their husbands. It would appear that the common property has been divided among the forty-eight freemen, from time to time, from the first erection of the burgh. But the first “daill” or division of which there is any record, took place in 1604, and was to subsist till 1615. Owing, however, to the want of entries in the community-book for a considerable period after this last date, we have no account of another "daill" till 1655, which was also to subsist for eleven years. But from 1666 till 1771, a new partition was made every seven years, and the allotments made are regularly recorded. In this last mentioned year, in order to put an end to the evils which had been experienced from the short period of possession which they had heretofore enjoyed—the freemen resolved that the division which then fell to be made should continue for fifty-seven years. And, when this period expired in 1828, it was determined that the continuance of the lots which were then ballotted for should be for 999 years. In 1833, it was farther agreed, that feu-rights of their lots should be granted to such of the freemen as might wish to hold their lands in that manner. The extent of the lots possessed by the freemen vary from six to ten acres, according to the quality of the land. Their value was formerly small. But since coal was discovered in the lands, and more particularly since their respective possessions were rendered more permanent, their value has greatly increased and of thirty freedoms which have been sold within the last forty years, the prices have varied from L. 70 to L. 500. : Newton is included within the parliamentary boundaries of the burgh of Ayr by the Reform Act, so as to form one constituency with it in returning a Member to the House of Commons. No actual list of the L. 10 proprietors or occupiers has been taken, but there are 218 occupants of L. 5 yearly and upwards, and it is computed that about 100 of these have tenements at or above L. 10 yearly. The council of the burgh consists of two bailies, one treasurer, and six councillors, who are annually elected by the freemen from among their own number. Although their powers are extensive, they have of late years only exercised jurisdiction in processes of sequestration for rent, and petty breaches of the peace; and even this limited jurisdiction is now seldom exercised. The constitution of the burgh in this respect will be altered, and possibly may be extinguished, if the Municipal Corporations' Bill now depenaing before Parliament, pass into a law. Land-Owners.-The freemen are proprietors of all the land in the parish, with the exception of ten acres. The greater part of the ground occupied by the town is also held in feu from them. William Forbes, Esq. of Callendar, has the right of superiority over the main street: but the jurisdiction of the magistrates extends to it, as well as to the other parts of the town. Surveys of the Parish.-Plans of the grounds belonging to the freemen have been repeatedly made. The latest was drawn up in 1829, by Mr James Milliken of Ayr. Parochial Registers.—These have been regularly kept since the erection of Newton into a separate parish, which took place in 1779. Antiquities. Under this head mention may be made of a large building called Newton Castle, which formerly stood in Garden Street, and was for a long period the seat of the Wallaces of Craigie. They removed to it from the Castle of Craigie (whose stately ruins may still be seen in the parish of that name) in the beginning of the sixteenth century, and continued to reside in this parish till Sir Thomas Wallace of Craigie, the fifth baronet, built Craigie House, which stands on the north bank of the Ayr, a short way from the town. The writer has seen a view of Ayr, taken about 130 years ago, in which Newton House appears very prominent ly—a castellated building of moderate height, surrounded by gardens and numerous trees. Beyond it, the houses of Newton are seen; apparently very humble dwellings, all thatched, and none of them exceeding the height of one storey. This old castle was taken down sixty or seventy years ago, and now there only remains part of the wall which enclosed the garden. Among its ruins, there was found an antique mathematical quadrant, and the barrel of an old gun, or rather wall-piece, seven feet long, and very heavy: both of which are preserved in the library belonging to the Ayr Mechanics' Institution. * Modern Buildings.-The only public buildings in the town are the parish church, a plain edifice, standing near to the site of Newton Castle, and behind the Council-house. The latter, which is an equally plain building, was erected forty years ago, and is surmounted by a steeple of no great height. The principal street in Garden Street, in which Newton House stood, was, a few years ago, transferred to St Quivox, and is now included in the newly constituted parish of Wallacetown. the town is of considerable length, and about eighty feet in breadth; but few of the houses in it can be said to be elegant. Between it and the sea, a new town has arisen within the last thirty years, consisting of three or four streets, which are regularly laid out, but are as yet only partially built. The town, after being stationary for a time in consequence of the ceasing of the coal-works, is now extending. Two handsome villas have been recently built by freemen on their lands, and there is every reason to anticipate that their number will soon be greatly increased. III. POPULATION. At the Union, the population of the parish is supposed to have been under 400. In 1755, it is inferred from Dr Webster's report to have amounted to 581. In 1778, it had risen to 1600. In 1791, it was ascertained by an accurate survey, to amount to 1689, of which number there were 836 males, and 853 females. In 1831, there were 1927 males, and 2093 females. The increase in the population between 1755 and 1778 was chiefly owing to an extensive herring-fishery, then carried on along this coast, particularly near the mouth of the Ayr. For some years after 1778, the number rather decreased, in consequence of the suspension of the coal-works. But on their being resumed in 1786, the population steadily increased, and between 1801 and 1821 was more than doubled. After this last mentioned date, from the ceasing of the coal-works, and the removal of those employed in them to the neighbouring parishes, the number of inhabitants remained for a considerable time nearly stationary, and it is only very recently they have again begun to increase. The number of the population residing in the town is, The yearly average of births for the last seven years, marriages, burials within the parish, 3768 252 104 42 69 But a considerable proportion of those who die in the parish are interred in the grave-yards in Ayr and Wallacetown. The number of persons as ascertained by a late survey, under 15 years of age is, betwixt 15 and 30 The number of insane and fatuous persons is 3, of blind 3, and of deaf and dumb 2. The number of illegitimate births during the last three years is, as nearly as can be ascertained, 36, being on an average 12 yearly. There are no proprietors of land in the parish of the value of L. 50 yearly. The average annual rent of the portion of land belonging to a freeman will not exceed L. 12 or L. 13; and in only one or two instances are two such portions held by one individual; when the right of one freedom nominally belongs to a son or other relation. Character and Habits of the People.-There is not much that is distinctive in the character or manners of the inhabitants. The freemen were at one period somewhat rude and unpolished, and by no means noted for the decorum observed by them at their public convivial entertainments. They have even been accused of being "below mediocrity in wealth, industry, intelligence, education, and respectability,"-a charge for which, at the time when it was made, its author was certainly much more indebted to fancy than to fact. But, whatever may have been the case in former days, the freemen as a body are now highly respectable; almost all of them are in comfortable circumstances; and a considerable proportion of their number much above mediocrity in wealth, education and intelligence. The fishermen are the most peculiar class of the inhabitants. Several of them are the descendants of a colony from Pitsligo and some places adjacent, which settled in this place sixty years ago. They were induced to do so from some of their number, who had been impressed on board a man-of-war, which was for a considerable time stationed in the Frith of Clyde, having observed that fishes were to be found on this coast in great abundance. The form of the fishermen's coats is a little singular and until lately, their Sunday's dress consisted of home-made blue-cloth. They live, as might be supposed, to a considerable extent on fish; and it is alleged are not so attentive as could be wished to cleanliness in their habits. But to this remark there are not a few honourable exceptions. Fish are here obtained so cheap, and excellent in quality, that they are a very common article of food. Beer was formerly a favourite beverage, and was taken by the fishermen in their boats in preference to whisky. But the number of brewers has of laté years declined; and it is to be feared that, with the diminished consumption of beer, ardent spirits are proportionably in greater request. It is pleasing to have to state, that poaching is almost unknown. The same may be said of smuggling-and there is not a pawnbroking establishment in the town. tent. On the whole, it may be said, that, although few of the inhabitants are wealthy, the number of persons in extreme poverty is less than is commonly to be found in other communities of similar exAn unusual proportion of families live in houses built by themselves; and though the circumstances of many of them be humble, they are contented, and, comparatively speaking, comfortable. Instances of gross immorality are unfrequent. And while it must be acknowledged that here, as in other parishes where the population has outgrown the means of church accommodation, not a few habitually absent themselves from public ordinances; the general character of even these is superior to what we might have been led to anticipate. No doubt much of this is owing to the example of their church-going neighbours, who elevate that conventional standard of morality, below which it is reckoned disgraceful to fall. And, respecting the latter, it is proper to mention, that they have long been distinguished for a more than ordinary respect for religion and its ordinances; and there is reason to believe, that there is not a small number among them who are imbued with the spirit of genuine piety, and live under the influence of divine truth. IV. INDUSTRY. Agriculture and Rural Economy.- The number of acres, standard imperial measure, in the parish, which are either cultivated or occasionally in tillage is, The number of acres which are waste or in pasture, Number of acres which might be added to the cultivated land of the parish, in a state of undivided common, All the land belonging to the freemen is now divided, with the exception of eight acres reserved for a quarry. There are almost no trees in the parish; nor is it easy to rear them, from want of sufficient shelter. And so long as the lands were common property, there was little inducement to any individual to expend money in plantations, which would soon fall to be possessed by another. This was, indeed, an insuperable obstacle to all kinds of improve |