140 The Glexkexs ix the Oldex Times. 



a level liolm close to the river Ken, two miles south of Dairy, aud 

 fully one mile from New Galloway, and there they fought a bloody 

 battle. The Scots were victorious. The Danish sea-king was 

 killed, and was buried where he fell. A tall stone still marks the 

 spot, and stands about 100 yards from the public road. About 

 seventy years ago a little thatched cottage stood beside the stone. 

 I have been in the cottage when a very little boy. One of the 

 lairds of Holme made excavations near the stone, where he found 

 an entire antique sword, which was long preserved in his family. 

 About ninety years ago pieces of rusty armour were frequently 

 turned up by the plough on Dalarran holm. 



The events next in order of time are the repsated visits of 

 King James IV. through Dairy on his journeys to the shrine of 

 St. Ninian at Whithorn, where his confessors sent him to do 

 penance for his sins. The church at Dairy was dedicated to St. 

 John, and the place at that time was called St. John's Kirk, and 

 the village St. John's town. Dairy was the name of the parish, 

 and the name Dal-rigk signifies the king's valley. But in Scottish 

 history the village was named '•'• St. John's Clauchan." 



King James, on his journeys from Edinburgh to Whithorn, 

 rode on horseback along with his attendants, as the roads then 

 were onh' bridle paths. From details of the king's expenditure 

 found in his treasurer's accounts we find that the first mention of 

 his visit to St. John's Kirk was in 1491, when he gave 2s to the 

 priest, and paid 5s for being ferried " ower the water" with his 

 retinue. He next passed through to Whithorn in 1497, when he 

 gave 3s 6d to the " puir folk " and .^s for being ferried over the 

 Ken. Again he passed in l.^Ol, and paid 18s for belchair or 

 breakfast and 5s for the ferry. King James passed several times 

 after these dates, but there are no more payments recorded. The 

 ferry mentioned was over a pool in the Ken, still called the 

 " Boat weil," where a ferry boat plied until 1800, when the bridge 

 was built at Allengibbon. I have seen the boatman's house stand- 

 ino- and inhabited. The materials were carted away thirty years 

 since to make an addition to Waterside farm-house. The road by 

 which the king rode down to the river is still a public road, aud is 

 called by the villagers " the water road." The old kirk was 

 situated low down in the churchyard, and is now converted into a 

 tomb. The present church stands on a bank overlooking the 

 river. The old holy water font is placed by the side of the 



