The Greyfriars' Convent of Dumfries. 25 



c 



It only remains to mention that the site of the House or 

 Castle of the Maxwells of Xithsdale is definitely determined by 

 the terms of the contract for the building of the New Church, 

 which occupied the position of the present Greyfriars. It pro- 

 \ides that the church shall be built " upon the ground already 

 marked out, behind the Castle." The Castle therefore stood just 

 in front of tlic place occupied by the Grevfriars' Church. I 

 should also mention that in the sixteenth centurv there were two 

 houses at the " Vennelheid " belonging to John Logan, Vicar of 

 Kowend, already mentioned, occupied by Christopher Lawrie and 

 Andrew Mathieson, and adjoining these on the east stood a " great 

 stone h.)use " of Robert Edgar. Occasion may occur for further 

 reference to these houses. 



Ha\ing surveyed the present surroundings of the Friars' 

 Vennel, antl the conditions obtaining over the corresponding area 

 in the sixteenth century, we arrive at the more important stage of 

 our en(]uiry. We lia\'e now to endeaN'oin- to define the lands and 

 other possessions of the Friars, and the situation, distribution, 

 and character of the Friary buildings. (See accompanying plan 

 and details.) 



All the lands north of the Vennel before described as void of 

 buildings in the sixteenth century, exclusive of the Greensands, 

 which belonged t<_) the town, were possessed b_\' the Friar Minors 

 of Dumfries. The northmost part called the Newyards contained 

 nine roods, and two and a half roods granted to Lord Maxwell. 

 The Freirhauch, the south-west part, extended to three and a half 

 acres. It is described as bounded on the east b_\ "Our papal 

 walls." A third section, which occupied the s<nith-east corner of 

 the lands, and extended to al)Out two acres, was the original site 

 and area attai'hed to the Convent. It was specially enclosed by 

 " Our papal walls," and held the Friar}' buildings, the cemetery, 

 and the great yard and orchard. These lands were bounded on 

 the south by the tenements, on the north side by Xewton Street, 

 and the Friars' Vennel ; on the east by the track extending from 

 the head of High Street to the Staikford ; on the north by the 

 burgh common called the Willies; and on the west by the shingle 

 of the river Xith ; and the total area extended to about eight and a 

 half acres. In addition, the Friars possessed a considerable num- 

 lier of small areas on the east side of Coi'belly Hill, in the Parish 

 of Troqueer, which, however cannot now be traced. In some 



