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KIRKBEAN, Kirkcudbrightshire - Extract from National Gazetteer, 1868

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The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland - 1868

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

"KIRKBEAN, a parish in the county Kirkcudbright, Scotland. It is bounded on the S. and E. by the Solway Frith, and by the parishes of Colvend on the W., and Newabbey on the N. It contains, besides a village of its own name, the villages of Prestonmill and Southerness. It is 5 miles in length by 3¾ in breadth. About one-half of the parish is under tillage, and the soil is generally fertile. It is watered by Southwick-water and the streams of Preston and Kirkbean. The parish is in the presbytery and synod of Dumfries. The minister's stipend is £203. The parish church, built in 1766, had a tower added to it in 1840. There is a Free church, and also a school. The land is chiefly owned by the Stewarts of Southwick, and Balfours of Arbigland. The Cavens Castle and Arbigland House are the chief seats. Granite, sandstone, and limestone, are the prevailing rocks, but the latter only is worked. This is the birth-place of John Paul, otherwise Paul Jones, the navigator. On the borders of this parish is Criffle Mountain, with the ruins of the Castle of Wreaths, formerly the property and occasional residence of the Regent Morton. The length of the coast line is about 10 miles, and in its neighbourhood the tide ebbs and flows with such rapidity as sometimes to upset vessels. On Southerness Point, the most southerly part of the parish, is a lighthouse, and at Carsethorn Bay in the N. is good anchorage. The village of Kirkbean is one of the most beautiful in the S. of Scotland. It is situated about 1 mile from the sea, on the Dumfries road, from which place it is 12 miles."

"CARSETHORN, a village in the parish of Kirkbean, in the county of Kirkcudbright, Scotland, 10 miles to the S. of Dumfries. It is situated on the N. shore of the Solway Frith and has a small harbour, subordinate to the port of Dumfries."

"PRESTON-MILL, a village in the parish of Kirkbean, county Kirkcudbright, Scotland, 12 miles S. of Dumfries. It is situated near the coast of the Solway Frith, and had once a market, of which the old market-cross still remains."

"SOUTHERNESS, a village in the parish of Kirkbean, county Kirkcudbright, Scotland, 11 miles S.E. of Dalbeattie, and 16 S. of Dumfries. It is situated near Southerness Point, on Solway Frith, which has a fixed light in N. latitude 53° 54', and W. longitude 3° 35'. It is 50 feet in height, and visible at 11 miles distance. This village is frequented for bathing during the summer season."

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