144 THE GLENKENS IN THE OLDEN TIMES. 
Castle, and burned and destroyed as much as they could of the 
castle. They also destroyed the tower of Shirmers, which was 
the house of one of his friends. The castle still stands, and is 
inhabited. The portion which was burned and partially thrown 
down is now repaired. It is beautifully situated on its high and 
romantic mound, and is approached by a very fine avenue of grand 
old limes. 
At one time there seemed to have been a church on the farm 
of Bogue in Dalry parish, but there is no mention of it in history. 
The site of the church or chapel can still be seen—also the founda- 
tion of the fence around the churchyard, which enclosed half an 
acre, as well as the foundation of the walls of the priest’s house. 
A stone was found in the dyke beside the place with “ Pope G.” 
rudely carved on it. The field is still named “ chapel leys,” and 
the place where the priest’s house stood is named the “ priests’ 
knowe.” The site is marked on the Ordnance Survey maps. 
There are three very old bridges still standing and in use in 
the Glenkens. One is the “Old Bridge of Ken,” as it is called, 
built over the Ken on the line of road between Dalry and Cars- 
phairn on the east side of the Ken. It is six miles from Dalry and 
four from Carsphairn. It is very narrow, barely allowing one 
vehicle to pass along ata time. There is also a narrow old bridge 
over the Garpol Burn at the head of Holme Glen, on the line of 
what was at one time the high road to Edinburgh. A third old 
bridge is over Polharrow burn, on the line of the old semi-Roman 
road from Ayr to Kirkcudbright. It is now widened, and the 
modern road from Dalry to Carsphairn on the west side of the 
Ken passes over it. It is said to have been originally built by 
Quentin M‘Lure, a tailor, whose earnings never exceeded 4d per 
day. In 1695 a bridge was built over the river Dee near Clatter- 
ingshaws, in the parish of Kells, on the old line of road then in 
use. The place can yet be distinguished a few hundred yards 
farther up the stream than the present bridge. Before that time 
the river was often unfordable in winter, and the inhabitants of 
the country had applied to the Earl of Galloway, Viscount Ken- 
mure, and other influential gentlemen to use their endeavours with 
the Privy Council of Scotland to have money raised to build a 
bridge, but they failed to obtain an Act. The Synod of Galloway 
then took the matter up, and ordered a house-to-house collection 
to be made in every parish within their jurisdiction. As soon asa 
