WIGTON, a town of Scotland, and the capital of the county of the same name, is situated on an abrupt eminence about 200 feet above the level of the sea, on the western banks of Wigton Bay, within a quarter of a mile from the mouth of the river Bladenoch. The town extends in a sloping direction from almost the summit of this hill, till within 180 feet of the bay. Wigton was never a place of much opulence or commercial importance, and no thoroughfare is connected with it. It con sists principally of one street, fully a quarter of a mile in length, running nearly from west to east, of the usual width at the two extremities, but diverg ing so in the centre as to leave a vacant space of considerable extent. Till about the year 1810, this space was public property, uninclosed, and serving as a cattle market; but about that time it was en closed nearly in the form of a parallelogram, planted with shrubs, evergreens and forest trees, beautified with broad walks, having a large bowling green in the centre. It is distant 105 miles south-west from Edinburgh, its latitude being 54° 52' north (nearly on the same parallel as Durham), and its longitude 4° 22' 30" west.
Wigton was made a royal burgh in the reign of David II. This honour was probably conferred upon it in 134), when it was established as the chief town of the earldom or county of Wigton, conferred on Sir Malcolm Fleming. The county (but not the title), with its capital was thirty years afterwards sold, to Archibald Douglas, Lord of Galloway; and on the forfeiture of this iamily, an nexed to the crown in 1453. In 1581, it is specified as one of the king's free burghs in the west. But Wigton was a place of importance long before it was erected into a royal burgh. It must have ex isted previously to 1267, when Dervorgille, daugh ter of Allan, Lord of Galloway, founded there a monastery for black nuns, as it is then mentioned by its present name as a place well known. The castle of Wigton, which belonged to the king., is spoken of as an important fortress about the latter period, and Chalmers thinks it was built at least a century before that date. This castle was in the hands of Edward I. in 1291, being delivered to him till the claims of the different competitors for the crown were decided. He committed it to the charge of Walter de Currie (laird of Dunskey), and successively of others, and ultimately conferred it on John Ballot as the Scottish king. This castle has now disappeared; but it is understood to have been situated on the banks of the Bladenoch south of the town, at a place where in ancient times that river fell into the bay. The fosse is quite discern ible; and though the foundation of the walls cannot be traced, mortar and other remains, indicative of an ancient building, are still to be observed. The monastery founded by Dervorgille was situated on the east of the burgh, terminating on an abrupt ridge overlooking the bay, hut no remains of it can be traced. There was a large cemetry connected with it, where, within these fifty years, bones and other sepulchral remains were dug up. The friars
of this place, though they had to profess poverty and practice mendicity, were possessed of conside rable property, originating for the most part in temporary grants of fisheries, lands, &c. and of gratuities given them by the various kings of Scot land who lodged with them on their pilgimage to St. Ninian's tomb in 'Whithorn. In 1502, James IV. gave 14 shillings to the pipers of Wigton for music. And the subsequent year he presented the priest of Wigton with 40 shillings to perform " a Dirge and Soul-mass" for his brother John, Earl of Mar, of whose death he there first got intelligence. The first church in Wigton was consecrated to St. Machute, an obscure saint, who died in 554. It originally belonged to the priory of Whithorn, but was afterwards a free rectory, of which the king was patron. There is a MS. in the Advocates' Library (Jac. V. 8. 8.) containing curious notices relative to religious houses; among other things, a donation (1495) is mentioned from \Villiam M'Gar vey, vicar of Penningham, of various houses and crofts in or near the burgh (which are most min utely described), to support " a chaplaine in St. Machutus in Wigtoun." When the present church was built, we have not ascertained; the cast gable is of great antiquity, being the remains of a former building, probably that of the church of the vene rable St. Machute. In the churchyard are several ancient monuments and inscriptions, particularly one or two which seem to have been transferred thither from the cemetry or the monastery.
The inhabitants, with the exception of a few Irish settlers, are nearly all natives, either of the burgh or county. The names of families that are still most prevalent in Wigton, such as £:cc. were the predominant names so early as the year 1495. (Vide the MS. above referred to.) The inhabitants of this place are extremely respect able, and no where can be found more interesting and refined society. They are generally in comfort able circumstances in their respective stations, and some of them have attained considerable opulence. Property is much subdivided: there arc few steady tradesmen that are not proprietors of a house; and the numerous crofts, or acres as they are called, ad jacent to the burgh, are the property of the various classes of the citizens. They are a reading, inqui sitive people; and while they have had for above thirty years a large subscription library, not a few of them possess extensive private collections. Crime is nearly unknown, and the obligations of piety and morality are held sacred. There is, in addition to the parish church, a dissenting chapel. The burgh school has long been eminent; and there are not wanting instances of individuals educated at this seminary that have attained to distinction and honour in various quarters of the world. Wigton, with New Galloway, Whithorn and Stran raer, send a member to parliament. The popula tion amounts to about 1000. Vide Caledonia; Alurray's Lit. Mist. of Galloway; and the Rev. Mr. Donnan's account of this place in the Stat. Ace. of Scotland, vol. xiv. (T. m.)