a royal and parliamentary borough of Scotland, in the county and 11 miles south of Wigton, and 2½ 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 townhouse and jail, the parish church, Free church, United Presbyterian, and Reformed Presbyterian places of worship. The town is devoid of manufactures, but maintains two branch banks. The population in 1851 amounted to 1652. The Isle of Whithorn, a village about 3 miles to the S.E., is the port of the borough. The municipal government is vested in a provost, two bailies, and six councillors; and Whithorn unites with Stranraer, Wigton, and New Galloway in sending a representative to the House of Commons. Municipal revenue, 1858-9, L.266. Whithorn is celebrated for its antiquity, and is conspicuous in the annals of the Church. Its original name was Candida Casa, White House, 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 frequently made to his shrine until the Reformation, when such superstitious practices were prohibited. The kings of Scotland not only visited this spot themselves, but encouraged others to do so, and granted protection to all strangers coming on pilgrimage to Whithorn. James IV. performed the pilgrimage several times, and once did so on foot. James V. was the last royal personage that paid a visit to St Ninian's shrine. Candida Casa was, till 1689, the seat of the Bishop of Galloway; and 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 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.