WHITHORN, a parish and burgh (royal), in the county of Wigtown, 1 1 miles (S.) from Wigtown, and 9*5 (S. by W.) from Glasgow; containing, with the village of Isle-of-Whithorn, 2795 inhabitants, of whom 495 are resident in Isle-of-Whithorn, and 150'2 in the burgh. This place, which occupies the south-eastern extremity of the county, is of remote antiquity, being identified as the Leucophibia of Ptolemy, during the Roman occupation of Britain, and as subsequently the capital of the Novantes, who made themselves masters of the whole of Galloway. It seems to have derived its present name from the erection of a church here by St. Ninian in the fourth or fifth century, which, being the first in the country built of white freestone, was from its light appearance designated Candida Casa, of which Whitfiorn or Whitliern is a plain Saxon translation. In the eighth century the place became the seat of the ancient bishops of Galloway; and it continued to be the head of that diocese after its revival in the twelfth century. Fergus, Lord of Galloway, in the reign of David I. founded here a priory for Prsemonstratensian canons, the church of which was appropriated as the cathedral of the see. This establishment was eminent from the possession of the relics of St. Ninian, and for centuries before the Reformation was the resort of devotees on their pilgrimage to visit the saint's shrine, among whom were several of the Scottish sovereigns. In I4'25, James I. granted full protection to all strangers coming into Scotland for that purpose; and in 14/3, Margaret, queen of James III., attended by a retinue of ladies of her household, made a pilgrimage to the shrine. James IV. during his reign paid frequent visits to the church, on which occasions he presented offerings in honour of the saint; and his son and successor, James V., in the years 1,532 and 1533, performed pilgrimages to the shrine, which, even for a considerable time after the Reformation, continued to attract devotees. Among the distinguished priors of this establishment were, Gavin Dunbar, afterwards archbishop of Glasgow; and James Beaton, Archbishop of St. Andrew's, and Chancellor of Scotland. The priory flourished till the Dissolution in 1.561, when its revenues amounted to £1016 in money, and various payments in kind; it contained many valuable historical muniments, and some sculptured memorials of the Coultharts of Coulthart, chiefs of their name. Of the ancient buildings nothing remains but a few arches and vaults. The TOWN is situated almost in the centre of the parish, and consists principally of one spacious street more than half a mile in length, which towards the centre expands into an unusual breadth, and from which diverge two or three smaller streets and lanes. In general the houses are neatly built, and roofed with slate: many of tlie more ancient have been taken down, and rebuilt in a better style; and various other improvements have been made in the appearance of the place. The prin(i|)al street is intersected nearly in the middle by a rivulet, over which is an invisible bridge. There are no manufactures carried on; and the only trade is that which the'town derives from its proximity to the small pon of Isle-of-Whithorn, and from the pursuit of the handicrafts requisite for the supply of the neighbourhood. Branches of the Bank of Scotland and the Edinburgh and Glasgow Bank, and an agency for the Aberdeen Insurance-office, have been established. A fair, chiefly for hiring harvest-workers, is held annually at Midsummer, and a cattle- market monthly from April to January. Whithorn was erected into a royal burgh by charter of King Robert Bruce, which was confirmed by charter of James IV. in 1571- The government is vested in a provost, two bailies, and fifteen councillors. There are no incorporated trades possessing exclusive privileges, and every inhabitant is free to carry on trade within the burgh; no civil causes are brought before the magistrates for decision, and their criminal jurisdiction extends only to breaches of the peace. The townhall, situated on the west side of the principal street, is a substantial structure with a tower and spire, and attached to it is a gaol, used for temporary confinement. This burgh is associated with New Galloway, Stranraer, and Wigtown, in returning a member to the imperial parliament. The PARISH is bounded on the south by the Irish Channel, and on the east by the bay of Wigtown. It is about eight miles in extreme length, and varies from two to five miles in breadth, comprising an area of 10,000 acres, of which the whole is arable, with the exception of about 200 acres of meadow and a little waste. The surface, though generally level, is marked by numerous hillocks of various form and appearance, most of them covered with briers and whin, which give to the parish an aspect of sterility. There are three small burns, each of which in its course sets in motion a barley and corn mill. Of the numerous springs of water, one, on the Isle of Whithorn, is slightly chalybeate. The several lakes have been drained, and some of them brought under tillage: of those lake-grounds which have not been cultivated, some form peat-mosses, and others produce great quantities of excellent marl. The coast, which is more than nine miles in extent, is in parts bold and rocky, especially towards Burrow Head, on the south, where many of the rocks rise perpendicularly from the sea to a height of 200 feet. Some of the rocks are perforated with deep caverns; and on the east are several bays, whereof the principal are Port-Allan, Port- Yarrock, and Isle-of-Whithorn, at which last is a commodious harbour. In general the soil is fertile, in some parts a rich vegetable mould resting upon rock; it has been much improved by a liberal use of extraordinary manures, formerly consisting of sea-shells and marl, and now of bones and guano. The chief crops are, oats, bear, barley, and turnips. Husbandry is making steady progress: a due rotation of crops is uniformly obs^crved; the farm-buildings are substantial, and roofed with slate, and the lands mostly inclosed with stone dykes. The cattle, once wholly of the Galloway breed, have since the increase of dairy-farming been partly of the Ayrshire breed; considerable numbers are fed on turnips for the butcher, and sent by sea to Liverpool. The plantations are gradually increasing in extent, and on the lands of Custlewigg are some noble specimens of oak, ash, beech, and firs. An attempt was at one time unsuccessfully made to work coal; and at Tondcrghie, copper of rich quality was discovered by a mining company from Waits, but the works were afterwards discontinued. The annual value of real property in the parish is £ 1 0,3 1 3. Castlewigg, the seat of Hugh Hathorn, Esq., is an ancient and venerable mansion, beautifully situated in a richly-planted demesne, near the western border of the parish; and Tonderghie, near the southern coast, the seat of Hugh D. Stewart, Esq., is a handsome modern mansion, commanding a fine view of the English coast and the Isle of Man. The only village is Isle-of- Whithorn, which is described below. For ECCLESIASTICAL purposcs the parish is within the bounds of the presbytery of Wigtown and synod of Galloway. The minister's stipend is about £'246, with a manse, and a glebe valued at £10 per annum; patron, the Crown. The church, erected on part of the site of the priory in 1822, is a substantial structure containing 800 sittings: in the churchyard are the only remains of the priory and cathedral, conveying but a faint idea of the ancient grandeur of the buildings. There are places of worship for members of the Free Church, the United Presbyterian Church, Reformed Presbyterians, and Roman Catholics. Of the two parochial schools, one is in the burgh and the other at Isle-of-Whithorn: the master of the burgh school has a salary of £39, with £6. 6. in lieu of a dwelling-house; and the other master a salary of £19. 10. About half a mile west of the town are the remains of a Roman camp, and numerous Roman coins have been found near the priory, and in other parts of the parish. On the shore are the ruins of several castles and fortresses, supposed to have been built for the protection of the coast from the frequent incursions of the Scandinavians, who made the Isle of Man their common rendezvous in their predatory attacks on this part of the country. Not long since, there was discovered in a marl-pit on the estate of Castlewigg, the head of a urus, which was sent to Sir Walter Scott, and is yet to be seen over a door at Abbotsford.