APPLEGARTH-AND-SIBBALDBIE, a parish (united),
in the district of Annandale, county of Dumfries,
2 miles (N. W. by N.) from Lockerbie; containing, with
the chapelry of Dinwoodie, 857 inhabitants. The term
Applegarth is compounded of the words Apple and
Garth; the latter signifies in the Celtic language an
" inclosure ", and both conjoined are invariably taken
for an " apple inclosure " or " orchard". Bie, or bye,
which terminates the name Sibbaldbie, signifies in the
Saxon a " dwelling-place", and the entire name is
thought to have been applied to the district from its
having been the residence of Sibbalil. The annexation
of Sibbaldbie took place in 1609; and the chapelry of
Dinwoodie, which some suppose to have been a distinct
parish, was also attached to Applegarth: it is said to
have belonged to the Knights Templars, who had large
possessions in Annandale. Chalmers, on the authority
of the Royal Wardrobe accounts, states that on the 7th
July, 1300, Edward I., who was then at Applegarth, on
his way to the siege of Caerlaverock, made an oblation
of seven shillings at St. Nicholas' altar, in the parish
church here, and another oblation of a like sum at the
altar of St. Thomas ii Becket. A large chest was found
some years ago not very far from the manse, which is
conjectured to have been part of the baggage belonging
to Edward, who remained for several days at Applegarth,
waiting for his equipage. An ancient thorn
called the " Albie Thorn", still standing in a field, within
500 yards of the church, is said to have been planted
on the spot where Bell of Albie fell, while in pursuit of
the Maxwells, after the battle of Dryfe-sands, in the
year 1593.
The parish contains 11,700 acres, and is situated in
that part of the shire formerly called the stewartry of
Annandale. Its surface is diversified by two principal
ranges of hills, one on each side of the river Dryfe,
which runs from the north-east in a southern direction;
the highest part of the western range, Dinwoodie hill,
rises 736 feet above the sea, and Adder Law, in the
eastern range, attains an elevation of 638 feet. In addition
to its being intersected by the Dryfe, the parish is
washed on its eastern boundary by the Corrie water,
and on its western by the river Annan, the banks of
which streams are in many parts precipitous, and
clothed with brushwood and plantations. Among the
trees, comprising most of those common to the country,
the larch, spruce, and Scotch fir, particularly the larch,
after flourishing for twelve or fourteen years, exhibit
symptoms of decay, and gradually pine away, in consequence
of their roots having come into contact with
the sandstone rock and gravel. In the rivers and their
several tributary streams, eels, pike, trout, and many
smaller fish are numerous: and in the Annan, salmon
of good quality are plentiful.
The soil is in general fertile. Between the banks of
the Annan and the Dryfe, the land is alluvial, and interspersed
with strata of river gravel; the soil on the
declivity of the western range is in some parts sharp
and good, but in many places has a wet and tilly substratum,
and on the higher portions is to be found a
black moory earth. Of the entire area, 7392 acres are
either cultivated or occasionally in tillage; 3777 are
waste, or in permanent pasture, including sixty or
seventy acres of moss; 331 are in wood, and from 150
to 200 are incurably barren. Among the white crops,
wheat, which was formerly unknown in the parish, is
now an important article of produce; all kinds of green
crops, also, are raised, of good quality, including considerable
quantities of turnips and potatoes. An approved
system of husbandry is followed, but agriculture
has not been carried to the same perfection as in some
other districts, chiefly from a deficiency in manuring
and draining, and from exhausting the soil by too
severe a course of cropping. Considerable improve-
ments have been made, durmg the present century, in
the erection of cottages. The breed of black-cattle has
been particularly attended to, and in symmetry and
general excellence now rivals the best specimens of the
best districts. The annual value of real property in the
parish is £6850. The prevailing rock is the old red
sandstone, and the western ridge is interspersed with
large nodules of white and greenish whinstone, while on
the summit there are greywacke slate and greenstone,
diversified by numerous veins of quartz. The seats are,
Jardine Hall, built in 1814, and the mansion of Hook,
built in 1806: the former edifice is of red sandstone,
cut from a quarry on Corncockle muir, in Lochmaben
parish; the latter is chiefly of greenstone, from the bed
of the river Dryfe. In this parish the inhabitants are
altogether of the agricultural class, with the exception
of a few tradesmen residing chiefly in the small village
of Milnhouse. The road from Glasgow to Carlisle, and
that from Dumfries across Annandale to Eskdale, both
run through the parish: there are two good bridges over
the Annan, one of which is on the Glasgow line, and
the other on the road from Dumfries. Great facility of
intercourse is also afforded by the Caledonian railway,
which has a station in the parish.
Ecclesiastically the parish is within the bounds of
the presbytery of Lochmaben and synod of Dumfries;
patrons. Sir William Jardine, Bart., of Applegarth, and
John James Hope Johnstone, Esq., of Annandale. The
stipend averages nearly £250, and there is a manse,
built in 1805, with a glebe of six acres and a half of
good land. The church, a plain substantial structure,
built in 1760, is inconveniently situated at a distance of
five or six miles from some of the population; it has
been at different times repaired and enlarged, and accommodates
380 persons with sittings. There are two
parochial schools, in which Greek, Latin, French, and
geometry are taught, with all the ordinary branches of
education: the master of one school has a house and
garden, with a salary of £34. 5., and about £25 fees;
the other master has the same accommodation, with a
salary of £17. 2. 6., and £15 fees. Roman stations are
visible in several places, and a Roman road traverses
the parish in a northern direction. Part of the ruins
still remain of the church of Sibbaldbie; and in Applegarth
churchyard is a very ancient ash-tree, measuring
fourteen feet in girth at a yard from the ground, and
called the " Gorget Tree " from having been used as a
pillory: the iron staples which held the collar or gorget
were visible not many years ago.