TiiE Glen KENS ix the Olden Times. 139 



a resemblance to au old sunk fence. The western end of this 

 wall was on the eastern shore of Loch Ryan, near the site of the 

 ancient Roman station of Rorigonium (now Innermessan). It 

 then passed throug'h the northern part of Wigtownshire and 

 entered the Stewartry of Kirkcudbright a few miles to the north 

 of Newton-Stewart. It next passed across the parish of Minni- 

 gaff, and entered the Glenkens on the farm of Garvary, in the 

 parish of Kells, and passed through the farms of Drumbuie, Clendry, 

 Largmore, Dukie.ston, Knockreoch, Larg-geerie, Barlae, Dalshan- 

 gan, near the old Bridge of Deuch at the " Tinkler's lowp;" Mar- 

 skaig", Auchenshinnoch, and Kerroch, in Dairy. It passed thi"ough 

 the parishes of Glencairn, Tynron, and Penpout, and was very 

 entire at Southmains, near Sanquhar. From Southmains it passed 

 down the east side of the Nith, and can be traced to the Hightae 

 flow, through the parish of Annan, and ended at the Solway Firth 

 nearly opposite Bowness in Cumberland, where Hadrian's wall 

 commenced. Another account says that when the Romans with- 

 drew from Britain the northern hordes issued from the woods and 

 mountains and rushed into Valentia plundering the whole country. 

 It was at this time, we have every reason to believe, that the 

 inhabitants of the South of Scotland, with the aid of some foi'eign 

 residents, raised a wall of protection against those voracious visi- 

 tors. This rampart, called the " Roman Dyke," the " Pict's Wall," 

 or " Deil's Dyke," seems to have been built of stone in some parts, 

 and in other parts of stone and turf. It had a fosse on one side, 

 and probably a path on the other. The rampart must have been 

 made by a people inhabiting the south side. The remains of this 

 wall have been traced from the shore of Loch Ryan on the west 

 to the north-east boundary of Kirkcudbrightshire. After that it 

 runs into Dumfriesshire, and joins the Britton wall at the Solway 

 Firth. The remains of this old dyke can still be seen at several 

 places in the Glenkens. 



The next notable event in order of time was the battle between 

 the Northmen, or Danes, and the Scots on Dalarran Holm some 

 time about A.D. 800. The feeble governments of Denmark and 

 Sweden allowed numerous bands of pirates and robbers to infest the 

 northern shores of Britain. In 787 they first appeared on the coasts 

 of England, and some years afterwards visited the shores of Scotland. 

 After landing and plundering along- the shores of the Solway, 

 they reached the Glenkens. Those Danes and the natives met on 



