In 1882-4, Frances Groome's Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland described Johnstone like this:
Johnstone, a parish in Annandale, Dumfriesshire, whose church stands on the right bank of the Annan, 7 furlongs NW of Dinwoodie station on the Caledonian, this being 6 miles NNW of Lockerbie, under which there is a post office of Johnstone Bridge. Comprising the ancient parish of Johnstone and parts of those of Dumgree and Garvald, it is bounded N by Kirkpatrick-Juxta, E by Wamphray and Applegarth, S by Lochmaben, and SW and W by Kirkmichael. ...
Its utmost length, from N to S, is 7½ miles; its breadth varies between 1½ and 53/8 miles; and its area is 13,607¼ acres, of which 116¾ are water. The Annan winds 6½ miles south-by-westward along or near to all the eastern boundary; and Kinnel Water 9 miles southward along the Kirkpatrick-Juxta boundary, across the western interior, and along or near to the Kirkmichael boundary, till it passes off into Lochmaben on its way to the Annan. In the extreme S the surface declines to 195 feet above sea-level, thence rising northward to 380 feet near Blackburn, 490 near Williamson, and 749 near Hazelbank, and north-north-westward, beyond Kinnel Water, to 1076 at Hangingshaw Hill, and 1308 at Minnygap Height. Red sandstone, prevailing for upwards of a mile from the southern boundary, has been quarried on a small scale; elsewhere eruptive rocks predominate, but have little or no economical value; and lead ore exists in circumstances to have induced a search for workable lodes, but has not answered expectations. Alluvial soil, chiefly dry loam or gravel, covers the level tract along the Annan; peat moss, extending over some hundreds of acres, occurs in other parts; and the soil of much of the arable lands on the slopes and hills is too poor to yield remunerative crops of wheat. About three-sevenths of the entire area are in tillage; woods cover some 1550 acres; and the rest is either pastoral or waste. Dr Matthew Halliday and Dr John Rogerson (1741-1823), successively first physicians to the Empress Catherine of Russia, were natives of Johnstone. Lochwood Castle, the chief antiquity, and Raehills, the principal mansion, are noticed separately; and J. J. Hope-Johnstone, Esq., is sole proprietor. Johnstone is in the presbytery of Lochmaben and synod of Dumfries; the living is worth £210. The parish church, built in 1733 and enlarged in 1818, contains 500 sittings. Johnstone and Wamphray Free church stands 2½ miles N by E; and Johnstone public, Cogrieburn, and Goodhope schools, with respective accommodation for 110, 58, and 73 children, had (1881) an average attendance of 96, 45, and 59, and grants of £77, 12s., £46, 10s., and £53, 2s. 6d. Valuation (1860) £5807, (1883) £8380, 14s. 8d. Pop. (1801) 740, (1831) 1234, (1861) 1149, (1871) 1089, (1881) 1002.—Ord. Sur., sh. 10, 1864.
Johnstone through time
Johnstone is now part of Dumfries and Galloway district. Click here for graphs and data of how Dumfries and Galloway has changed over two centuries. For statistics about Johnstone itself, go to Units and Statistics.
GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth, History of Johnstone, in Dumfries and Galloway and Dumfries Shire | Map and description, A Vision of Britain through Time.
URL: https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/place/16439
Date accessed: 29th April 2024
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