TRANSACTIONS. 25 
The Castle, which stood on the site of Greyfriars’ Church, was 
built by John Lord Maxwell and Elizabeth Douglas, his lady, 
anno 1572, on part of the ground formerly belonging to the Grey- 
friars’ Monastery. The building was of three storeys, with four 
large vaults in the basements, and a turnpike stair and 
bartizan covered with lead ; and there were four or five acres of 
ground attached to it and walled in. For near thirty years, from 
1660 to 1687, the Castle was not possessed by the Nithsdale 
family, but in 1688, immediately before the Revolution, it was put 
into complete order and occupied by them. Before the Rebellion 
of 1715 the Earl of Nithsdale sold the Castle to John M‘Dowall of 
Logan for the sum of one hundred and forty guineas. 
The bridge of Dumfries consisted of nine arches, with a tenth 
arch under the street, and there was a port on it in the middle of 
the river, which had, our author says, till within these sixty years 
great valves or gates, which the administrators have laid aside as 
troublesome. 
It was the custom for the county families to reside occasionally 
or permanently in the county town, and many of them built 
comparatively handsome houses for themselves there, which much 
enhanced the town’s appearance. 
The situation of the town is described as one of the most 
delectable in the nation, the river Nith being on one side and 
Lochar Moss on the other, with corn lands between, and with 
many delightful walks and “refreshing turns” around. The 
following verses are offered as applicable : 
In Nithsdaleshire towards the south there stands 
A royal burgh, which all that shire commands, 
Drumfries ’tis call’d, and very near the town 
The river Nith in chrystal streams runs down ; 
A pleasant bridge that’s built with arches nine 
Of red freestone as stretched with a line 
From Vennel-foot to Galloway it tends 
And divers roads thro all that country sends. 
Near eight miles south the mountain Criffel stands 
Well known, and seen from several distant lands, 
And on the east old Solway’s force makes way 
With swelling tides both in the night and day, 
And north-east too, tho’ distant from the town 
Queensberry stands with her adorning crown, 
Yea round about with many little hills 
This town seems guarded from all threatning ills ; 
And yet we find much of the country round 
