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Galston
GALSTON, a parish in the north-east corner of
the district of
Kyle, Ayrshire. It is bounded on the north by Irvine water,
which divides it from the parishes of Kilmarnock and Loudon in
the district of Cunningham; on the east by Avon water, which
divides it from the parish of Avondale in Lanarkshire; on the
south by the parishes of Sorn and Mauchline; and on the west by
Cessnock water, which divides it from the parishes of Riccarton
and Craigie. In extreme length, from east to west, it measures
from 12 to 13 miles; and in extreme breadth, from north to
south, 4½ miles; but it is extremely irregular in outline, and
contains scarcely 23 square miles of superficial area. The
surface differs widely in the several districts; but, on the
whole, is a level variegated with considerable hills. The most
upland portion is the eastern and southeastern; and there it is,
for the most part, dingily carpeted with heath, moorland, and
moss. Along the banks of the Irvine, over nearly the whole
length of the parish, is a stripe of plain, covered with rich
alluvium, and delightfully fertile and well-cultivated. South of
this plain, over a distance of 2½ miles, a very wide belt of
forest stretches east and west, and, along with lesser belts and
clusters in other localities, occupies about 1,000 acres. About
two-thirds of the whole parish are arable, and about four-tenths
are pastoral or mossy. There are few places in the county in
which improvement has made such rapid progress as Galston moor.
About 30 years ago, the whole presented a bleak and sterile
appearance; but by the judicious and enterprising spirit of the
late Nicol Brown, Esq. of Lanfine, the aspect of the whole is
changed: well-constructed farm-steadings, regular hedge-rows, and
healthful plantations now give beauty and life to the scene; and
the ground that was once unproductive is now bringing forth
abundantly. Brunt-wood-loch, in the south-west extremity,
formerly the resort of wild docks and swans, has recently been
rifled of its ornithological wealth by agricultural
improvement, and made to contribute its bed for the growth of the
fruits of the earth. Loch Gait, at the eastern extremity, once
a sheet of deep water, abounding in trouts and very large eels,
and the chief source of the Water of Avon, which gives name to
the district of Avondale in Lanarkshire, has now, by some strange
process, become transmuted into a pitiful marsh. A
considerable proportion of the hills and rising grounds of the
parish terminate in whinstone summits. The highest elevations are
Distinct-Horn and Molmont-hill, both in the eastern division,
which rise respectively 1,100 and 1,000 feet above the level of
the sea. Molmont-hill is arable to the top, and commands an
extensive and delightful prospect. A spectator, standing on
its summit, looks immediately down on the windings of the Irvine,
the thriving town of Galston, and the ancient seats of Cessnock
tower and Loudon castle, with their extensive woods and
ornamented demesnes; he surveys, in the distinct tints and
perfect shadings and perspective of Nature's own painting, all
Cunningham, most of Kyle, and a great part of Carrick; he sees,
right before him, across the glittering frith of Clyde, the huge
barometer of Ayrshire, the mystic-looking island of Arran,
shrouded at times, and at times gorgeous and brilliant in its
cloudy drapery; and he even obtains, on a clear day, a far-off
and almost mysterious view of the apparently sinking coast of
Ireland. The climate of the parish, though moist, is not
unhealthy; a frequent prevalence of high winds, operating, it is
believed, to prevent insalubrious effects from very frequent
falls of rain. About 90 years ago all the fuel used in the
parish was peats from Galston moor, excepting a few coals,
brought, in sacks on horses' backs, along almost impassable
roads, from Caprington near Kilmarnock. But now, though the
operations are greatly hindered by the prevalence of "dikes,"
coalmines are extensively worked in the western district from the
coal-field of Ayrshire, the dip of whose strata here is
north-west. On Molmont-hill agate and chalcedony frequently
occur, though seldom of a character to be cut into gems; and at
its west base, in the channel of Burn-Anne, is found the
beautiful stone called the Galston pebble. On the summit of
the same hill are remains of a Druidical circle, great part of
which has been destroyed, originally about 60 feet in diameter.
At Claymore, half-a-century ago, an urn was dug up containing
several ancient coins; at Waterhaughs twenty-two silver coins
were discovered; and, in 1831, in the eastern part of the parish,
a coin was found of Cæsar Augustus. At a place called Beg
above Allanton are rude traces of an extensive Roman camp, where
the patriot Wallace, with only fifty followers, obtained a
complete victory over an English officer of the name of Fenwick
at the head of 200 men. Wallace had several places of retirement
in the uplands on the eastern verge of the parish, and in those
of the conterminous parish of Loudon; and has bequeathed to a
hill in the former, and a hollow glen in the latter, the names
respectively of Wallace-hill and Wallace-gill. Excellent
turnpikes and good parish roads traverse Galston in various
directions to the aggregate extent of about 80 miles. Its western
division, in particular, is cut from north to south by the
turnpike between Glasgow and Dumfries. Population, in 1801,
2,139; in 1831, 3,655. Houses 417. Assessed property, in
1815, £9,038. - Galston is in the presbytery of Ayr,
and synod of Glasgow and Ayr. Patron, the Duke of Portland.
Stipend £178 16s.; glebe £15. Unappropriated teinds £178 16s. The
parish-church was built in 1808. Sittings 1,028. A United
Secession congregation, established about the year 1786, has a
place of worship which was built in 1797. Sittings 547. Stipend
£104, with a manse and garden. Salary of the
parochial-schoolmaster £34 4s. 44d., with about £45 fees and £10
other emoluments. Maximum attendance at the parish-school 131.
There are four schools non-parochial attended by a maximum of 316
scholars. In three of them Latin is taught, besides more ordinary
departments. The late Charles Blair, Esq., left the whole of his
property for the establishment of a free school in Galston: to be
brought into operation so soon as the property should realize
£200 per annum. Such being now the annual rental of the property,
the trustees erected a structure at once massive and elegant. The
dwelling of the teacher is in the lower flat, the school-room
above. The salary of the teacher is, according to the will, £40
per annum; but the trustees are enabled, without any violation of
either the letter or spirit of the will, to make it £60 per
annum. — The church of Galston was anciently dedicated to St.
Peter; and, in 1252, it was granted to the convent of Red friars
at Faile, and continued in their possession till the Reformation.
Before 1471, a chapel was founded in Galston, and dedicated to
the Virgin Mary; and it was upheld by an endowment for the
support of a chaplain. In 1578, the property of the chapel
belonged, in right of its patronage, to Campbell of Cessnock.
The town of Galston stands on the left bank of the Irvine, at the
point where it receives the waters of Burn-Anne; 5 miles from
Kilmarnock; 14 from Cumnock; 16 from Ayr; and 22 from Glasgow. It
occupies a low and sheltered site, surrounded on all sides by
gentle rising grounds, is overhung on the north by the wooded
"banks and braes" of Loudon, and altogether has a very pleasing
appearance, and exerts a considerable local influence in the
midst of an opulent and productive district. A fine stone-bridge
of three arches communicates between it and the northern bank of
the Irvine. Loudon castle lifts its magnificent castellated pile
into view, from amidst a rich embowering of woods, about a mile
to the north. In the town are the parish-church and the United
Secession meeting-house, the former ornamented with a spire and
clock; 4 corn-mills, 1 lint-mill, 1 paper-mill, and 2 saw-mills.
But the chief occupation of the inhabitants is cotton-weaving.
The principal manufacture, during the years of the hamlet-history
of the place, was shoes for the merchants of Kilmarnock or for
exportation. But when, in dependency on Paisley and Glasgow, the
weaving of lawn and gauze was introduced, it somewhat suddenly
expanded the bulk of the hamlet, gradually swelled it into a
small town, and, for a long period, gave it a healthy and
athletic aspect. The first loom for light work was set up in
1787; but so early as 1792 the number of looms was about 40, and
in 1828 it had increased to 400. In 1799 the population was 455;
in 1792 it was 573; and in 1831 it had increased to 1,891. But
though, subsequently to the last date, population continued to
increase, weaving had begun to receive such a check that, between
1828 and 1838, the number of looms was reduced from 460 to 423.
Galston has four annual fairs; only two of which are of any
importance, held respectively on the third thursday of April, and
the first Thursday of December. A statecoach passes through, and
affords opportunities of easy communication with Ayr, Edinburgh,
and places intermediate. Another stage-coach, which traverses the
parish not far from the town, maintains communication with
Glasgow and Dumfries, and, through the latter, with Carlisle and
London. One carrier travels six days a-week to Kilmarnock; and
two travel twice a-week to Glasgow. Near the town is the 'Patie's
mill' of song; and 3 miles distant, farther up the Irvine, is the
large village or little town of Newmills, partly in Galston
parish, but chiefly in that of Loudon : See NEWMILLS. — "The
number of persons," say the commissioners on municipal
corporations, "who reside in the village of Galston, whose rents
in property or tenantry amount to £10 and upwards, is 43; of
those whose rents are above
£5 and under £10, the number is 113. - The inhabitants, feeling
the want of a magistracy in the village, made application, a few
years ago, to the baron-bailie appointed by his Grace the Duke of
Portland, the superior of the village, to delegate his powers to
two persons in the village. The application was granted, and two
persons named out of a leet fixed upon by the inhabitants. In
addition to the two bailies there are 12 councillors, one-half of
whom retire annually; their places are supplied by the election
of the householders, who meet and vote by signed lists. There are
no customs or assessments levied. The bailies impose small fines
for assaults or disorderly conduct tending to a breach of the
peace, and, failing payment, cause the delinquents to be
imprisoned for a short time in a place of confinement which they
have. The bailies represent that they are destitute of any real
authority, and are in doubt as to the extent to which they are
entitled to carry the little they possess."
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