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Troqueer was a parish on the west side of the River Nith and located in the former county of Kirkcudbrightshire. Both county and parish ceased to exist following the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1974. The parish had an area of 47.3km2 (18.2 sq. miles). and had 4 neighbouring parishes: Lochrutton, New Abbey and Terregles in Kirkcudbrightshire, and Dumfries in Dumfriesshire. In 1929 the northeastern part of the parish, basically Maxwelltown, was annexed by its neighbour on the other side of the Nith, the town of Dumfries. See the map in the Gazetteer for Scotland for the precise area that was annexed. The part of the parish remaining in Kirkcudbrightshire included the following settlements: Cargen, Cargenbridge, Gillfoot, Islesteps, and Kingholm Quay. For a complete list, including single houses, see "Named Places in Troqueer". All of Troqueer is now located in the Dumfries and Galloway Council Area, some 13 miles (21 km) southwest of Lockerbie and 13 miles (21 km) northeast of Castle Douglas.
[edit] Location
Troqueer lies on the west side of the Nith, and was originally in Kirkcudbrightshire.[1] The parish has an area of including the former burgh of Maxwelltown in the northeastern portion.[2] It is about from north to south and from east to west, and is bordered on the east by the Nith. An 1846 account said the parish included some woodland and plantations, but was mainly arable, meadow, and pasture. It went on: "The surface is intersected by three nearly equidistant and parallel ranges of heights, the first of which, rising gradually from the river, has been long in a high state of cultivation, and contains several nursery grounds and gardens of great fertility. The valley between it and the second ridge is also fruitful, and is watered by the Cargen, which flows into the Nith. The second ridge, of greater elevation, produces excellent crops of turnips and potatoes, with wheat, barley, and oats; and the interval between it and the third ridge is partly good meadow land, but chiefly moss, which might at a moderate expense be brought into tillage. The third ridge, and the highest, extends through the whole length of the parish; it is arable on the acclivities nearly to the summit, and though less fertile than the others, yields remunerating crops. The Nith, of which the water is beautifully limpid, abounds with salmon, grilse, and herlings, even beyond what is necessary for the supply of the surrounding district. The plantations consist of oak, ash, elm, and other foresttrees, with fir and larch; they are carefully managed, and in a flourishing condition".[3] [edit] History
There are two scheduled monuments in the parish: Pict's Knowe and Curriestanes cursus. In the 12th century Alan filius Roland, constable of Scotland, built an earthwork motte and bailey fortress, the Mote of Troqueer, against the banks of the Nith. In the early 13th century the fortress was held by Durand filius Christin. Part of the flat-topped motte survives, but some of the motte is now covered by the suburbs, and the position of the bailey has been lost. John Blackadder, the eminent Covenanter, was ordained minister of the Troqueer parish on 7 June 1653 during the time of the Commonwealth. Blackadder was expelled from his parish in 1662 after the restoration of Charles II because he refused to comply with the Episcopacy, which the government had introduced in Scotland. The community around the Troqueer parish church was made a separate burgh of Maxwelltown in 1810, with its own council and court.[1] In 1846 the parish containing 4,351 inhabitants, of whom 3,230 were in the burgh.[3] As of 1887 the parish had a population of 5,524.[2] During the 19th century Maxwelltown grew steadily as it acquired tanneries, a brewery, iron foundries, weaving shops, a brick and tile works, saw mills and the Troqueer and Rosefield Mills. Maxwelltown had become the second largest town in Dumfries and Galloway when it amalgamated with Dumfries on 3 October 1929. [edit] Research Tips[edit] Sources for Old Parish Registers Records, Vital Records and Censuses
[edit] Notes for Kirkcudbrightshire
[edit] Further Sources of ReferencePlease note and respect the copyright warnings on these websites.
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