Roads, Etc. —
The great turn-pike road from Carlisle to Glasgow and
Edinburgh, passes through the parish, from south to north,
about six miles. This load was made about 15 years ago, and
has been of the highest advantage to the improvement of this
neighbourhood. A mail coach, from London to Glasgow, passes
through the parish, every day, along the said turn-pike road
; and carriers almost daily from Glasgow to Carlisle, and
the manufacturing towns in England. There is a stage in the
parish, viz. Dinwoodie Green, where the mail coach stops and
changes horses. This stage is only 5 miles distant from the
village of Lockerby, where there is a post office, 11 miles
from Ecclesfechan, and 11 from Moffat, which are also
stages, and have post offices. Through the latter village, a
diligence passes from Dumfries to Edinburgh, 3 times a-week,
which renders travelling from this part of the country, to
Edinburgh and Glasgow, very easy and convenient. The parish
is distant from Edinburgh about %• miles, and nearly an
equal distance from Glasgow.
Proprietors and
Rent. —There are six heritors in the parish, but but only
one of them resides, viz. Sir William Jardine of Applegarth,
Bart, who has the most considerable property in it. The
valued rent is 6725 merks. The real rent is estimated at
between agcol. and 30031. Sterling; but the proprietors are
not all willing to disclose the amount of their rents.
Population. —
The number of inhabitants, in the parish, have greatly
decreased within the last 15 years, owing to the proprietors
of the lands, having conjoined a number of small farms
together, and let them to one tenant. The males and females
born in the parish are nearly equal. For the space of 1J
years, there has been only eight more males born than
females. This, however, cannot be exactly ascertained, for
the Seceders seldom enter the names of their children in the
register. The following table exhibits the ancient and
present state of the population :
Population Table of the
Parish of Applegarth
Church, Etc—The
manse is an old house, built upwards of 60 years ago. The
church is situated near the river Annan, and was built about
30 years ago. It is large and well built, and sufficient, at
present, to contain the whole inhabitants of the parish. It
has a large jam, very commodious for dispensing the
Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, which, in some of the
neighbouring parishes, for want of room in the churches, is
dispensed in the fields. The stipend has been, for upwards
of 60 years, 72 1. Sterling, including Communion Elements ;
but the Lords of Council and Session have lately been
pleased to grant an augmentation of 4 chalders of victual, 2
of them meal, and 2 of them ,bear, which will now make the
stipend 100 guineas a-year, or better. The glebe is very
small, only consisting of between 5 and 6 acres.
It is generally
supposed, that there have been 2 parishes annexed to
Applegarth, viz. Sibbaldbie and Dinwoodie. It is not
certain, however, whether Dinwoodie was ever a distinct
parish or not. It appears rather to have been a Chapel of
Ease to Applegarth. Sibbaldbie has been a distinct parish ;
and, some of the old people, now living, remember to have
seen the church standing, of which there are still some
vestiges. The minister of Applegarth was use use to
officiate occasionally at Sibbaldbie, The Marquis of
Annandale claims the patronage of Sibbaldbie. Sir William
Jardine is patron of Applegarth, and claims also the
patronage of Sibbaldbie.
Schools and
Poor. — There are 2 school-houses lately built in the
parish, at the expense of the heritors, who have voluntary
assessed themselves with the payment of 5 1. Sterling
annually, to one of the schoolmasters, and 3 1. 6 s. 8 d. to
the other. There are about 10 or 12 persons in the parish on
the poor's list, who occasionally get a small supply from
the collections made in the church ; and, there is a
mortification of 3 1. 6 s. 8 d. granted by the family of
Applegarth, which, by the deed of mortification, is to be
distributed at the sight, and by by the advice of the
Kirk-Session, amongst the poor in the "barony of Applegarth,
and nine merit land of Sibbaldbie; which is that part of the
old parish of Sibbaldbie, that belongs to the estate of
Applegarth.
Fuel and Mills
- The common fuel is peats, the procuring of which occasions
a very great labour for the people, during the whole of
summer ; and, in wet seasons, the inhabitants are greatly
distressed for want of fuel in winter. There are 3 corn
mills in the .parish, a barley and lint mill were lately
built on the water of Dryfe, and another lint mill is now
building on the water of Annan.
Cattle and
produce - There are only 2 or 3 sheep farms in the parish.
The number of sheep does not exceed 1800 or 2000. There are
about 1501; black cattle, 150 horses, and 60 ploughs. The
farmers, in general, are in tolerable good circumstances ;
and, from the high prices of black cattle, (the crops also
being good after liming, and oats, meal and barley, giving a
good price,) they are now better able to pay their rents,
than they were some years ago, though the rents have been
raised considerably. The average price of barley is from 3
s. 6 d. to 3 s., the Winchester bushel; of oats 2 s. or 1 s.
6 d. •end oat meal 1 s. 8d.'or 1 s. pd. per stone. • These
are the staple commodities by which many of the tenants pay
their rents. A considerable number of black cattle also are
reared in the parish; and these, when about a year and a
half olJ, are sold for about 11. 10 s. or 3 1. each.
Cultivation—Several of the farmers are now getting into a
better mode of managing their farms, by summer fallowing, by
sowing turnips, piloting cabbages, and other green crops
after which they sow barley with grass seeds. It is not long
since the sowing of barley was introduced into the parish.
Bear, which still mostly prevails, was universally sown. Few
of the farms are inclosed. It would be a very great
improvement to this part of the country, and of advantage to
the farmers, if their farms were all inclosed, and
subdivided with dykes, and hedges. The hedges would thrive
exceedingly well, as the foil, in general, is good, and
where they have been planted, they have thriven well.
Miscellaneous
Observations. — The farmers and the parishioners in general,
are laborious and industrious, and commonly very healthy.
Fevers, or any epidemical disorders, seldom prevail in the
parish, except the small pox, which carries off several of
the children. Most of the country people still entertain
strong prejudices against inoculation, though not so great
as formerly ; for several have been lately prevailed on to
get their children inoculated, and these instances have
always been attended with remarkable success. — Many of the
natives live to a good age. There were, some time ago, in
the church, in one day, three old men, whose ages amounted
to 270. Several of them live to the age of 80 or 90, but few
or none to 100. — There are no villages in the parish, nor
manufactures of any kind carried on, except by a few
weavers, •who are chiefly employed by the inhabitants.
