CARMUNNOCK, a parish, in the Lower ward of
the county of Lanark; containing 717 inhabitants, of
whom 390 are in the village, 5 miles (S.) from Glasgow.
The name of this place is supposed to have been derived
from the compound Gaelic word Caer-iiunnwck, signifying
"the monk's fort". The remains of antiquity here
bear testimony to the settlement and military operations
of the Romans; vestiges of a military road and camp
are still to be seen on the estate of Castlemilk, and pieces
of ancient armour, with a variety of utensils, have been
found. In the reign of William the Lion, the manor
was held by Henry, son of Anselm, who assumed the
njime of Henry of "Cormanock". Some time before
the year 1189, he granted the church to the monks of
Paisley, with half a carucate of land, and a right of
common, and directed that his remains and those of his
wife should be interred in the monastery. The church
was held by the monks till the Reformation.
The PARISH is about four miles long, from north-east
to south-west, aud averages about two miles and a half
in breadth. It contains 3540 acres, of which 3025 are
arable, and under a regular system of cultivation, 315
wood, and 135 pasture, the remainder being roads, &c.
The surface is considerably elevated, and exhibits a succession
of hill and dale, varied with extensive and flourishing
plantations, and enlivened by the beautiful raeanderings
of the river Cart, on the western boundary of the
parish, which here borders on Renfrewshire. From the
summit of Cathkiu-hill, near the eastern boundary, at
an elevation of nearly 500 feet above the sea, the prospect
embraces parts of sixteen counties, the nearer view
consisting of the city of Glasgow, with its surrounding
villages, the towns of Rutherglen and Paisley, and the
vale of Clyde from Hamilton to Dumbarton. The parish
abounds with springs, and there are five public
wells of good water in the village: the only river running
through the parish is a small stream called the
Kittoch. The soil, which is generally uniform, consists
of good earth, about six or seven inches deep, and restmg
upon a superior whinstone rock, which extends
throughout the parish. In some spots, it is more moist
and clayey, with a retentive bottom, yet yielding excellent
crops when well drained and manured; in a few
places it is considerably mixed with sand. Crops of all
kinds are raised, which, on account of the highly cultivated
state of the soil, are of the first description; and
the greatest encouragement is given to dairy-farming,
both for the superior profit it brings to the tenant, and
for the manure: the cows are all of the Ayrshire breed.
Many improvements have taken place in agriculture
within the last few years, and furrow-draining with tiles
has been extensively practised. The annual value of
real property in the parish is £5511. There is a considerable
quarry of freestone of good quality; and on
the estate of Castlemilk excellent limestone and ironstone
are found, the latter of which has been partially
wrought. The village population are chiefly hand-loom
weavers: an annual fair was formerly held.
Ecclesiastically the parish is within the bounds of the
presbytery of Glasgow and synod of Glasgow and Ayr;
patron, J. S. S. Stuart, Esq. The stipend is £152. 17. 6.,
of which £39. 10. 10. are received from the exchequer.
The church, which is situated in the middle of the village,
was built in 1767, and repaired in 183S; it is a
neat structure, considering the date of its erection, and
seats about 450 persons. An excellent manse has been
lately built, and there is a glebe valued at £19 per annum.
There is a parochial school, in which the usual
branches of a plain education are taught; the master
has the maximum salary, and about £32 fees, with a
house and garden. An old thorn-tree here is much regarded,
as marking out the spot from which Mary,
Queen of Scots, was a spectator of the defeat of her
army at the battle of Langside.