Transactions. 109 
the eye of Burns when one day thinking of Miss Phillis M‘Murdo 
he composed the beautiful verses which begin, ‘“ Adown winding 
Nith I did wander.” 
I long thought over the matter, seeking for some other physical 
feature in the landscape which might better explain the latter 
syllable, until it occurred to me that it might be that other no less 
ancient British word caer, meaning a fort, and, if so, mean the 
fortified village or town. I had not far to look for some corro- 
boration of this opinion, for here, close to the Parish Church, 1s 
that high circular mound called the Moat, which, whatever may 
have been the later uses to which it was put, has been recognised 
by antiquarians— including the learned author of ‘“ Caledonia ” 
—as originally a British fort. It stands opposite the lofty, grim 
rock of Castledykes—once a castle of the Comyn family—both 
guarding against a hostile invasion from England the town of 
Dumfries and this side of the river. We have Caerlaverock, 
Cargen, Carruchan, Corbelly, all derived from caer a fort; and 
so also, I believe, was this village Tre-Caer, now called Troqueer. 
But you may accept either interpretation, as both follow the 
clue given by Chalmers that it is derived from old British words. . 
The more important question is-—-Was there a village or town here 
in the olden time? To which I am able to give an unquestionable 
reply in the aflirmative, and thus corroborate Mr Chalmers’s 
opinion as to the derivation of the first syllable. 
Many years ago I was told of, and in some instances saw, the 
foundations of old houses revealed when new buildings were being 
erected along the Troqueer road ; and in 1878 I was agreeably 
surprised to discover in the Kirk-session records the name of a 
’ in the direction towards the Parish 
Church. Subsequently I found it mentioned in title deeds of the 
17th and 18th centuries, and quite recently in a charter of the 
“village or toun of Troquire ’ 
14th century. This explains why the Bridgend was always 
called “ of Dumfries ”—to mark it out as an adjunct of that 
town, though not subject to its legal jurisdiction. Into the 
Bridgend fled all outlaws from justice and those banished from 
the town of Dumfries. 
These Kirk-session records tell how, 200 years ago, the church 
officer, or “ bedle,’ 
bell through the whole parish to announce burials, but if he only 
required to ring it in Bridgend and Troquire he received only a 
part of the fee for ringing it landwards. 
3) 
as he is sometimes called, had to ring a hand- 
