Balmaghie (Gael. ` town of Macghie,), a parish of central Kirkcudbrightshire, which contains near its south-eastern boundary the Bridge of Dee station on the Glasgow and South-Western, 7½ miles NNE of Kirkundbright, and 3 SW of Castle-Donglas; and which is also accessible from Crossmichael, Parton, and New Galloway stations, lying just beyond its north-eastern and northern border. In it are the post office hamlets of Glenlochar and Laurieston, respectively 3 miles NW and 6 WNW of their post-town Castle-Donglas; and further westward is Lochenbreck Spa, 4 miles S by W of New Galloway station. Balmaghie is bounded N by Kells, NE by Parton, E by Crossmichael, SE by Kelton, S by Tongland and Twynholm, and W by Girthon. Its greatest length from E to W is 7¼ miles; its width from N to S varies between 4½ and 5½ miles; and its area is 21,824 acres, of which 755½ are water. Grobdale Lane or Airie Burn traces the western border to the Dee, which, following the northern, passes through Stroan Loch, and 3 miles lower down receives the Ken. A capital salmon and trout river, the Dee thence sweeps round the north - eastern, eastern, and south - eastern boundary, widening at intervals to 2 or 3½ furlongs, and wearing there the aspect of a lake- Bargatton Loch (3¼ x 2½ furl.) lies on the Tongland border; and sheets of water in the interior are Glentoo Loch (4 x 2¾ furl.), Dornell Loch (3 x 2), Blates Loch (2½ x 1½), Grenoch or Woodhall Loch (1½ mile x 1 to 2 furl.), and Lochenbreck Loch (2¾ x 2 furl.)-all of them yielding tolerable sport, and all communicating with the Dee by burns. Level and fertile in the SE, with pastures and well-tilled fields, the surface has a general westward rise from Glenlochar Bridge (150 feet above sea-level) to Kenick or Hill of Health (862 feet), Loch Hill (900), and Airie (900); but though nearly three-fourths of it are hilly waste-boulder-strewn heath or moss,-it nowhere attains 1000 feet of elevation. The antiquities include the supposed site of a Roman camp, near Hensol; Dunnance Moat, 1 mile SW of Laurieston; and the noble ruins of Threave Castle, on an islet in the Dee, 1½ mile W of Castle-Donglas. Mansions are Hensol or Duchrae (R- Cunninghame) in the N; Woodhall (W. K- Laurie), near Laurieston, an old-fashioned house, with finely-planted park; and Balmaghie (G. Hutchison), a good modern residence standing on an estate that is said to have been acquired by an Irish chieftain, M `Ghie, whose descendants obtained charters from James IV-, V., and VI- At present 6 landowners hold each an annual value of £500 and upwards, 9 between £100 and £500,1 between £50 and £100, and 3 between £20 and £50. Balmaghie is in the presbytery of Kirkcudbright and synod of Galloway; its minister's income is £384. The parish church, a picturesque building (1794), with tiny spire and 360 sittings, is situated on the Dee, opposite Crossmichael, and 3½ miles NNW of Castle-Douglas. Two David Hallidays, shot for adherence to the Covenant (1685), rest in the graveyard; a former minister was the Rev. John MacMillan (1669-1753), who founded the Reformed Presbyterian Church, and from whom a section of the Cameronians have sometimes been called MacMillanites. There is also a Free church; and 3 schools were open in 1879-at Glenlochar, Laurieston, and Bridge of Dee (Christ. Knowledge Society's). These had then respective accommodation for 60,120, and 65 children; an average attendance of 55,42, and 36; and grants of £57,6s. 6d-, £35,1s-, and £13,14s. 6d. Valuation (1881) £11,919,17s. 4d- Pop- (1831) 1416, (1871) 1085, (1881) 922.—Ord. Sur., sh. 5,1857.
Note: This text has been made available using a process of scanning and
optical character recognition. Despite manual checking, some typographical
errors may remain. Please remember this description dates from
the 1880s; names may have changed, administrative divisions will certainly be
different and there are known to be occasional errors of fact in the original
text, which we have not corrected because we wish to maintain its integrity.
This information is provided subject to our standard disclaimer
