Drumlanrig

   DRUMLANRIG, a village, in the parish of Durisdeer, county of Dumfries, 3½ miles (N. N. W.) from Thornhill. This place is distinguished for its magnificent palace of Drumlanrig, the seat of the Duke of Buccleuch, and formerly that of the dukes of Queensberry. It is a large square pile, standing on a rising ground, and looking down with its almost innumerable windows on the plain beneath, the river Nith flowing at a short distance from its walls, which are covered with a profusion of hearts and stars, and the arms of Douglas, and crowned by twelve fine turrets. The palace was built in the 17th century, by the first duke of Queensberry, from the designs of Inigo Jones, and its erection occupied ten years: around it are oldfashioned gardens, which are kept in good order; and in its vicinity, a line of yew-trees, overspread by creeping plants, presents a peculiarly venerable appearance. Formerly, in one of the parks was preserved a herd of the original wild cattle of Scotland, animals of a milk-white, except their noses, ears, and the orbits of their eyes, these being of a dark brown colour. In the churchyard of Durisdeer is a curious monument to "James Lukup, master of the works of Drumlanrig," bearing the date 1685.