TORTHORWALD - Extract from National Gazetteer, 1868

[Description(s) from The National Gazetteer (1868)]

"TORTHORWALD, a parish in the district of Annandale, county Dumfries, Scotland. It comprises the village of its own name, and those of Collin and Roucan. It extends in length about 6½ miles from S. to N., with a mean breadth of about 1 mile, and is bounded by the parishes of Tinwald, Lochmaben, Mouswald, Caerlaverock, and Dumfries. The greatest elevation is Beacon Hill. The western boundary is traced by Lochar Water, which separates this parish from that of Dumfries. The land is partly arable and partly moorland, but much of Locher Moss has recently been reclaimed. The prevailing rock is graywacke, and marl is abundant. In this parish are traces of two treble-ditched British camps, 90 feet in diameter, and a cairn and Druid stones on the moor. The parish is crossed by the roads from Dumfries to Lochinaben, and from Dumfries to Annan, and by the Glasgow and South-Western railway, which has a station at Racks, near Collin, but which is only used on Dumfries market-days. The village, which is about 4 miles E. of Dumfries, is situated on the river Locher, and on the road from Dumfries to Annan. Many of the occupants are employed in weaving. This parish is in the presbytery and synod of Dumfries. The stipend of the minister is about £240. The parish church was erected in 1782, and enlarged in the years 1791 and 1809. There are parochial schools at Torthorwald and at Collin. Torthorwald gave title of baron to a son of the Regent Morton, of Torthorwald Castle, now in ruins."

"COLLIN, a village in the parish of Torthorwald, in the county of Dumfries, Scotland, 3½ miles E. of Dumfries. It is situated on the road from that town to Annan."

"ROUCAN, a village in the parish of Torthorwald, county Dumfries, Scotland, 4 miles N.E. of Dumfries, and 11 mile N. of Collin, on the road from Dumfries to Lochmaben, on a declivity overlooking Locharmoss."

[Description(s) from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland (1868)
Transcribed by Colin Hinson ©2003]