Transactions of the Dumfriesshire and Galloway Natural History and Antiquarian Society LXXX 2006 Transactions of the Dumfriesshire and Galloway Natural History and Antiquarian Society FOUNDED 20th NOVEMBER, 1862 THIRD SERIES VOLUME LXXX Editors: JAMES WILLIAMS, F.S.A.Scot., R. McEWEN ISSN 0141-1292 2006 DUMFRIES Published by the Council of the Society Office-Bearers 2005-2006 and Fellows of the Society President Dr D Devereux Vice Presidents Mr I Cochrane-Dyet, Mr J Neilson, Mr J McKinnell and Mrs M Williams Fellows of the Society Dr J Harper, MBE; Mr J Banks, BSc; Mr A E Truckell, MBE, MA, FMA; Mr A Anderson, BSc; Mr D Adamson, MA; Mr J Chinnock; Mr J H D Gair, MA, JP; Dr J B Wilson, MD; Mr K H Dobie and Mrs E Toolis – as Past Presidents. Mr J Williams and Mr L J Masters, MA – appointed under Rule 10. Hon. Secretary Mr R McEwen, 5 Arthur’s Place, Lockerbie DG11 2EB Tel. (01576) 202101 Hon. Membership Secretary Miss H Barrington, 30A Noblehill Avenue, Dumfries DG1 3HR Hon. Treasurer Mr L Murray, 24 Corberry Park, Dumfries DG2 7NG Hon. Librarian Mr R Coleman, 2 Loreburn Park, Dumfries DG1 1LS Tel. (01387) 247297 Assisted by Mr J Williams, 43 New Abbey Road, Dumfries DG2 7LZ Joint Hon. Editors Mr J Williams and Mr R McEwen Hon. Curators Mrs E Kennedy and Ms S Ratchford, both Dumfries Museum Ordinary Members Mrs J Brann, Mrs A Clark, Mr J Copland, Dr J Foster, Mr A Gair, Dr S Graham, Mr I McClumpha, Mr D Rose, Mr M Taylor, Dr A Terry, Mr J L Williams, Mrs P G Williams. CONTENTS The Former Use of Flight Nets to Capture Wildfowl on the Inner Solway Firth by John Young .................................................................................................... 1 Excavations of a Bronze Age Roundhouse and Associated Palisade Enclosure at Aird Quarry, Castle Kennedy, Dumfries and Galloway by Martin Cook .................................................................................................. 9 The South West Crannog Survey: Recent Work on the Lake Dwellings of Dumfries and Galloway by Jon Henderson, Graeme Cavers and Anne Crone ......................................... 29 Historia Brittonum and Arthur’s Battle of Tribuit by Andrew Breeze .................... 53 The Dumfriesshire Mounts Reconsidered by Timo Wegner ................................... 59 The Mechanics of Overseas Trade: Dumfries and Galloway, 1600-1850 by Dr. Carol Hill ................................................................................................ 81 Planned Villages in Dumfriesshire and Galloway: Location, Form and Function by Lorna J Philip ................................................ 105 Presbyterian Divisions and Edifice Rivalry in Galloway, 1743-1900 by Richard Smith ............................................................................................... 123 Newton Stewart: A 1939 account of the Town and District. A Field-Study Meeting in Galloway, August 1939: The Institute of Sociology, Le Play House by Allan R Williams and Pauline G Williams ........................... 143 Addenda Antiquaria A Microfilm Antiquaria by A E Truckell ........................................................... 165 The ‘Classified Summary’ of the Minutes of the Road Trustees of the Stewartry of Kirkcudbright by Alex D Anderson .................................... 168 Reviews Dorothy L. Sayers in Galloway by Christopher Dean (Innes Macleod) ........... 171 Kirkcudbright Pont-Aven: Artists is Search of Inspiration by David Devereux, John Hudson and Catherine Paget (Ann Shukman) .............. 172 We Will Remember Them – Kirkcudbright’s Sons 1914-18 by Ian Devlin (Alastair Gair) .................................................................................. 173 The Brus Family in England and Scotland 1100-1295 by Ruth Blakely (Marion M Stewart) ................................................................ 174 Obituaries Dr John Bruce Irving ......................................................................................... 176 Dr James Harper ................................................................................................. 176 Proceedings .............................................................................................................. 178 EDITORIAL 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 for ‘Instructions to Contributors’, giving the nature and approximate size of their paper. 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. A copy of the current Rules, dated 13th October 1995, appeared in volume 69. The Hon. Secretary, Mr R. McEwen, 5 Arthur’s Place, Lockerbie DG11 2EB, 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 Hon. Assistant Librarian, Mr J. Williams, St Albans, 43 New Abbey Road, Dumfries DG2 7LZ. Exchange volumes are deposited in the Library of Dumfries Museum at which location they may be freely consulted by members. However, as public opening hours may vary, it is recommended that prior contact be made with Museum staff (phone 01387 253374) before visiting. Enquiries regarding back numbers of Transactions - see rear cover - should be made to the Hon. Librarian, Mr R. Coleman, 2 Loreburn Park, Dumfries DG1 1LS. As many of the back numbers are out of stock, members can greatly assist the finances of the Society by arranging for any volumes which are not required, whether of their own or those of deceased members, 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, Mr L Murray, 24 Corberry Park, Dumfries DG2 7NG. Payment of subscriptions should be made to Miss H Barrington (see above), on behalf of the Hon. Treasurer. 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. Limited grants may be available for excavations or other 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 Council is indebted the following bodies for substantial grants towards publication costs viz McMillan Plant of the Ryanmix Works of Aird Quarry, Stranraer, Castle Kennedy for the paper on the Aird Quarry excavation; Historic Scotland for the paper on The South West Crannog Survey; The Frederick Soddy Trust for the paper on the Field Study Meeting in Galloway and also Dumfries and Galloway Council 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 volume XII, Series III (1926) of these Transactions. It is discussed afresh by Prof. Richard Bailey in Whithorn Lecture No. 4 (1996). 1 THE FORMER USE OF FLIGHT-NETS TO CAPTURE WILDFOWL ON THE INNER SOLWAY FIRTH by John Young “So far as we knew the only way in which wild geese had been caught alive in this country was in the flight-nets set on the sea marshes, in which shore birds are mainly caught, with an occasional goose.” (Scott, 1936.) Throughout the latter part of the 19th century, while shooting was widespread, ‘flight- netting’ emerged as an alternative method of obtaining wildfowl and waders for the table, barter or the market. Netting was practised intensively only on the north shore of the Solway Firth and in Morecambe Bay, Lancashire, though market netting was also recorded on the south shore of the Solway, southern Ayrshire and the firths of Forth and Clyde. During the 19th century there was a massive expansion of the Scottish inshore fishing fleet, mainly to exploit the herring, which could be cured and so transported and marketed more cheaply than fresh fish. The growth of the fishery was made easier by the develop- ment by James Patterson in Musselburgh in 1820 of a net-loom, which made possible the production of relatively cheap hemp nets. In 1884 there were over 100 boats fishing, principally for herring, in the Inner Solway alone. As the fishing fleet decreased quickly after that, due to over-fishing, large quantities of redundant netting of a suitable mesh for catching birds became available. “What most fowlers used on the stakes were wore-out ‘long-shore herring nets, these poles were 7 feet high above the sands, planted along-shore and were inspected early next mornon’, they often had a mixture of