86 The Church Bells of Holywood. 



name, but after more mature consideration a different conclusion 

 was reached. The sliield is charged with a sheveron between 

 three crosses fitchee, the Kennedy arms, and it seemed probable 

 that the flanking letters V. K. might be the initials of William 

 Kennedy. After search I found in the charters of the Abbey of 

 Crossraguel, contained in the Ayrshire and Galloway Archseological 

 Association's publication, mention of William Kennedy, who is 

 described as Abbot of Crossraguel and perpetual commendator of 

 the monastery of Holywood. He was elected Abbot of Cross- 

 raguel in 1520, and continued in ofiice until his death in 1547. 

 At what time he became commendator of Holywood is uncertain> 

 but he held the oflice in 1527. This William Kennedy would 

 appear to be the donor of the Holywood bell bearing his arms 

 and initials. 



'J'hese bells of Holywood, although not very ancient, are 

 interesting in themselves and in their associations. The Welshes 

 were a prominent Dumfriesshire family, of whom were the cele- 

 brated John Welsh of Ayr, and John Welsh of Irongray ; also 

 Jane Welsh of Craigenputtock. Of William Kennedy the editor 

 of the Crossraguel Charters says : — " He had spent it (his life) 

 well in the service of his monastery, his country, his Sovereign, 

 and his Church ; and, in an age when the lives of all the Scottish 

 prelates were not perhaps emblems of perfection, it is notable 

 that not a breath of slander sullied the blameless life of William 

 Kennedy." 



Councillor Lennox observed that in Dumfriesshire they were 

 unfortunate in having practically no churcli antiquities. They 

 had the Ruthwell Cross and a few bells, but these were all, and 

 they might say, as had been said about Lochmaben, "There are 

 no Christians in Dumfriesshire." It seemed as if the men had 

 all been of the fighting strain. They had plenty castle remains 

 and ancient earth works. There were plenty of bells in 

 Kirkcudbrightshire, on the other side of the Border, and in 

 Roxburghshire, Selkirkshire, and Berwickshire, but in Dumfries- 

 shire the church architect was extinct. It was important to 

 have the little which remained brought to light, and he hoped 

 Mr Barbour would add to his research and bring notices of other 

 bells before them. (Applause.) He moved a vote of thanks to 

 Mr Barbour. 



Rev. Mr Andson, in seconding the motion, stated that they 

 were much obliged to Mr Barbour for his paper, and the very 



I 



