Transactions. 33 



proprietor, kindly informed me that he believed Cavers to be the 

 proper form, but Cavens is the spelling' adopted by the Ordnance 

 Survey. M'Kerlie, in " Lands and their Owners in Galloway," 

 says that the story of James VI. spending his holidays at Cavens 

 " is a mistake so far as the ancient residence of the owners of the 

 barony is concerned, for Wreaths Castle was the building." He 

 also states that Cavens was an after-structure, believed to have 

 been erected in the 17th century. In a succeeding notice of 

 Cavens he says that what is marked down on the Ordnance Survey 

 map as the site of Cavens Castle is only the site of the house 

 which stood on the farm, and in which Dr John Murray resided. 

 I think, however, that M'Kerlie is here in error, as the site of the 

 old castle is on the lands of Torrorie and Hafield, which in Dr 

 Murray's time were not attached to the barony of Preston or to 

 Cavens, and that Dr Mui'ray's house must have been the old man- 

 sion-house of Cavens now demolished. What was known as the 

 old Castle of Cavens or Cavers was occupied until about the year 

 1800, and was afterwards torn down at intervals for building- pur- 

 poses. Sinclair's " Statistical Account " says " the Castles of 

 Cavens and Wreathes : a part only of each are now standing- 

 They were once the property of the Reg-ent Morton, and by him 

 frequently inhabited." 



Of the Castle of Wreaths, which is twice mentioned in the 

 Sibbald MSS. as one of the principal houses in Galloway, and 

 which was occupied by Baliol before coming- into the possession 

 of the Earls of Morton, only a small portion now remains. No 

 doubt the prevalent Vandalism which deemed these old buildings 

 the most convenient and suitable quarries for building- material is 

 responsible for much of this, and on examining the " dry dykes " 

 which are in the vicinity many stones which appear to have formed 

 part of the old castle are to be seen. The only part left standing, 

 which is about 45 feet high, seems to have formed a turret stair- 

 case, with three doors branching off. The walls, which are from 

 3 to 4 feet in thickness, are faced with squared sandstone, appar- 

 ently from Southerness, and the space between filled with similar 

 stone, granite, and a kind of concrete formed of lime and small 

 pieces of stone. I understand that orders have been given by the 

 proprietor, Mr Oswald of Cavens, that no stones should be taken 

 from what remains of the castle. It is to be regretted, however, 

 that one side which is much exposed to the weather is in much 

 need of pointing. That it was a place of some size may be 



