Old Cumnock

[Vol. VI, pages 407-416.]

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

By the Rev. Thomas Miller D.D.

Soil, Climate, etc.

The parish of Old Cumnock, from which that of New Cumnock was disjoined early in this century is of an oblong figure, partly flat, and partly hilly.  The soil in general is clayey, and at the bottom, a strong till.  Part of it mossy; all the holms are of a light dry soil, formed of sand and gravel.  The air in general, as through all this higher part of the country, is moist, but not unhealthy, as may be collected from the number of aged persons, and from there being no prevalent distempers.  An aversion to inoculation prevails here, and has not yet been removed by all the pains made use of; in consequence of this the small-pox occasionally makes havock among the children.  But this must gradually lessen, as inoculation gains ground, though slowly, every year.

[408] We have several mineral springs, chiefly chalybeate, and many rivulets, all running into the water of Luggar, a stream which empties itself into the river of Air near Barskimming.  This stream abounds in trout, and some eels are found in it.  On the confines of the parish, are three lochs or lakes, which may cover in all about 100 acres of land.  Their depth is unknown, and they communicate [with] each other.  The water of the eastern one runs into Nith, while the western loch runs into the water of Luggar.  The fish in these lochs are pike and eel.

Hills and Minerals

The hills, (for the parish has no mountains), though partly covered with heath, are chiefly green, and abounding in a coarse species of grass callet sprit.  There are several volcanic appearances in them, on which are found stones of the Basaltic species; also a few figured stones; and in the beds of the rivulets, petrifactions of shells and fish are thrown up from the strata.  These alre also found in an extensive lime quarry, belonging to the Earl of Dumfries, and one of its upper beds abounds with a species of coral.  The lamina of lime stone in this quarry are of different qualities, and the lime stone in some places, being mixed with shells and spar, takes a very fine polish, and would make a pretty enough blue marble.  Through this quarry, there runs a small vein of lead ore.  This upon a late trial, being dressed and smelted at the works of Wanlockhead, was found to produce 65 lb of lead from 100 cwt of ore.  Free stone abounds in different parts of the parish, and particularly in the vicinity of the village.  The quarries are of easy access, and supply materials of the best kind for building.  Many houses have been rebuilt, and a good many new houses have been lately erected from the quarries, in the village and vicinity.  Coal is still more plentiful.  A considerable part of the parish is supposed to stand upon it.  One of [the] mines has been worked for more than 30 or 40 years.  [409] And there are other mines now opening in the immediate neighbourhood of the village.  The consumpt, though pretty general, is however inconsiderable.  What is used by the villagers and round the country excepted, it is principally consumed in burning lime stone.  Of this, as above said, there is an inexhaustible quantity in the parish.  The present price of coals is as nearly as can be guessed, 2s 6d per ton.  The lime in shells 2½d per bushel, five of which are equal to eight Winchester bolls.  And the lime stone, unburnt, 1s 8d and 2s per ton.  All at the coal hills, lime post and kilns; consequently exclusive of the expence of leading.  The Earl of Dumfries has also in this parish a blind coal, which he attempted to export to Ireland.  But the expence of a land carriage of about 16 miles to the port of Air, obliged him for the time to relinquish the design.

Statistical Table

The increase of 327 since anno 1765 is the more remarkable, because, if the numerous small farms now under grass, and let only from year to year, were let upon leases of 19 years, this circumstance would make a very considerable addition to the number of souls, proportionably heighten the general population, and shew how much, as with reason has been [412] supposed, it is upon the increase.  The lists of births, deaths and marriages, in the table, are taken from the parish registers, which, though kept with care, cannot be depended upon; owing to the obstinacy and ignorance of the people, and their aversion to have the births and deaths in their families duly inserted.  The general average of births is supposed to amount to 51 annually, which is as 1 to 32 of the whole population.  As to the average of deaths, for the reason above given, this cannot be ascertained, nor can the incumbent obtain means of ascertaining them with any accuracy.  Of the twin births mentioned in the table, three happened anno 1790 when there was an uncommon number of such births in this, and in other countries.  A fact remarked at the time, but never attempted to be accounted for.  The people, particularly those in the manufacturing line, and women servants, emigrate to Glasgow, Paisley, and Kilmarnock.  But these emigrants have not materially affected the general population, to which the Earl of Dumfries, by the number of labourers he employs, gives all imaginable encouragement. [1]

Produce, etc.

The greater part of Lord Dumfries's lands which form the bulk of this parish, are presently out of leases, and let from year to year in grass.  But is the arable ground [413] was under culture, notwithstanding the slovenly mode of agriculture too generally followed, it is apprehended the parish could not only supply itself with provisions, which for the most part it is supposed to do, at present, byt night furnish considerable quantities of meal, as it now does, of butter and cheese, and occasionally some barley (big), to the great works of Muirkirk and Catrin, both which are in its neighbourhood; the former at 10, and the latter at 5 miles distance.  In most years the inhabitants bring meal from Dumfries-shire, and pot barley from Lothian.  Part is consumed in the parish, and aprt is carried to the above mentioned works at Catrin and Muirkirk.  Flax was of late only cultivated in this parish, and there are now lint mills all over the country.  Its culture in consequence was increasing, but has of late been checked by the prevalent taste for, and use of cottons.  Few grass seeds are sown, except by the gentlemen who have the property and reside in the parish, who may have a few hundred acres under sown grass.  For the reason already mentioned, the bulk of arable land is under pasture.  Peas and oats are sown in March and April, and big in May, and reaped in September and October.  The crop most attended to is potatoes, of which the people all over the country make great use.  There are varieties of marble and clays.  One porcelain, ochre, etc as reported from an actual survey lately made.  The wetness of the climate is one of the chief disadvantages.  The distance from markets is now happily removed by the works of Muirkirk and Catrin; the influence of which on this country in general, the parish shares in. [2]

[414]

Ecclesiastical State, and Poor

The patronage of the parish is in the Earl of Dumfries.  The value of the living including the glebe does not amount to £100.  The church was built in 1754, and the manse about 1750.  The heritors are 6 in number, of the whom 4 reside in the parish.

The poor are supported in part from the interest of the capital belonging to them, and partly from the Sundays contributions, which are greatly aided by the liberality of the family of Dumfries, who regularly attend divine service, and are yet more liberal in their private charities to poor house-keepers.  Of these an obscure and sequestered individual could speak, did he not know, that there are still those who “do good by stealth and blush to find it fame.”  There is also here a charitable fund established about three years ago, under the name of the “Cumnock Social Depositary”, which already amounts to £170, and which promises to increase and to be of proportional service to the sick labourer, manufacturer, etc. who become members of it.  Institutions of this kind are gaining ground; and if encouraged, as they ought to be by landed interest, and carefully managed, must prove the means of lessening the parochial poor, and preventing the introduction of a poor's rate, of which the English so justly complain. [3]

[415]

Miscellaneous Observations

In the parish lies the village of Cumnock at the confluence of the stream of Glisnock, and the water of Luggar.  It gives the title of baron to the family of Dumfries.  The great roads from Air to Dumfries, from Air by Muirkirk to Edinburgh, from Glasgow by Galston, and Sorn to Dumfries, and from Glasgow by Kilmarnock to Dumfries, pass through this village.  It is distant from Edinburgh 58, from Glasgow 36, from Dumfries 45, from Air 16, and from Kilmarnock 16 miles,  Besides the advantage of the public roads, the parish is greatly benefited by many cross roads, running in different directions, to the extent of ten or twelve miles, which the Earl of Dumfries has made at his own private expence for the conveniency of his coal, lime, etc. and while they serve these works they greatly benefit the parish and country in general. [4]

[416]

The people in general are above the middle size.  The manufactures in the village are weaving, shoemaking, tanning, dying, etc.  The manufacturers and tenantry in general have little or no stock worth mentioning; they are in consequence moderate in their expences, strangers to luxury, but with the country in general, acquiring a taste for dress, which, will probably in time be an incitement to their becoming more industrious.  At present the great body that make up the inhabitants of the parish may be said to enjoy freedom to work or to be idle; strangers in general to intemperance, their living is chiefly supplied by the dairy; the manufacturers excepted, who with a few others, may be said to be better acquainted with a meat diet and with the use of beer; which it were to be wished, could be substituted for the prevalent use of spirituous liquors.  Education is little valued.  And next to the occupations peculiar to their several lines of life, their leading object, is to converse and dispute about religious subjects and church government, concerning which there is a considerable diversity of opinion amongst them.  When time shall have softened down the keenness and pertinacity generated by this diversity of religious opinions, when it shall have rendered them tolerant and forbearing towards those they differ from, there will be wanting only a general spirit of industry to meliorate their condition, and to furnish them with the real and solid comforts of life.