Transactions Dumfriesshire and Galloway Natural History
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Transactions of the Dumfriesshire and Galloway Natural History and Antiquarian Society LXXXVI 2012 Transactions of the Dumfriesshire and Galloway Natural History and Antiquarian Society FOUNDED 20th NOVEMBER, 1862 THIRD SERIES VOLUME LXXXVI Editors: ELAINE KENNEDY FRANCIS TOOLIS ISSN 0141-1292 2012 DUMFRIES Published by the Council of the Society Office-Bearers 2011-2012 and Fellows of the Society President Dr F Toolis FSA Scot Vice Presidents Mr R Copland, Mrs C Iglehart, Mr A Pallister and Mr D Rose Fellows of the Society Mr A D Anderson, Mr J Chinnock, Mr J H D Gair, Dr J B Wilson, Mr K H Dobie, Mrs E Toolis, Dr D F Devereux, and Mrs M Williams Mr L J Masters and Mr R H McEwen — appointed under Rule 10 Hon. Secretary Mr J L Williams, Merkland, Kirkmahoe, Dumfries DG1 1SY Hon. Membership Secretary Miss H Barrington, 30 Noblehill Avenue, Dumfries DG1 3HR Hon. Treasurer Mr M Cook, Gowan Foot, Robertland, Amisfield, Dumfries DG1 3PB Hon. Librarian Mr R Coleman, 2 Loreburn Park, Dumfries DG1 1LS Hon. Editors Mrs E Kennedy, Nether Carruchan, Troqueer, Dumfries DG2 8LY Dr F Toolis, 25 Dalbeattie Road, Dumfries DG2 7PF Dr J Foster (Webmaster), 21 Maxwell Street, Dumfries DG2 7AP Hon. Syllabus Conveners Mrs J Brann, Trostron, New Abbey, Dumfries DG2 8EF Miss S Ratchford, Tadorna, Hollands Farm Road, Caerlaverock, Dumfries DG1 4RS Hon. Curators Mrs J Turner and Miss S Ratchford Hon. Outings Organiser Mr A Gair Ordinary Members Mrs P G Williams, Mrs A Weighill, Mrs S Honey, Mr J.Mckinnel, Mr D Scott, Dr Jeanette Brock, Dr Jeremy Brock, Mr L Murray CONTENTS The Crichton Royal Institution Gardens: From Inception to 1933 by Jacky Card ..................................................................................................... 1 Notes on the Occurrence and Distribution of Coleoptera in Scotland Associated with the Rev. William Little by Ronald M. Dodson, David Hutchins and E. Geoffrey Hancock .......................................................................................... 17 A Burnt Mound and Wooden Posts on the A75 at Derskelpin Farm, Dergoals, Glenluce, 2010 by Phil Moore and Ian Suddaby ............................................... 37 The Names of Rheged by Andrew Breeze .............................................................. 51 Gaelic in Galloway: Part Two – Contraction by Alistair Livingston ...................... 63 Medieval Woodland Management in Southern Scotland by John M. Gilbert ........ 77 Harestanes of Craigs – A Family Come and Gone by Alex Maxwell Findlater ..... 119 Old Maps and Roads in Nithsdale: With Particular Reference to Durisdeer by Martin Allen .................................................................................................. 129 Corruption, Regionalism and Legal Practice in Eighteenth-Century Scotland: The Rise and Fall of David Armstrong, Advocate by John Finlay ................... 145 Joseph Train, Antiquarianism and the Statistical Accounts of Scotland and Man by Ian Hill .......................................................................................................... 175 The Story of Corncockle Quarry by John Wilson ................................................... 197 Andrew Barrie: Philanthropist and Public Benefactor by James Grierson ............. 203 Addenda Antiquaria The Old Edinburgh Road at Barscobe and Balmaclellan by Alan Pallister and A.D. Anderson ............................................................................................. 209 Reviews Bile ós Chrannaibh: A Festschrift for William Gillies edited by Wilson McLeod, Abigail Bunyeat, Domhnall Uilleam Stiùbhart, Thomas Owen Clancy and Roibeard Ó Maolalaigh. Andrew Breeze .................................................... 211 Nouveaux Riches to Nouveaux Pauvres – the Story of the Macalpine-Lenys by Ian Macalpine-Leny. Rosemary King ........................................................... 213 Obituary Bridget Gerdes (1923–2011) .............................................................................. 216 William F. Prentice (1925–2012) ....................................................................... 218 Proceedings .............................................................................................................. 219 EDITORIAL INFORMATION Contributions are invited on the Natural History, Geology, Antiquities and Archaeology including Industrial Archaeology, of South-West Scotland or the Solway Basin, and preference is always given to original work on local subjects. Intending contributors should, in the first instance, apply to the Editors, giving the nature and approximate size of their paper. Much more information on these Transactions and on the activities of the Society can be found at www.dgnhas.org.uk. Each contributor has seen a proof of his or her paper and neither the Editors nor the Society hold themselves responsible for the accuracy of scientific, historical or personal information in it. Contributors are responsible for obtaining permission to use copyright material in their papers and to acknowledge this where relevant. The Hon. Secretary, Mr John L Williams, Merkland, Kirkmahoe, Dumfries DG1 1SY, Tel: 01387 710274, deals with all matters other than membership which are dealt with by the Hon. Membership Secretary, Miss H Barrington, 30A Noblehill Avenue, Dumfries DG1 3HR, Tel: 01387 256666. Exchanges should be sent to the Editor, Elaine Kennedy, Nether Carruchan, Troqueer, Dumfries DG2 8LY. Exchange volumes are deposited with Dumfries Museum, at which location they may be consulted by members. As public opening hours vary, it is recommended that prior contact be made with Museum staff (telephone 01387 253374) before visiting. Enquiries regarding back numbers of the Transactions - see back cover - should be made to the Hon. Librarian, Mr R. Coleman, 2 Loreburn Park, Dumfries DG1 1LS, Tel: 01387 247297. As many of the back numbers are out of stock, members can greatly assist the finances of the Society by arranging for any volumes that are not required to be handed in. It follows that volumes marked as out of print may nevertheless be available from time to time. All payments, other than subscriptions, should be made to the Hon. Treasurer, Michael Cook, Gowan Foot, Amisfield, Dumfries DG1 3PB. Payment of subscriptions should be made to Miss H Barrington (see above). The latter will be pleased to arrange for subscriptions and/or donations to be treated as Gift Aid under the Finance Acts, which can materially increase the income of the Society without, generally, any additional cost to the member. Important Inheritance Tax and Capital Gains Tax concessions are also conferred on individuals by these Acts, in as much as bequests or transfers of shares or cash to the Society by way of Gift Aid are exempt from these taxes. The Society may make small grants available for excavation or research. Applications should be made prior to 28th February in each year to the Hon. Secretary. Researchers are also reminded of the Mouswald Trust founded by our late President, Dr R.C. Reid, which provides grants for work on certain periods. Enquiries and applications for grants to that Trust should be made to Primrose and Gordon, Solicitors, 92 Irish Street, Dumfries DG1 2PF. The Society may also be able to assist with applications for funding from other sources. The Society is grateful to Historic Scotland for a substantial grant towards publication costs of the report, ‘A Burnt Mound and Wooden Posts on the A75 at Derskelpin Farm, Dergoals, Glenluce, 2010’. Dumfries and Galloway Council are thanked for their annual contribution to the Society. The illustration on the front cover is of the Wamphray cross-slab from the article ‘The Early Church in Dumfriesshire’ by W.G. Collingwood, in Series III Volume XII, (1926) of these Transactions. It is discussed afresh by Prof. Richard Bailey in Whithorn Lecture No. 4 (1996). Copyright Requests for permission to reproduce material from the Transactions should be sent to the Editors, as well as to the author, illustrator, photographer or other creator of content. It is permitted to make single copies of articles for research purposes by an individual and for library reserve or short term loan use. Multiple copies of articles may be made for educational purposes by a non-profit-making institution for use within that institution only. Copies made for all other purposes require the prior consent of DGNHAS and the relevant copyright holders. On-line publication The Council of the Society has taken the decision to upload files of theTransactions onto its website when 5 years have elapsed since publication. This is to alert copyright holders to our intention to make digital versions of their work available on-line. Anyone with concerns about their copyright material being reproduced in this way should contact the Editor. 1 THE CRICHTON ROYAL INSTITUTION GARDENS: FROM INCEPTION TO 1933 Jacky Card1 The Truckell Prize is awarded by the Society for the purposes of both commemorating the late A. E. Truckell and his outstanding contribution to local studies in Dumfries and Galloway, and of forging closer links with the Universities of Glasgow and of the West of Scotland on the Crichton Campus, Dumfries. The Prize is awarded annually for the best original research paper by an undergraduate or postgraduate student from the Crichton Campus on a human or natural history topic relating to the geographical area covered by the three former counties of Dumfriesshire, Kirkcudbrightshire and Wigtownshire. In 2011, the Truckell Prize was won