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Carrick
CARRICK, the southern district of Ayrshire.
It is bounded on the north by Kyle, or Ayr proper; on the east by
Dumfries-shire and the stewartry of Kirkcudbright; on the south by
Wigton; and on the west by the Atlantic ocean. It comprehends the
parishes of Ballantrae, Barr, Colmonell, Dailly, Girvan, Kirkmichael,
Kirkoswald, Maybole, and Straiton, Its extent is about 32 miles in
length, by 20 in breadth; its superficial area may be estimated in
round mumbers at 300,000 acres. Population, in 1831, 25,535. Inhabited
houses 3,845. Its surface is hilly; and the name may have originated
in the Gaelic carraig, 'a rock.' The mountains, especially on the
north-west, seem to be a continuation of that great ridge which,
extending from the confines of England, through the counties of
Selkirk, Peebles, Lanark, and Dumfries, meets the Western ocean
between the districts of Carrick and Kyle. In the valleys between the
hills, and along the sea-shore, are many stripes of level ground of a
fine clay or loamy soil. The chief rivers are the Girvan and the
Stinchar; the Doon forms its eastern boundary. There are several
lakes, and a great part of the country is still covered with natural
wood. — Our old historian, Boece, with his usual fertility of
imagination, has discovered, in this district, a large city totally
unknown to every other historian. Bellenden thus abridges his account,
of it: "In Carrick wes sum time ane riche cieté vnder the same name,
quhais ruynus wallis schawis the gret magnificence thairof." Boece
calls this city Carettoniuin; but acknowledges his hesitation whether
this was the origin of the name Carrick or not. In a manuscript quoted
by Dr.Jamieson, we have the following curious statement:— "No
monuments of batells to be seen in this countrey, except nerr the
villidge of ancient Turneburrey, alonge the coste, betwixt a litell
promontorey and the sea. Ther is 3 werey grate heapes of stonnes,
callid wulgarley the Kernes of Blackinney, being the name of the
village and ground. At the suthermost of thir 3 Cairnes ar ther 13
gret tale [tall] stonnes, standing vpright in a perfyte circkle,
aboute some 3 ells ane distaunt from ane other, with a grate heighe
stonne in the midle, wich (sic) is werily esteemid be the most learned
inhabitants to be the bvriall place of King Caractacus; being most
probable, in so far as Hector Boetius sayes, that the king wes
interrid in Carricke, quherein he remained during the most pairt of
his rainge [reign]; and that from him this countrey wes named Carricke;
and that thir stonnes, his monument, are as yet standing nerr the
toune of Turnberrey, wich wes questionles the ancient Carrictonium.
This same conjecture is so muche the more probable in that, that King
Galdus, that succeedit him, (I meane Carractake,) his buriall place is
yet knawin, within 3 mylles to the tonne of Vigtoune, in Galloway,
which is after the same forme, being 19 stonnes in compas, and 3 in
the midle, wich then hes beine the most honorable forme of buriall,
befor churches and church yairds were designed places of sepulture.
Ther is found and obserued this yeir 1632, within a myle to the castle
of Turnburrey, some sandey landes, newly discouered, wich formerly had
beine ouerblouen. Yet the new discouery reaches, in the ancient
ground, dounwards above ane elle and a halffe, as the ther standinge
knowes cleirly demonstrate, exposing to the beholders numbers of
coffins neatly hewin of five stonnes, with oute couer or bottome,
beinge 7. foote longe, and 3. vyde, all laying east and weste, with an
equall proportione of distance ane from ane vther." Carrick fell into
the hands of the father of Robert Bruce, by his marriage with
Margaret, Countess of Carrick, daughter of Neill, the Earl of Carrick.
See article TURNBERRY. King Robert granted the earldom to his brother
David. It afterwards reverted to the Crown; and the title is still
retained in the royal family, the Prince of Wales, as prince and
steward of Scotland, being born Earl of Carrick. John Steward is not
only designed 'Comes de Carryk,' but the first-born of King Robert II.
This can be no other than that prince who, on his accesion, changed
his name to Robert, and thence obtained the ludicrous soubriquet of
John Fairnyear, i.e. 'John of the last year,' or 'formerly John.'
David, the first-born of this King Robert, is designed 'Comes de
Carric,' A.D. 1397, when, with some others, nominated for settling
disputes about the marches with Richard, "our adversary of England."
This was that unfortunate prince who was afterwards starved to death
by his inhuman uncle, who is named, in the same deed, as one of his
associates, under the designation of 'Robertus Comes de Fyf, Frere du
Roy.' The "lands and barony of Turneberrie" are mentioned as part of
the hereditary property of the Earl of Cassillis, A.D. 1616. The Duke
of Argyle is hereditary keeper of the palace of Carrick, as well as of
those of Dunstaffnage and Dunoon. It may be viewed as a vestige of the
ancient honours of this palace, although now in ruins, that one of the
pursuivants (signiferi) {An officer in the British Colleges of Heralds
who ranks below a herald} employed in making royal proclamations, and
in summoning those accused of treason, bears the name of Carrick.
Among the original Melrose charters are several of the old earls of
Carrick. Their seals bear a winged griffin, but no armorial charge.
There is an interesting one, by 'Margeria, Comitissa de Karrick,' and
her husband, 'R. de Brus, Comes de Karrick.' Both seals are entire,
and identical, - onlythe countess's is a great deal larger than her
lord's. This Bruce's father, the competitor, bore the arms of
Annandale, a saltier, with a chief, plain. Marjory and her husband
bear the saltier and chief; but the latter charged with what might
perhaps be considered as the Carrick griffin, though its wings are
rather scanty, — and it is very like a lion passant.
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