Biggar

Biggar, a town of Lanarkshire, 28 miles SW. of Edinburgh, with which it has connection by rail. The Collegiate Church of St Mary was founded in 1545; of Boghall Castle, the seat of the great Fleming family, hardly a vestige remains. Dr John Brown, author of Rab and his Friends, was born in the United Presbyterian manse; and John Gladstones (1693-1756), great-grand sire of W. E. Gladstone, is buried in the churchyard. Pop. 1356. See Hunter's Biggar and the House of Fleming (2d ed. 1867).