description of Dumfries-Newton Stewart-Kirkcudbright in late 1700

[penshurst]

I've searched around the internet for a description of what these towns would have looked like in the late 1700s looking for details such as population employment housing/churches travel photos !!! etc but haven't found anything.

Does that sort of descriptive information exist?

I would like to have a small idea of life in those times other than my idea of what it must have been like.

Can anyone give a few details or references to publications?

Joy

[eilidh]

Hi Joy, a couple of good sites which may help you are;

http://www.old-kirkcudbright.net/genealogy/famsearch.asp

http://www.dumgal.gov.uk/historicalindexes/default.aspx

the following website lists all the old churches and graveyards, very interesting

http://homepages.rootsweb.com/%7Edfsgal/nts.htm

bye

[sheepy450]

Hi Joy
you could also try http://edina.ac.uk/stat-acc-scot/ which has the statistical accounts for Scotland.  You might pick up some interesting background there!
Anna

[Gadget]

The statistical accounts are really good. There's also Mc'erlie's Travels through Western parts (?). Not sure of the title. Difficult to get as it's very old. I had to get Highland Library to photocopy the relevant sections for me. The book was too precious for me to borrow.

I've got a few other things tucked away on my shelves - I'll see if any fit the bill.

Gadget

[Gadget]

Hello again Joy - just been looking on my shelves. It means that I now have empty shelves and lots of books on the floor 
Anyway, here are a few:

P. H McKerlie  The History of the Lands and Their Owners in Galloway (5 vols and very detailed but probably just what you need)

Peter Aitchison and Andrew Cassell  The Lowland Clearances - Scotland's Silent Revolution, 1760-1830
Tom Devine  The Scottish Nation 1700 - 2000
Innes Macleod  Discovering Galloway
James Russell The Book of Galloway: History and Lore, names and Places, Abbey and Antiques, Greater and lesser worthies
Innes macleod (ed) From Auchencairn to the Glencairns and Portpatrick: The Journal of David Gibson 1814 - 1843
Alastair Penpan Stewartry Sketches, More Stewartry Sketches , Some More Stewartry Sketches ( 3 small booklets)
Innes Macleod (ed) The People of Kirkcudbright in 1786 and 1788 - The visitation lists of the Rev Robert Muter (worth a look for names of ancestors!)
Jack Hunter  The Ken Valley (illustrated booklet)
Dumfries Town Centre Partnership  Dumfries Time Traveller - a journey through eigth centuries of history, D & G Libraries


The Statistical accounts referred to above were done in:

1 Old Statistical Account - 1791-1799
2 Statistical Account - 1845

The first is fascinating to read but take with 'pinch of salt' They were descriptions of each parish in a rough format, compiled and submitted by the minister of each parish - it depended what light he wanted to shed on his territory. The later one is more objective.


Gadget

Added:

The Dumfries and Galloway Family History Society:

http://www.dgfhs.org.uk/dgfhs/intro/intro-1.htm

has a good selection of books about the area

I spent a day in Wigtown last time I was down there. It prides itself as being 'the antique book town of Scotland' . So many second hand book shops that they spill out onto the street. I browsed a lot and bought a lot, so came away broke! Some of the shops do an online service. Google Wigtown!