RENFREWSHIRE EXCURSIONS. 31 



are kept in good order, and though our visit was early in the year, 

 at least one feature rewarded us, for a fine Amcla?ichier tree 

 sheeted with white blossom excited much admiration. Directly 

 in front of the elegant mansion house, on a mound, occupying 

 thus a commanding position, stands a noble beech, measuring in 

 circumference of trunk 14 feet 4 inches. Several birches were 

 measured. The first, near crossing of avenues on approach from 

 Renfrew station, 5 feet 2 inches; another in the park 4 feet 10 

 inches ; and a third south-west of summer house in the park 

 5 feet 9^ inches. The Argyle Stone, which marks the place where, 

 in 1685, the Earl of Argyle was wounded and taken prisoner, was 

 visited. The stone may, however, claim even older historic asso- 

 ciation with the name of St. Connal (a seventh century teacher of 

 Christianity), to whom the church at Inchinnan was dedicated, 

 although the parish takes its name from Inan, who was a confessor 

 at Irvine in the ninth century. In 1620 regulations were passed by 

 the bailies and council of Paisley for the annual horse race for the 

 silver bell, and the starting place was the "gray stane called St. 

 ConnaPs Stane, . . . thence right eastward to the Causey- 

 end of Renfrew, and so to the wall-neuk of Paisley." 



Inchinnan Parish. — The church at Inchinnan was visited at 

 the same time as the estates last described. The present church 

 was built about 1828 on the site of the previous one, which dated 

 from about 1100. The scenery in this vicinity lacks the colour 

 and variety so characteristic of Scottish landscapes, but its softness 

 and peacefulness commended it to Pennant, and others since his 

 time have been not insensible to its claims on account of these 

 qualities. Much of the parish consists of carse land, and the only 

 moss in the parish, on the Southbarr Estate, which formerly sup- 

 ported grouse, is at the present time a free coup for Glasgow. 

 The estate of Southbarr was visited on the 16th April, 1892, under 

 unique conditions for a Society excursion. A snowstorm set in 

 an hour before that arranged for departure from the city, and on 

 arrival at Houston station there was an inch of snow on the 

 ground. The storm was, happily, not of long continuance, and 

 the novelty of the experience added a zest to the afternoon's 

 enjoyment. The estate of Southbarr boasts no timber of great 

 age, but it is well wooded throughout, and the blending of the 



