[Vol. XI, pages 430–434.]

(County and Presbytery of Ayr, Synod of Glasgow and Ayr.)

Drawn up from the Communications of the late Rev. Mr John Dun, Minister of that Parish. [1]

Name, and Extent

Auchinleck is a Celtic compound, signifying the Field of Rock, an appellation indicative of its situation, the houses at the extremities being founded on rock, and rocks appearing in most places in the parish, chiefly of the species called Free–stone.  The length of this district is about 18, and the breadth, on an average, 2 English miles.

Soil and Produce

Except upon the rocks, and the banks of the streams, which are warm rich land, the soil is a shallow, [431] poor clay, upon a cold till bottom.  Glenmore, in the upper part of the parish, extending 8 miles in length, is covered with heath.  The clay soil prevents the practice of turnip crops, and winter feeding for cattle; and has occasioned several arable farms to be let for grazing.  No wheat is now sown, except by the Earl of Dumfries; oats, big, or bear, barley, clover, and rye–grass, are much cultivated, but pease do not thrive well.  Lime is used as a manure on all the farms.

Climate, Mineral Waters, Fish, etc

The ridges of hills to the N and S of this parish, attracting the clouds coming from the Atlantic, prevent so much rain falling here as in other parishes.  There are two mineral wells, the one a chalybeate, and the other of a purgative quality.  Salmon come up the waters of Ayr and Lugar.  Trouts, which formerly used to abound in the Lugar, are now become scarce, owing to their being caught with nets, and salted like herrings.  Pike come into the Lugar from New Cumnock Lochs.

Minerals

On the estate of Auchinleck, there is an excellent coal, wrought from time immemorial.  For 13 or 14 miles above the church, coal is to be found almost every where, and is wrought wherever any demand prevails.  Above the coal, on the rocky banks of the Lugar, there is a beautiful bluish free stone, fine in the grain, which cuts well; and at Bell's Park, there is a lead mine, which has never been wrought, and is said by a skilful person to look rather like a silver mine.  On the lands of Wallace–town there is a quarry of black fire–proof stone, carried far and near for building ovens.

[432]

Statistical Table of the Parish of Auchinleck

 

 

Markets, Roads, Village, etc

On the last Tuesday of August there is a well frequented fair for the sale of lambs.  About 1770, the roads were almost impassable in winter; but now three turnpike roads pass through the parish.  The village of Auchinleck has for these two or three years past been on the decline, owing, in some measure, to the Muirkirk Iron and Coal Tar Works, but more especially to the Cotton mill at Catrine, which have attracted inhabitants from this parish.

[433]

Ecclesiastical State

The church of Auchinleck, placed in a beautiful situation, and founded on a rock, was repaired and enlarged in 1754.  The stipend, including communion elements, is no more than £50 3s 11½d Sterling in money, two chalders of meal, and one of bear, the latter common heap measure, or 15 pecks to the bushel; being the same that was settled by decreet in 1649, since which period no augmentation has taken place, though all the other parishes in the neighbourhood have had their stipends increased.  The manse, one of the most commodious neat small houses to be met with, was built in 1756.  The glebe contains 6 acres.  James Boswell, Esq. of Auchinleck, a well known literary character, is patron and principal heritor.

Rent, Poor's Fund, etc

The valued rent of the parish is £3800 Scotch, divided among 13 heritors, of whom 5 usually reside in the parish.  The capital of the poor's fund, which in 1752 amounted to £50, is now augmented to £100 lent out at the annual interest of 4 and 5 per cent.  The collections, which, from 1740 to 1751, were, at an average, £6 6s yearly, [3] have for 20 years preceding 1791, amounted to £18 per annum.  The kirk–session annually distributes £6 arising from the money received for the hire of the mortcloths, for the dues payable on marriages and baptisms, and the interest of the before-mentioned capital of £100. [4]   The [434] two principal heritors, the Earl of Dumfries and Mr Boswell of Auchinleck, have never refued the late incumbent money for the relief of the poor when necessary.

Antiquities and Remarkable Places, etc

In an angle, formed by the Lugar and the Dupol burn, there are the remains of the old Castle of Auchinleck, of whose age there is not the smallest account to be found.  Near this castle there are three remarkably straight and tall fir trees, planted in the last century by one of the Boswells of Auchinleck, who brought the plants in his boot from Dalziel near Hamilton.  Next the castle, lies the Place of Auchinleck, in a romantically pleasant situation; and about half a mile from thence, the House of Auchinleck, built by the late worthy Lord Auchinleck.  Ayr's Moss, in this parish, is famour for a defeat of a party of the Covenanters in Charles II's time.  On a green know therein, is a tomb–stone to the memory of Mr Richard Cameron, preacher of the gospel, and seven others, killed in the engagement.  At the head of this moss, which extends 5 miles in length, and 1 in breadth, there are the remains of an iron forge, erected at a great expence by a Lord Cathcart, but suddenly given up, even when bar iron was manufactured there.