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Arroquhar
OSA
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The main roads are maintained by the government. The
Inverary road is in good order although the Tarbert
to Tyndrum road is poor as it has been neglected at
several places, particularly at Farkin and Craig-an-aren.
It is too steep and could have been brought along the
loch side for little extra expense. The remaining roads
are paid for by the tenants and cottagers. The assessments
raise more money than is necessary to maintain the roads
here - as the surplus is used in other parishes, this
is felt unfair.
Post arrives from Inverary and Dumbarton at 8 pm everyday
except Wednesday.
The most common fuel is peat although farmers near Loch
Long can obtain coal.
NSA
The nearest markets are Helensburgh and Dumbarton
but both are about 20 miles away.
Means of Communication There is a daily post and two
carriers pass through the parish each week. In the summer,
steamers sail on Loch Long and Loch Lomond. There is
no mail or heavy coach but in the summer there is a
coach between Tarbert and Inverary. Chaises, gigs and
carts can be hired from the inns at Tarbert and Arrochar.
Roads and bridges are generally very good except for
two miles on Long Long and one of the bridges. There
are 15 miles or so of road along Loch Lomond with fine
views.
Bonhill
 |
| Old direction sign at Duck Bay |
OSA
Coal, lime and heavy goods sail someway up the Leven
and are then pulled by horses for the rest of their
journey. No mention of roads.
NSA
No mention of roads.
Cardross
OSA
; ferries
There are two main roads - one to Loch Lomond and one
along the Clyde. They are paid for by the statute labour.
Other roads are poor.
There are four ferries over the Leven, two of these
from charter evidence are very old.
NSA
The nearest market town is Dumbarton but Greenock and
Port-Glasgow on the other side of the Clyde are also
frequented. In addition Helensburgh takes much produce
from the western part of the parish.
There are two and a half miles of turnpike between Dumbarton
and Renton and seven and a half miles to Helensburgh.
A coach runs along the Renton road to Loch Lomond each
day. The only way of travelling west is by steamboat.
Dumbarton is the post town and the mail runs each day
on these roads.
The main statute labour roads are Cardross to Renton
and Ardmore ferry to Balloch ferry - both these ferries
are currently being improved.
Cumbernauld
OSA
The new Edinburgh to Glasgow turnpike passes through.
The other roads are statute labour.
NSA;
Roman
road
A Roman road running to Castlecary from the south
can be seen in Fannyside moss.
There are about 20 miles of turnpike in the parish as
well as parish roads, and these enable the farmers to
get their produce to markets and obtain lime and manure
to improve their lands.
A railroad between Edinburgh and Glasgow is to be built
through the parish and will run close to the Forth and
Clyde Canal and Agricola’s Wall.
Cumbernauld used to have a weekly market and still has
two fairs with some business done at the fair in May.
A horse race is held at the August fair but proves to
be a nuisance. The nearest market towns are Falkirk
and Glasgow. Post comes from Glasgow and Denny.
Several coaches run through each day, viz. the mail
coach to Crieff and Perth; another coach to Auchterarder
and Perth; a coach to Edinburgh by Linlithgow and one
to Alloa by Falkirk; and two to Stirling. In summer
a coach often runs to Callendar and the Trossachs each
day.
The canal is much used for passenger traffic and coaches
run from Wyndford Loch to Stirling, Perth, Alloa etc
and from No.16 (lock at Camelon, near Falkirk) to Dunfermline
and Kirkcaldy.
Dumbarton
 |
| Dumbarton from West Ferry location |
OSA
The parish has excellent roads made by the military
and a turnpike to Glasgow. There are packs daily to
Greenock and Port Glasgow and a stage coach three times
a week to Glasgow.
NSA
Means of Communication Steamers sail twice
daily to Greenock and Glasgow.
Letters are sent twice daily to Glasgow and daily to
Helensburgh, Luss and Drymen. In summer a coach leaves
Dumbarton each day for Balloch where the Loch Londond
steamer can be caught. On return the evening steamer
to Glasgow can be caught.
A bridge, 300 feet long, was built over the Leven in
1765 at a cost of 2500 Sterling. Eight-five years earlier
an attempt was made to build a bridge but this enterprise
came to nothing.
Kilmaronock
OSA
Coals are brought from Kilpatrick some 12/14 miles away.
The military road between Stirling and Dumbarton passes
through. There is a modern bridge over the Endrick.
The turnpike to Glasgow by Easter Kilpatrick (New Kilpatrick
or Bearsden) is nearly complete.
NSA
Means of Communication The Drymen and Dumbarton
penny-post runs through the parish along the turnpike
road between these places. There is also a road between
Drymen and Glasgow on which a coach runs twice a week
in winter and three times a week in summer. Carriers
from Buchanan and Drymen travel through to Glasgow once
a week.
There is an old bridge over the Endrick on the Drymen
road.
There are two fairs in the parish: one for horses and
one for milk cows.
As well as peat, coal carted from Garscube, Kilpatrick,
and from places on the Leven is used.
New
or East Kilpatrick (Clydebank, Knightswood, Milngavie)
OSA
Two turnpikes from Glasgow to Drymen and Balfron are
being constructed. There is a need for an east-west
road.
NSA
The causeway (Roman) at New Kilpatrick is mentioned.
Glasgow is the nearest market town. Shops are available
in Milngavie. There used to be a fair near the church
for milch-cows but hardly any any attend this nowadays.
Means of Communication A penny post runs to Glasgow
each lawful day and there are post offices at Milngavie
and New Kirk.
There are eleven miles of turnpike - the road to Dumbarton
and the roads to Balfron and Drymen. A coach runs to
Glasgow each day from Milngavie and three times a week
from Drymen and Balfron respectively. The Forth and
Clyde Canal is used to carry coal from the mine at Temple
and stone from the quarry at Garscube. Dung from Greenock
is sometimes delivered but it is as cheap to obtain
it from Glasgow by road.
There are three bridges over the Kelvin and a fine new
private bridge to Garscube House. There is also an aqueduct
to carry the canal over this river. There are three
small bridges over the Allender and others over smaller
streams.
Since the last Account the roads are greatly improved
and there is now no difficulty in obtaining manure.
Old
Kilpatrick
OSA
; Roman
obelisk
The roads are good, carts are widely used in the parish.
At Sandyford, before the road was repaired and a bridge
suitable for horses and carriages built, a Roman obelisk
taken from the Wall was used as a footbridge. A bridge
over the Duntocher Burn is thought to be Roman.
Thirty years ago carriages could travel no great distance
because of the lack of bridges. Even the great road
to Dumbarton and the west Highlands could be affected.
However, about 20 years ago the Duke of Argyle and others
funded 8 miles of road from the east of this parish
to Dunbarton to be repaid from tolls. This project has
been very successful and of great benefit. The surplus
of the toll income supplements the statute labour money
which is L63.6.8 Sterling and is assessed at 10/- Sterling
on each 100 L Scots of valued rent and 2/- per householder.
A ferry lies almost opposite the church and is used
by foot passengers, horses and carriages.
NSA;
Roman
bridge; foot
bridge
In a description of the sights that can be seen along
the river Clyde, the author notes the fine views that
can be had from the public road at Dalnotter Hill just
before Old Kilpatrick and Impel Hill on leaving the
village.
There is disagreement among antiquarians as to whether
a bridge at Duntocher is Roman or not. There is a stone
beside it which notes that it was repaired in 1772 and
states that it was built in the time of Hadrian.
The nearest market town is Dumbarton and there are several
villages in the parish.
Means of Communication A stage coach runs
from Duntocher to Glasgow each day and there are frequent
carriers between Glasgow and Dumbarton. The chief means
of travel however is by steamboats which run nearly
every hour. These call at the Brick-house, Erskine Ferry,
Bowling and Dunglass.
There are 12 miles of turnpike road and 16 miles of
statute labour road - all are in fine condition. The
Forth and Clyde canal runs through the parish and is
convenient for the transport of coal and manure. Mail
is received daily from Dumbarton and Glasgow.
Kirkintilloch
OSA
A road between Edinburgh and Glasgow passes through.
NSA;
bridge
Means of Communication Roads in the parish
are: the Edinburgh to Glasgow road by Kilsyth; Parkburn
to Inchbelly; Inchbelly to Shirva, Twechar and Auchinvole;
Willhead to Gartcloss etc; Oxgang to Bedow and Mossfinnin
Bridge; Townhead to Boghead; Gartcommon to Badenheath
and Deerdyke to Shangan.
Road money is rated at L2 Sterling on every L100 of
valuation as well as being raised on 20 horses belonging
to carters in the town - it totals L148.
The writer gives details of the Monkland and Kirkintilloch
railway and considerable details of the Forth and Clyde
canal. Seven fast iron-boats carry passengers on the
canal - these totalled nearly 24,000 in 1837. Numerous
bridges and drawbridges have been built to allow crossing
of public and private roads by the canal.
Several roads and bridges are listed in a description
of the boundaries resulting from a division of the parish:
these are a bridge on the road from Campsie, the coal-road,
the High Street, Cowgate and Broadcroft, Hillhead Bridge,
and the Longmuir and Twechar roads.
Three fairs are held each year, mainly for cattle. Letters
come from Glasgow and Falkirk but the Campsie post has
been withdrawn.
Luss
OSA;
stepping
stones
Mention in passing of high roads on each side of Loch
Lomond.
At the Channel of Falloch at the north of Loch Lomond
there are stepping stones which are 4 or 5 feet under
water.
NSA
The level of Loch Lomond has risen by several feet:
there are stepping stones over the Falloch at the north
end of the loch which are now several feet below the
surface and an island in Camstraddan bay where a house
once stood but is now only a heap of stones.
 |
| Military
bridge at Culag, 2 miles north of Luss, on the old
military road from Dumbarton to Inverary |
The nearest market town is Helensburgh although the
demand for produce is mostly in the summer. As a result
produce is also taken throughout the year to Greenock
which can be easily reached by water.
Means of Communication There are excellent turnpikes
to Helensburgh and Dumbarton. The post road from Dumbarton
to the Highlands runs through here along the side of
Loch Lomond. There is a road in the south of the parish
with a branch at Red House to Glen Fruin and another
to Helensburgh. Altogether there are some 14 miles of
turnpike.
Luss has a post office with deliveries from Inverary
and Dumbarton each day.
There are bridges over the Froon, Finlas, Luss and Douglas.
Those on the roads to Glen Froon and Helensburgh are
old and narrow. Areas near Loch Lomond are easily accessed
by boat but the Leven can only be navigated by very
small boats making it unsuitable for communication by
water. There had been plans in the past both to deepen
the river or to build a canal which would allow such
communication but opposition from local proprietors
has prevented these schemes from being carried into
effect. So too with a plan for a canal between Loch
Lomond and the head of Loch Long at Tarbert.
There is an annual fair for sheep and lambs at Luss.
Rosneath
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| Looking towards Rosneath parish |
OSA
No particular mention of roads.
NSA
The main market is Greenock which is reached by regular
boats from the ferries at Row and Kilcraigin.
Means of Communication Although there are
no turnpikes there are 24 miles of excellent carriage
roads which with few exceptions make communications
within the parish very easy. Until fairly recently Greenock
was reached by open packet boat from Row and Kilcraigin
and was much subject to delay because of the weather
and the tides. Since steamboats came into use there
is no difficulty in reaching Greenock. The Gareloch
can be crossed by row-boat.
There is a daily penny-post from Helensburgh.
Row
OSA
A road between Inverary and Dunbarton has been made
by the Duke of Argyll.
NSA
The town of Helensburgh has a weekly market and four
fairs. Several steamboats sail daily to Glasgow and
there is a postal service from Dumbarton and Greenock.
The turnpike road between Dumbarton and Arrochar runs
16 miles through the parish and a new road from Helensburgh
to Luss and the Balloch ferry makes it much easier to
reach these places.
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