NEWTOWN, a village, in the parish of Fintry,
county of Stirling, h a mile (N. W. by W.) from Fintry
church; containing 556 inhabitants. This place is
situated in the western part of the parish, on the high
road from Kippen to Campsie, and is of modern erection,
and now the principal village. It owes its origin
to the establishment, about fifty or sixty years since, of
a considerable cotton- factory, round which houses continued
to spring up for the accommodation of the workpeople,
and of others, until the village attained its present
extent and population. The cotton-mill contains
20,000 spindles, and employs 260 hands, the machinery
being partly driven by the water of the Endrick, col-
lected in a reservoir of thirty acres. Here is also a large
distillery producing annually 70,000 gallons of whisky;
and a good intercourse is kept up with Glasgow. Besides
the parochial school, a school has been opened lately, for
the instruction of the children engaged in the factory.
In the village are also a savings' bank, and a small subscription
library.