34 Transactions. 



gathered from the MSS. before mentioned, and this is supported 

 by traditions of some of the old people and by what can be seen of 

 part of the foundations on the opposite side of the road. Old people 

 say it was a large building, and was surrounded by an extensive 

 forest. There is also a tradition in the district that Queen Mary 

 slept in Wreaths Castle on her way to England after the battle of 

 Langside. This appears to be hig'hly improbable, as Wreaths 

 would be quite out of her course, unless she had intended embark- 

 ing from Carse Bay, which Avas used as a harbour long before the 

 present village of Carsethorn was built. I am disposed, however, 

 to think that the tradition of Queen Mary's stay at Wreaths Castle 

 is without any authority, and that it may be dismissed without 

 further enquiry. 



Kirkbean at one time contained a burgh of regality, which 

 was in possession of the Regent Morton. According to " Lands 

 and their Owners in Galloway," it was included in the regality 

 of Dalkeith. In looking over the " History of Galloway " 

 (Kirkcudbright, 1841) I noticed in the report made by 

 the Magistrates of Kirkcudbright to the Commissioners of 

 the Convention of Royal Burghs, 25th April, 1692, it is 

 said: "13. As to the 13th article, its answered that 

 they have only two burghs of baronie and regality within their 

 precinct, viz., Monygaff and Prestoun, both inconsiderable as to 

 their trade." Thinking this might refer to Preston in Kirkbean, 

 I wrote Mr John Gibson, town clerk of Kirkcudbright, who very 

 kindly put himself to very considerable trouble in endeavouring 

 to give me information, and whose kindness I desire to acknow- 

 ledge. Unfortunately the minute book for 1692 is umissing, and 

 none of the others contain any reference to Preston. Mr Gibson, 

 however, asked Mr James Nicholson, whose authority on local 

 antiquities is fully recognised. Mr Nicholson says that the Preston 

 mentioned in the report is the Preston in Kirkbean. I find, how- 

 ever, that, under the Act of Parliament passed in 1747 for 

 abolishing hereditary jurisdiction in Scotland, a claim was made 

 by the representatives of Maxwell of Preston for £800 for 

 " Privilege of regality over the barony of Preston by progress 

 from the family of Nithsdale." This claim was rejected. Accord- 

 ing to one account it had the privilege of holding three, and 

 according to another four fairs annually. Of the burgh nothing 

 now remains with the exception of a stone cross, although within 

 the last century there are said to have been between 50 and 60 



