WHITHORN, a royal borough of Wigtonshire, situated eleven miles south of Wigton, and two and a half miles west of Wigton Bay. It consists chiefly of one street lying north and south, and nearly half a mile in length. The houses are not inelegant, though somewhat irregularly built. The only public buildings are the town-house and jail, the parish church, and three dissenting chapels. The town is devoid of manufactures, but maintains two branch banks. The population in 1831 amounted to 1305. The Isle of Whithorn, a village containing 413 inhabitants, about three miles to the south-east, is the port of the borough. The municipal government is vested in a provost, two bailies, and fifteen councillors; and Whithorn unites with Stranraer, Wigton, and New Galloway in sending a representative to the House of Commons. Registered voters in 1840-1, 50. Municipal revenue about £100.
Whithorn is celebrated for its antiquity, and is conspicuous in the annals of the church. Its original name was Candida Casa, White Cottage, from the circumstance that, in the beginning of the fifth century, a church was erected there, of white stone, supposed to be the first in Scotland built of such solid materials. The founder of it was St Ninian, a native of the place, who died and was buried there in 432. His memory was held in such veneration that many places both in England and Scotland were called after his name, and pilgrimages were made to his shrine for centuries previously to the Reformation, when such superstitious practices were prohibited by act of parliament. The kings of Scotland not only visited this spot themselves, but encouraged others to do so, and granted protection to all strangers coming from England, Ireland, and the Isle of Man on pilgrimage to Whithorn. James IV. performed the pilgrimage several times; once on foot, in consequence of the dangerous illness of his queen on the birth of their eldest son; and on her recovery, which was attributed to the miraculous influence of the saint, her husband and she, in testimony of their gratitude, performed the same journey in circumstances of great pomp and magnificence. James V. was the last royal personage that paid a visit to St Ninian's shrine. Candida Casa continued till 1689 the seat of the bishop of Galloway, who, previously to the erection of Edinburgh into a bishopric in 1633, ranked above all the other Scottish bishops, and immediately after the archbishops of St Andrews and Glasgow. About the middle of the twelfth century, a monastery was founded at Whithorn by Fergus, Lord of Galloway, for monks of the Premonstratensian order. The most eminent persons connected with this monastery were James Beaton, afterwards archbishop of St Andrews and lord chancellor of Scotland, and Gavin Dunbar, afterwards successively tutor to James V., archbishop of Glasgow, and chancellor of the kingdom. Of the cathedral and monastic buildings scarcely any remains can be traced, except a few arches, particularly a very beautiful one of the Saxon order, and several vaults. (C. 1.)