost level surface 7 inches in depth. At both the north and south end is a small stone gablet with a raised margin, finishing at the apex in a circular finial about 6| inches in diameter. Between the gablets is an oval stone panel about 14 inches by 11 inches, surmounted by a stone ball and supported on either side by a truss with spiral terminations. Within the raised margin of the central panel is a shield bearing arms : three boars' heads erased (for Gordon), while above the shield and encroach- ing upon the margin are the initials I • G-, carved in raised letters on the west side. A similar shield on the other side of the panel bears the same arms with the initials W • G ■ above. The total height of the monument from the ground to the top of the central finial is some 8 feet 3 inches. The north part of the west side has three carved shields with initials above, bearing the arms of the families referred to in the inscriptions on the north-east and west sides of the monument. The shields are similar in design, with two carved stems of three divisions separating the central from the two side shields, which have a plain stem close to the outer edges. Springing from the lower ends of these stems, and curving round the lower half of each shield, is a branch of five leaves carved in relief. The north shield bears impaled arms: dexter, three boars' heads erased (for Gordon) ; sinister, 1st and 4th, on a fess three stars, 2nd and 3rd, three garbs (for Muir), with the initials W • G • and M • M • above (for William Gordon and Marion Mure). The inscription of incised Koman lettering on the north side referring to the lady bears the following legend : WALKING • WITH • GOD • IN • PVEITIE ■ OF • LIFE IN ■ CHRIST • I • DIED ■ AND • ENDIT • AL • MY • STRYFE FOE • IN • MY • SAVLE • CHRIST • HEIR • DID • DWEL • BY ■ GRACE NOW • DWELIS . MY • SAVLE • IN • GLORIE ■ OF • HIS • FACE THAIRFOIK • MY • BODIE • SAL ■ NOT • HEIR • REMAINS BOT • TO ■ FVL • GLORIE • SAL . SVIRLIE • RYSE ■ AGAINE MARIOVNE • MVRE ■ GOOD • WIFE ■ OF ■ CVLLINDACH • DEPAIRTED • THIS • LIKE • ANNO • 1612 • The central shield also bears the Gordon arms, impaling two chev- ronels (for Maclellan), and is inscribed with the initials I ■ G • MMC ■ (for [John] Gordon and Margaret Maclellan). The latter is referred to in the inscription carved on the east side : DYMBE • 8ENLES ■ STATVE • OF . SOME • PAINTED • STONES WHAT • MEANES • THY • BOAST ■ THY • CAPTIVE • IS • BOT • CLAY • THOW • GAINES • NOTHING • BOT ■ SOME • FEW • LIFLES . BONKS HIR • CHOYSEST • PAIET ■ HIR ■ SOVLE ■ TRIVMPHIS • FOR • AY Ancient and Historical Monuments — Stewartry of Kirkcudh'ight. Fig. 2. — Cross-slab, Anwoth {No. 3). To /(ICC p. 3. Inventory of monitments in stewartey of KiRKctrofiRiGHT. 3 Parish of Anwoth. then • gazeng • frkindis • do ■ not • hir • death • deplore zow ■ lose ■ a ■ while • sche • gaines • for • ewermoke mar6rat • makolellane ■ goodwife • of ■ ardwell • depairted this • life • 2 • apprile ■ 162- • ^tatis • sva ■ 31 • The south shield also bears the Gordon arms impaling a fess chequy between an arrow point upwards in chief and another point downward in base (for Macadam), and the initials I • G • CMC. above (probably for John Gordon and Christian Macadam). This " Lady of Cardoness " is mentioned in the epitaph immediately to the south of the shield bearing the legend : ZB ■. GAIZERS ■ ON • THIS - TROPHEE • OF • A • TOMBE SEND ■ OYT • ONE • GRONE • FOR • WANT ■ OF • HIR • WHOIS • LYFE TWYSE • BORNE ■ ON • EARTH • AND • NOW • IS • IN • EARTHIS • WOMBE LIVED • iONG ■ A • TIRGINE ■ NOW • A • SPOTLES • WIFE CHVRCH • KEEPIS • HIR ■ GODLIE • LIFE • THIS • TOMBE • HIR • CORPS AND • EARTH • HIR • FAMOVS ■ NAME • WHO • THEN • DOES ■ LOSE • HIR ■ HVSBAND ■ NO • SINCE • HEAVEN HIR • SAVLE ■ DOES • GAINS • CHRISTEN • MAKCADDAM • LADY CAEDYNES ■ DEPAIRTED • 16 • JVNY • 1628 ■ ^TATIS ■ SVAE ■ 33 • On the south side of the tomb is the usual 17th-century re- presentation of the skull and cross-bones, with an open book on the east side and an hour-glass on the west, all carved in high relief. Above the crown of the skull is carved in raised Roman letters the motto MEMENTO MORI. 3. C^7-oss - sto6. — Probably the object of greatest antiquity at Anwoth is an upright slab of grey stone (fig. 2), situated close to the interior of the north wall and a few yards to the west of the large monument, upon the exposed surface of which a rudely shaped hollow-angled shafted cross is represented in shallow incised lines. The stone measures 2 feet 8 inches by 1 foot 4^ inches^ and is 2^ inches in thickness. The upper arm and margin are broken away and a circular piece has been knocked off the east side. The cross extends the whole length of the stone : its arms measure some 12 inches across and 4 inches in width at their outer extremities : in the centre is a circular depression of about 1 inch in diameter. The slab was found in the churchyard twenty years ago, when it was set up in its present position. 4. Mural Monument.— The built-up opening in the south wall, nearly opposite the south-east angle of the large tomb, contains an upright stone fixed to the wall with iron spikes. It consists of a single slab of red sandstone measuring 3 feet 6 inches by 2 feet 3 inches, and about 3 inches in thickness. The upper part is only 12 inches in width, projecting 9 inches above the main portion. Two shields are carved in relief in the centre, bearing arms: on the dexter shield, 1st and 4th, a saltire within a bordure counter corn- pony ; 2nd and 3rd, a bend within a bordure embattled (for Maxwell). On the sinister shield a fess chequy surmounted of a bend engrailed, all within a royal tressure (for Stewart). Above the shields is a helmet with the visor closed and a mantling of thistle leaves carved in bold relief reaching to the lower extremities of the shields on 4 historical monuments (scotland) commission. Parish of Anwoth. either side. On the upper part of the stone is carved a human head within a curved band ornamented with leaves springing from the outer edge. The upper margin has the motto think on carved in raised letters upon it. The plain surface below the shields has incised upon it in lettering of 18th-century type, robdkt anno 1710, M by w • M • M s. 5. Mural Monument. — In the south wall of the church built into the outside is a tablet inscribed to the memory of Bell of ■ Arkland. The inscription, which has either been re-cut or is on a slab of later date than the rest of the monument, runs : monumentom skpulchralb johannis bell de akkland pallida mors jbs^xso pedb pulsat PAUPERUM TABERNAS REGUMQUB TORRES POST OBITUM BENEFACTA MANENT .fflTKRNAQE VIRTUS OMNIA PR^iTEREUNT PRATER AMARB DEOM.* Above it, also built into the wall, is a slab showing in a large central panel a figure of death represented as a skeleton stabbing with a dart a person lying in bed. 6. Martyr's Tomb. — In the graveyard to the south of the west gable of the church is a slab of red sandstone raised upon supports at the angles, incised upon the outer margins of which in Roman lettering is the legend : HERE • LYES lOHN BELL OF WHITESTDB WHO WAS BARBOUROUSLY SHOT TO DEATH IN THE PAROCH OF TONGLAND AT THE COMMAND OF GRIER OF LAG ANNO 1685. On the central part is the following : THIS MONUMENT SHALL TELL POSTERITY, THAT BLESSED BELL OF WHITESYDE HERE DOTH LY. WHO AT COMMAND OF BLOODY LAG WAS SHOT, A MURTHER STRANGE WHICH SHOULD NOT BB FORGOT. DOUGLAS OF MORTON DID HIM QUARTERS GIVE, YBT CRUEL LAG WOULD NOT LET HIM SURVIVE. THIS MARTYRE SOUGHT SOME TIME TO RECOMEND, HIS SOUL TO GOD BEFOR HIS DAYES DID END. THE TYRANT SAID WHAT DEV'L YE'VE PRAY'D ENOUGH THIS LONG SEVEN YEARE ON MOUNTANS AND IN CLEUGH SO INSTANTLY CAUS'D HIM WITH OTHER FOUR, BE SHOT TO DEATH UPON KIRCONNEL MOOR. SO THUS DID END THE LIVES OF THESE DEARE SANTS FOR THERE ADHERENCE TO THE COVENANTS. The inscription has been re-cut, and is probably of a date much later than that of the event which it commemorates. * The sepulchral monument of John Bell of Arkland. " Pale death with impartial foot beats at the cabins of the poor and the mansions (towers) of the rich." After death remain good deeds and virtue that is everlasting. All passes save the love of God. Lines 3 and 4 are a quotation from Horace, Odes, I. 4, with an error of displacement of a word in line 3. Jni~ienl and Historical Moiiinninls — 'iteirartnj of Kirlricibritihf. o I to face p. 5. INVENTORY OF MONUMENTS IN STEWARTRY OF KIRKCUDBRIGHT. 5 Parish of Anwoth. 7. Bell. — There is preserved at Anwoth the bell of the parish church, which is a fine example of a small mediaeval bell, probably of late 14th-century date. It is lOf inches in diameter, and is inscribed on the shoulder -f- M (crown) A (crown) E (crown) I: A Anwoth Church is known chiefly in connection with the name of Samuel Rutherford (1600-1661), the well-known minister here in covenanting times. The ruin, according to the date on the west gable, dates from 1627, but, judging by the early cross, noted above, the site must be of considerable antiquity. See New Stat. Acct., iv. (Kirkcud.), p. 379 ; Harper's Rambles in Galloway, \\. 172. O.S.M., Kirkcud., xlviii. NW. Visited 14th May 1912. ■ Castellated and Domestic Structures. 8. Gardoness Castle. — This castle (fig. 3) is conspicuously situated upon rising ground immediately to the north of the coast road, upon the right bank of the Water of Fleet, to the north of where it flows into Fleet Bay. The ground slopes steeply on all sides. The highest point, which is of rock, has been chosen as the site of the keep, while a level plateau extending a short distance to the south and east at a somewhat lower level has apparently been the site of a forecourt and subsidiary buildings. On plan the castle is a simple oblong measuring 43 feet by 32 feet over walls averaging about 8 feet in thickness. The building, although roofless, is practically complete, the height from the ground to the wall head being about 53 feet, divided into four storeys and attics. The ground floor is vaulted and has contained an entresol in the upper part, the floor timbers resting upon corbels in the usual way, at the springing line of the vault. The entrance doorway is in the south wall at the ground level, with a deep bar-hole in the east jamb, and, judging by indications of a wall to the south, it appears to have been approached by an outside passage about 4 feet wide, with an access near the south-west angle of the keep. The doorway leads to a passage 4 feet wide in the thickness of the wall, terminating at the east end in a wheel- stair which communicates directly with the upper floors. To the west of the entrance is a small mural guard-room with a recess in the west wall, and lighted by a narrow loop-hole to the south. Facing the entrance are two doorways, each giving access to the two chambers into which the ground floor was divided by a stone wall, now almost demolished. The larger chamber to the west is lighted by narrow openings respectively in the north and west walls. Two circular recesses have been formed in the main wall at the angles, with diagonal openings from the interior, built with massive stone sills about 3 feet 6 inches above the floor level and finished with lintels and saving arches above. It is difficult to conjecture what purpose they fulfilled. A similar recess occurs at Rusco Castle (No. 9) in the south-west angle of the basement. Two chambers in the thickness of the south and east walls are entered off the staircase at about -the level of the entresol floor. One extends over the entrance passage, having a trap formed in the floor, probably a means of defending the entrance historical monuments (scotland) commission. Parish of Anwoth. OROUND riOOR CNTRC50L Fis. 5.— Cardoness Castle (No. 8). Ancient and Hisfori-aJ Montimrnts—Steicartrif of Kirkcadhri'jht. Til face p 7. inventory of monuments in stewaetby of kirkcudbright. 7 Parish of Anwoth. below as well as for the haulage of goods. The other in the east wall has a doorway entering off the passage to the entresol. It appears to have been an upper guard-room, with a garde-role at the north end and a square trap in the floor, the only means of access to a dark dungeon below. The first floor consists of a large hall measuring 28 feet by 16 feet 9 inches. The upper floors have been of wood, but are now entirely destroyed, thereby exposing to view an arch which spans the whole width of the building, carrying a stone wall above, which divided the second floor into two apartments. The hall is well lighted on three sides. Two windows have the usual stone seats in the in-goes, while the other two are at a higher level on account of the space required for the mural chambers at the south- east angle and in the south wall at the entresol level. For the same reason the mural chamber in the south wall is entered from the side of one of the seated windows at a high level. There are other two small wall-chambers at the north-east angle entering at the floor level of the hall and each containing a garde-robe. The hall fireplace in the north wall (fig. 4) measures 8 feet 6 inches between the jambs and is an unusually good example of the type found throughout Scotland during the 15th century. Unfortunately the lintel and part of the masonry supported by it have fallen. A similar fireplace, in a fair state of preservation, exists in the west wall at the second floor level. Here the jambs and lintel are complete, and a moulding worked on the upper edge of the lintel is ornamented with a floral design carved in relief. There are two small ambries at the north-west angle, one of which is decorated with a moulding and arched head in the form of a rude ogee. At the east side of the fireplace is a curious recess having two openings, one from the in-go of the fireplace and the other from the inside face of the wall. There is a similar recess in the fireplace on the first floor at Carsluith Castle (No. 282), about 5 miles west of Cardoness. Probably the recess was used as a salt-box or for some similar purpose. Indications of small iron bars exist on each jaml) of the opening to the fireplace, and the masonry of the opening to the hall is giblet-checked for a small door. Access to the two rooms on the second floor is gained by a flight of straight steps leading from the wheel-stair to two separate doorways. The west chamber has the stone fireplace already mentioned in the west wall, with a recess or salt-box at the south side, similar to the one adjoining the hall fireplace. There is a seated window in the south wall and an ambry in the north wall. The east apartment has a fireplace in the north waU and a seated window in the centre of the east wall. There is also a mural chamber in the north-east angle containing a garde-rohe and a direct entrance from the wheel-stair at the south- east angle. Indications of a parapet and walk are evident at tbe wall-head, and the moulded corbels which supported the floor timbers of the attics are still complete on the interior face of the west wall. The roadway up to the castle appears to have followed the slope of the ground to the north-west, approaching an inner courtyard near the south-west angle of the keep. At a point about 50 feet south of the castle are the remains of two walls running east and west, with a space between them, and measuring about 15 feet over all. The 8 historical monuments (scotland) commission. Parish of Anwoth. west end of the inner wall terminates in what seems to have been a square building measuring 24 feet over all — possibly the site of an outer bailey for defending the entrance to the inner courtyard. The west end of the outer wall appears to have curved slightly towards the north at the south-west angle of the square building, as if it had continued in that direction. There are indications of an opening in the double wall near the east angle. A level space of about 40 feet extends from the south side of the double wall to the face of the rocky ground to the south, while the eastern continuation of double wall has followed the outline of the level plateau in a northerly direction, leaving an "outer space of about 55 feet to the east of the keep. At the extreme north end of this outer space are indications of what appears to have been a building lying east and west, measur- ing about 20 feet in width, possibly representing the site of the stables or retainers' quarters. Cardoness Castle, which has long been in ruins, was for centuries the home of the M'Cullochs, a notable family in Galloway. From them it passed to the Gordons, and is now possessed by Sir William Mfixwell, Bart. It is said to have been built towards the end of the 14th century, but the character of the details point to a later date, probably the latter half of the 15th century. There is in the British Museum an interesting Eeport on Cardoness and a coloured drawing of it prepared by an English official in the time of Queen Elizabeth, both of which are reproduced in The History of Liddesdale, etc.. and the Hereditary Sheriffs of Galloway, quoted below. The Eeport, which has evidently been prepared with a view to the occupation of the castle by the English, is as follows : — " Cardines Towre standeth upon an hight bancke and rocke, harde upoun the watter Flete : there can noo ordinance nor. gounes endomage yt of the sea, nor there can noo artyllare be taken to it upoun the lande, ones having the house, for strait- ness of ground, and yf ye lande at Newton up upoun flete watter, then ye must pass one myle strait ground and up rockes, wheare noo ordinance can be caryed but upoun mens backes. Yt is nyne foote thick of the wall, withoute a bermeking, and withoute battaling. At the ground eb men may ryde under the place upoun the sandes one myle : And at the full sea, boates of eight tonnes, may come under the wall. It may be taken witht two hundreitht men, at the suddane. And being in Engliss possession, may be kepte witht one hundreit men in garrisone: It will annoye the inhabitantes betuix the watter of Cree aforesaid, and Kiyrk- cowbright; and be assistant to the same. Distant by sea from Wirkington in Englonde tuenty-tuo myles." ^ Another notice of it in the succeeding century describes it as " seatted upoune a craigey and heigh rocke, over the river Fleet, and " fensed with stronge walls," ^ and Pococke, who visited it in 1760, refers to it as "a very fine old castle about thirty by forty feet ' within; the walls are twelve feet thick, and many closets are " practic'd in them." He gives sketches of the two old chimney- Ancient and Historical Monmncnls — Steirartry of Kirkcuclhriyht. ^wKm ''■;■.: . > [■I;. - . ^ ^.', sbM ■ '^■- 'W^y ■ , . *!■■> ■■/■ ■ y^[y|^||3B{ft;,\.^^^>H:-'S!.'^.V t^ ', . ■ _ V,.«»^^HH ^^BiSSHwK t^^^j^^^^" ^j^DI^H \ -m J ' msuMEm^^m t I; ■ " , ^ To face p. 9. inventory of monuments in stewahtry of kirkcudbright. 9 Parish of Anwoth. pieces as they then appeared, and in one of the drawings the lintel (awanting in later illustrations) is seen.* See ^ History of Liddesdale, etc., App. No. Ixx. p. cvi. ; Sereditaiy Sheriffs of Galloway, ii. p. 69 (illus.); ^ Symson (Sibbald MS.), App. p. 114 ; * Pococke's Tours, p. 20 (illus.) ; see also Oast, and Bum. Arch., i. p. 243 (plan and illus.) ; Stat. Acct., xiii. p. 350. O.S.M., KiEKCUD., xlviii. SW. Visited 18th August 1911. 9. Eiisco Castle. — The Castle of Eusco (fig. 6) is situated about 3 miles to the north-north-west of Gatehouse, on a terrace above the right bank of the Water of Fleet. Behind it a wooded bank slopes upward to the hills, along which at a higher elevation, some 100 yards distant, runs the road to Dromore. The castle is a simple oblong on plan, measuring 38 feet 6 inches by 29 feet over walls which vary from 6 feet to 8 feet in thickness, with a height from the ground to the top of the parapet of about 49 feet 6 inches ; and it is divided into three storeys and attics. The entrance doorway is in the centre of the east wall at the ground level, leading fo a passage 4 feet wide in the thickness of the wall, having at the north end a mural guard- room with a recess in the north and east walls and a narrow window to the south. At the south end of the passage is an inner doorway protecting the entrance to the wheel-stair which communicates with the upper floors and parapet walk. The ground floor is vaulted and -has been divided into two by an intermediate floor about 9 feet above the ground level, with access from the wheel-stair. At the south- west angle of the ground floor there is a circular recess in the thick- ness of the main walls about 4 feet in diameter with an opening from the interior about 4 feet above the floor level, similar to the recesses at Cardoness (No. 8), the purpose of which is now uncertain. The wheel-stair projects into the upper-floor rooms and is supported upon rough corbelling at the interior angle below the doorway to the entresol. About this level are two chambers in the south and east walls, each with a recess in the end wall and a narrow window to the exterior. The south chamber has a trap in the floor where shown on the plan (fig. 8), the only access to a dark dungeon below. The first floor consists of one large well-lighted apartment measuring 25 feet 6 inches by 16 feet 6 inches. There is a large fireplace in the east wall with moulded jambs, caps, and bases. Three of the windows have the usual stone seats in the in-goes. At the south-west angle there is a small mural chamber with a narrow window and garde-robe. In the south wall adjoining the stair is a recess or cupboard, and in the east wall another wall-chamber con- taining a garde-rohe and entering off the north jamb of the west window at a high level. The arrangement of the second floor is similar. It is lighted by a window in the east and south walls, each with seats in the in-goes. There is a good fireplace in the north wall, in design almost identical with that on the first floor ; also two wall recesses, one in the east wall and the other in the west wall. Near the north-west angle is a small garde-rohe chamber with the usual recess and window. The attic floor has been entered off the staircase a few steps below the level of the parapet walk. It is lighted by two small windows, hut apparently has had no fireplace. 10 HISTOEICAL MONUMENTS (SCOTLAND) COMMISSION. Parish of Anwoth. The parapet walk is paved with stone flags in the ordinary way, the water being carried off by numerous stone spouts. The projecting parapet is supported by a double row of moulded corbels placed chequer-wise. On the exterior an unusual feature is to be seen in the splayed and weathered projections of stone over the lintels of the large windows. Their purpose has obviously been to throw the rain off the walls at these points. The entrance doorway (fig. 7) is somewhat unusual in form. The arch-head is almost straight, formed of joggled arch-stones and rounded at the angles. Above is a^ moulded tl " Plan or 5ECON0-FU»tt PLftN « BATTLtMCNTS PLW or axMo f DOft P.V. ot >«zzANi«te fiJMo PiAw or pesj p*xK I ' li i fim l r T T .r I '" Fig. 8.— Rusco Castle (No. 9). panel containing two shields placed one over the other ; the upper shield bears the royal arms of Scotland carved in relief beneath a crown with supporters ; in the dexter top corner of the panel the letter I preceded by a letter which has either been an 1{ or a K ; in the sinister corner a figure " four " presented in the early Arabic form of numeral. With the exception of what appears to be the second quarter of a quartereil coat on which three objects resembling crescents are visible, the charge on the Itfwer shield has entirely perished. On the panel to the sinister side of the shield is a letter G. A large two-storeyed dwelling-house has been added to the north side of the castle at a later date, possibly during the 17th century, with communication by a doorway roughly hacked through the north wall of the latter at the ground level. This building measures 57 feet by 22 feet over walls which nowhere exceed 3 feet in thickness. The entrance to it has been on the east side, and the interior appears to have been divided into three apartments on the ground floor. Projecting about 9 feet to the west is a square tower which has Ancient iinJ Hixturind iloniimeids — Sleirarlry nf Klrkcudhriyht Fig. 7. — Doorwaj- with Arms, Rusco Castle (No. 9) Tufucfp. 10. inventory of monuments in stewartry of kirkcudbright. 11 Parish of Anwoth. evidently contained a circular wheel-stair which would lead to the upper floors. This building is now in a very ruinous state, and its use as a shelter for cattle has rendered its interior quite inaccessible. At the entrance to this building there lies on the top of the wall a stone on which is carved a shield with a concave surface, bearing arms : three stars with a crescent at fess point. The main building was occupied about twenty years ago by farm servants, but it is now uninhabited. The outside walls, roof, and parapet have been recently repaired, and the interior surface of the walls above the level of the vault have been lathed and plastered in modern times, though the plasterwork is now broken away in several places. There is no floor at the attic level, and the flooring boards of the room below are in a bad state of repair. The whole of the basement is used as a store for farm implements, and the u,pper floors are used as a dove-cot. The property of Eusco is said {Lands and their Owners in Galloway, iii. p. 32) to have been known also as Skyreburn and Glenskyreburn, and to have belonged of old to the family of Carsane, or A'Karsane. In the reign of James IV. a Crown Precept of Sasine was granted in favour of Robert, son of John Gordon of Lochinvar, and Marion Acarsane his spouse, and daughter of John Acarsane of the Glen, and the longest liver of them, in the lands of Glen-Skirburne, etc., of date 26 March 1494.^ With this marriage the lower coat of arms on the panel has probably been connected, three crescents being borne by the family of Carsane, and a quartered coat of three crescents and three boars' heads is shown on the tomb of Andrew Carsane (No. 252) in St Cuthbert's Churchyard, Kirk- cudbright. Throughout the 16th century and on to the middle of the 17th, the castle was owned by the Gordons of Lochinvar. See Cast, and Bom. Arch., iii. p. 213 (plan and illus.); Lands and their Owners in Galloioay,m. p. 47; Scots Peerage, v. p. 106; ^ Reg. Mag. Sig. O.S.M. KiRKCUD., xli. SW. Visited 9th August 1911. Defensive Constructions. 10. Mote, Folchree. — On the west or right bank of the Water of Fleet, about'^ mile east-north-east of Polchree farm-house, and just where the river takes a sharp bend to the east, is situated a. mote- hill which has been formed on the end of a high bank rising some 35 feet above the margin of the stream. The mote itself appears to have been constructed out of a slight eminence by excavating around it on three sides a trench, which rests at either end on the face of the bank, and by levelling the summit. It is roughly rectangular with rounded corners, the side along the high bank on the north-east measuring 69 feet, and the other three sides on the south-east, south- west, and north-west measuring respectively 64 feet, 60 feet, and 66 feet. The natural rise of the ground is from the south-east, and here the depth of the ditch (the crests of scarp and counterscarp being almost level) is from 8 to 9 feet, and its width 35 feet across the top, and 12 feet across the bottom. As the trench passes round towards the opposite side it gradually declines following the 12 historical monuments (scotland) commission. Parish of Anwoth. natural gradient, till at the north angle, where it debouches on the bank, it is 18 feet in depth below the crest of the scarp. At the west angle where the ground falls rapidly away beyond the mote there is no counterscarp to the trench, but this feature reappears where the end of the eminence has been cut through towards the north-west. See Antiquaries, xxvii. p. 174 (plan). O.S.M., KiKKCUD., xlviii. NW. ("supposed Eoman camp"). Visited 22nd Sept. 1911. 11. " Boreland, or Green Tower Mote," Boreland. — This mote (fig. 9) is situated immediately to the south of the farm-house of Boreland, which lies 1 mile or thereby south-west of Gatehouse-of-Fleet. It has been fashioned out of a long sandy plateau on the west side of the estuary of the Water of Fleet, having now on its western side low- lying meadows, probably in former times marshy, and slightly rising ground on the east. The plateau lies with its main axis north-north- west and south-south-east, and forms an oblong figure some 367 feet in extreme length, divided into two unequal divisions at about Fig. 9.—" Boreland, or Green Tower Mote " (No. 11). 84 feet from the south-south-east end by a shallow trench some 22 feet in width, the larger division having an average and somewhat uniform breadth of about 97 feet, and the shorter division contract- ing to a pointed extremity at the south. The west side is regularly sloped at an angle of 4P°, and the east presents a more natural-look- ing scarp at an angle of about 29°. The greatest vertical height, which is on the east side, from base to summit is 25 feet. At the north- north-west extremity the plateau has been severed from the adjacent ground by a deep trench some 35 feet in width, the bottom of which lies 16 feet below the top of the scarp and 12 feet below that of the counterscarp. Along the west side there appears also to have been a trench. There is no sign of a parapet mound around any part of the summit, nor is there any indication of the position of an entrance. See Antiquaries, xxvii. p. 170 (plan). O.S.M., KiEKCUD., xlviii. SW. Visited 16th August 1911. 12. Mote, KirkelaugJi. -Kirkclaugh, or Caerclach Mote (fig. 10) is situated at the edge of the cliffs to the south-south-west of Auchenlarie, some 6^ miles to the south-east of Creetown. The site is a remarkable one, on the crest of bold, precipitous cliffs which rise from 80 to 100 feet above the shore-line to seaward and also on the eastern flank, deeply indented in the former direction by two chasms between which there projects a tongue of rock some 50 to 60 feet out INVENTOfiY OF MONUMENTS IN STEWAETRY OF KIRKCUDBRIGHT. 13 Parish of Anwoth. from the base of the mote-hill. From its base the hillock rises to a height of about 22 feet. Its plateau measures superficially some 58 feet by 64 feet, and is fairly level and four-sided, the side towards the sea on the south alone being irregular in direction. At base it is surrounded, except where protected by the edge of the cliffs on the south, by a ditch having an average breadth of 45 feet on the 5ECTJDN C'D fpwvwi'iirw#i''% C 10 ffl 30 45 XfTtJ Fig. 10.— Mote, Kirkclaugh (No. 12). west and north and 53 feet on the east, and a general depth of 16 feet from the top of the counterscarp and of 22 feet from the summit of the mote-hill. Between this ditch and an outer ditch which passes from the south-east- angle of the mote-hill round to a natural hollow running down to the shingle on the north-west, there lies parallel with the north and west sides of the mote-hill a base- court varying from 40 feet to 50 feet in breadth, flanked on the west by the steep cliffs. A roadway passing over the outer ditch into the base-court from the north leads on to the mote-hill, over a gangway blocking the east end of the inner ditch. On the right of the entrance to the former there is a circular hollow with a depth of about 2 feet and a diameter of about 12 feet, which may indicate the position of a guard-house. The foundations of a wall are to be seen 14 historical monuments (scotland) commission. Paeish of Anwoth. around the outer edge of the base-court, as well as on the sides of the roadways, and a mass of dry-built masonry projects into the natural hollow with which the outer ditch merges, above its debouch- ment on the shingle, leaving a track between the end of the masonry and the opposite side of the hollow against which there appears to have been building. The cross-incised slab (No. 27) which formerly stood on the ram- part between the outer ditch and a natural hollow on the north-east was removed some years ago to Kirkclaugh House, where it now is. O.S.M., KiRKCUD., liii. NE. Visited 13th May 1912. 13. Fort {vitrified), Trusty's Hill. — In an undulating region of rocky hillocks, and midway between the church of Anwoth and Gatehouse- of-Fleet, there rises a hill, more conspicuous than its neighbours, to a height of between 150 and 200 feet, and known as Trusty's Hill. It lies with its main axis north-west and south-east, slopes up by a gradual incline from the latter direction, and is steep, and in places craggy, on the flanks and at the north-west end. Towards the north, at a level some 30 feet or thereby below the summit, it is connected by a neck with rising rocky ground beyond. The summit of this hill is crowned by a fort reputed to be vitrified, but though vitrified material is still to be picked up on its surface, where the summit rampart has not been torn up, it is so overgrown with turf that it is impossible now to estimate the extent of the vitrifaction. The actual summit, which is very uneven, measures some 95 feet in length by 64 feet in breadth. It has been surrounded by a stony rampart or wall, enclosing at its south-east end, and at some 6 feet lower level, two projecting rocks 11 feet apart, between which has evidently been an approach. On the top of each rock there is an artificial hollow, that on the north circular with an interior diameter of 11 feet and a depth of about 2 feet, that on the south sub-oval measuring diametrically 31 feet by 23 feet. Some 15 feet or thereby out from the face of these rocks there passes segmentally from the south side to within 25 feet of the north edge of the ridge a breastwork, for the most part composed of outcropping rock. It in turn has been covered at 21 feet distant down the slope by another outwork (from the surface of which low points of rock also protrude), visible to within 12 feet of the north edge and thereafter seeming to return up- hill so as to flank the approach which has passed along the edge of the north slope. Beneath this lowest outwork the hill extends in a somewhat level plateau towards the south-east before descending with a steepish gradient to its base. To defend the fort from attack on the north by way of the neck before mentioned, a deep trench has been cut across that feature in part through the rock, 14 feet in width, 10 to 11 feet deep on the scarp or higher side, and 5 feet on the opposite slope, while the steep scarp has been rendered more formidable by the addition of a stony rampart along its crest, about 11 feet in thickness at base. At its extreme west end; where it approaches the craggy face of the hill, the course of the trench has been interrupted by an approach to the interior passing by the termination of the surmounting rampart. 14. Sculptured rock. — Besides its vitrified character, the fort on inventory of monuments in stewartry of kirkcudbright. 15 Parish of Anwoth. Trusty's Hill (No. 13) is remarkable for the presence of certain sculptured symbols, usually associated with the early Celtic church, on Fig. 11.— Sculptured symbols, Trusty's Hill (No. 14). the north face of the most southerly of the two projecting rocks between which has passed the approach to the summit. The symbols (shown in fig. 11), are deeply incised, and are as follows : — in the upper left-hand 16 historical monuments (scotland) commission. Parish of Anwoth. corner the double - disc ornament traversed by the Z -shaped floriated rod ; to the right, and separated by a natural fissure, a lacustrine monster; and immediately below it a heart-shaped figure with incurvation terminating in spirals and surmounted with a conical spike ; at the left-hand lower corner a human mask with two horns ending in spiral curves on the top of it. An iron grill has been placed over the carvings for their protection. See Early Christ. Mon., pt. iii. p. 477 (illus.). O.S.M., KiKKCUD., xlviii. NW. Visited 16th August 1911. Note. — The O.S. map (xlviii. NW.) indicates a mote at Anwoth behind a cottage and close to a pond. It is a natural hillock, showing no sign whatever of art in its shaping. Hut Circle. 15. Hut Circle, Cairnharrow. — Some 300 yards to the west of the cup-marked rock (No. 25), at a slightly lower elevation and on a low grassy ridge, is the distinct outline of a hut circle. It has been entered from south by east, and has measured in the interior along its longest diameter, which is in line of the entrance, 27 feet ; as the outline on the east is somewhat indefinite the measurement across is omitted. 0. S.M., KiRKCUD., xlvii. NE. (unnoted). Visited 21st May 1912. Sepulchral Constructions. 16. Cairns and Stone Circles, Cauldside. — In the flat ground at Cauldside which intervenes between; the base of Cambret Hill on the west and the lower north-west slopes of Cairnharrow on the east, are the remains of a remarkable group of monuments at an elevation of some 600 feet over sea-level. Some 200 yards to the south-east of the dyke which marks the boundary between the parishes of Kirkmabreck and Anwoth, and about 1\ mile west-south-west of The Glen, is a cairn with a diameter of some 63 feet and elevation of about 10 feet. Exposed on the summit is a short cist, formed of four slabs, measuring some 3 feet in length and breadth by 2 feet 8 inches in depth, and to its lowest level 5 feet 6 inches from the present summit level of the cairn, thus indicating its secondary character. It lies with its main axis east and west. Immediately to the southward of the cairn, and with the nearest stone 16 feet 6 inches distant from it, are the remains of a large stone circle of which ten stones now remain in situ. These stones are thinnish slabs, for the most part pointed to the upper extremity, set with their broad faces in the line of the circumference, the highest measuring 4 feet in height by 3 feet in breadth, and none of the others extending more than 2 feet above the ground level. The ground enclosed by the circle, and in its vicinity, has been much dug for turf or peats, and many of the stones on the east semicircle have been removed. The stones nearest to each other in the circumference are from 4 to 6 feet apart. The diameter has been 9ome 70 feet. Aiicieid ami Jlislurical Muniimenlf: — Stewnrtrij of Kirl-eiulhriyld. 1 ^^^K1 WM 1 HHSr ' m ■| t^^^^^^H ^H Wfwsm i m sV«H§K| ^^l^K^^^I 'Wk ihsi ^"iln^^ ^ ''^^EhI M 1 ^H fl ^^^^^^Ba ^' j^B ^HflftV'' ^^1 H^^^'^HhI C'^BI ^^■;iH KiH To face p. IC. inventoey of monuments in stewartry of kirkcudbright. 17 Parish of Anwoth. About 150 yards to the northward of the cairn above described are the foundations of another in which there is exposed, somewhat towards the south side, a megalithic cist sunk in the ground about 4 feet 5 inches in length but of indefinite breadth, with its main axis west-south-west and east-northeast. The covering stone lies dis- placed on the top, and one of the side slabs has been removed. The diameter of the cairn has been about 40 feet. Immediately to the south of it also, as in the previous instance, there appears to have been a stone circle, of which only two stones (thinnish slabs, seemingly placed with their broad faces at right angles to the line of the circumference) now remain, the one upright and the other much tilted and sunk in the peat.