Barburgh or Barburgh Mill is a clachan composed o an auld lint mill, later stendit as a ooen mill, an its asscoitatit biggins that lies north o Auldgirth on the A76 road on the route tae Closeburn in Closeburn Pairsh, in the historical coonty o Dumfriesshire in Dumfries an Gallowa, Scotland. Its oreeginal nucleus wis the auld mill an its associatit biggins, the smiddy, the towl hoose, an the miller's and wirkers' dwallins. The site featurs the A76 road that rins nearby, the River Nith, an the Lake Burn that ance pouert the mill via a lade afore jynin the Nith. The aurie is famous for its association wi the Covenanters.[1] A Roman road is thocht tae hae rin throu Nithsdale at this pynt.

Barburgh
Barburgh Mill is located in Dumfries and Galloway
Barburgh Mill
Barburgh Mill
Location within Dumfries an Gallowa
OS grid referenceNX 90116 88316
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Sovereign stateUnitit Kinrick
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55°10′37″N 3°43′37″W / 55.176892°N 3.7269615°W / 55.176892; -3.7269615Coordinates: 55°10′37″N 3°43′37″W / 55.176892°N 3.7269615°W / 55.176892; -3.7269615

In Breetish uisage Barburgh is technical a clachan raither nor a veelage as it haes aye lackit a formal dedicatit kirk o its ain.

History eedit

 
Buriial site o Charles Stuart Menteth o Closeburn at Dalgarnock.

The clachan staunds aboot 2.5 mile sooth o Closeburn an is noo consistent kent as 'Barburgh' an the burn recordit as the Lake Burn with its soorce pairtly fae the site o the auld Closeburn Loch. The clachan haes haed mony names recordit, includin Barbauch, Burborough, Burnburgh, Burbrught, Barbaroch, Barbarock, Burbrough, Bird-brugh, Barbouy, and Barbuy.[2] Afore 1606 and for a speal up tae 1697 the clachan lay in the pairish o Dalgarnock.

The Lake Burn rins doon fae the site o the noo-soukit Closeburn Loch near Closeburn Castle an haes its infaw here wi the River Nith at the Lintmill Puil. The aurie is famous for its association wi the Covenanters an the events o the sae-cried "Killin Times" that occurt durin the rings o Charles II, Keeng o Scots (King Charles II o England) an James VII, Keeng o Scots (King James II o England) an hinderly led til the estaiblishment o the Presbyterian Kirk o Scotland.[3]

Etymology eedit

The name 'Barborough' is said bi the Ordnance Sruvey tae mean 'the whizzin toun', derived fae the bummin soond fae the lint manufacturin process.[2] The name 'Lintmill Puil' is thocht tae hae come fae an umwhile uiss o the mill for the graithin o lint or linen fae the lint plant, houiver it is notit that the lint wis left in various deep 'lint puils' alang the river as a pairt o the rottin process that cam afore the lint wis taen tae be processed in the mill.[2] Barburg wis recordit an aw as 'Bridburgh' in 1247 an micht derive fae 'Bridda's Fort' or 'Fort o the Birds'.[4]

The first record o the name on Roy's map o 1747-1755 no clear reads as 'Bolybruchhead' bit no mill or dounset is merkit an whit is noo Whitespots Hill micht be myntit.[5] It micht shaw a fort linkin tae Watsons confuised details o a 'Bar Brugh', the 'Defence Fort

In 1901 Watson refers til a 'Bar Brugh' or 'Defence Fort' made fae an "... immense mass of stones contiguous to the farm of Cairn, and situated on a narrow plain bounded on one side by the Bar-Hill and on the other side by the River Nith." He states that this circular fort o uncementit stanes gairdit the entry til the pairish fae the sootheast houiver. A sootheast confuision wi the nor'wast micht expleen the reference as no sic structur or name exists elsewhaur in the pairish.[6] The railwey rins throu this site an micht hae wrackit ony fort that existit near Cairn Ferm.

The name micht shaw a fort an aw linkin Watson's confuised details o a 'Bar Brugh', the "Defence Fort", a circular fort near Cairns Ferm.[6][7]

In the 1848-1858 OS Name Beuk the name is gien as 'Burbrough' wi several cots praisent wi gairdens an at that time a pirn mill, makkin the wuiden pirns vital tae spinnin an weavin in whit was afore a lint or linen mill.[2] The smaw Cairns schuil stuid near Cairns Ferm, Blackwuid, an the Railwey Cots in 1899.

Barburgh Mill, Smiddy, an Burn eedit

 
Buirial site o the Bairds o Closeburn at Closeburn seemetry.

The mill's watter supply wisna via the River Nith bit wis insteid fae the watters o the Lake Burn via a lade that ran doun fae Stepends an Whitespots Ferms wi a seestem o slooshes, owerfleets, an mill pownds. This watter supply is pairt o the Garroch Waterpower Scheme[8] that pouert the Park limestane warks, Stepends Ferm thrashin machine, etc. The first record o Barburgh Mill (NX 90116 88316) is tha John Padzean, the Covenanter, wrocht there in 1684, possibly as the miller as Thomas Macmury is notit an aw, bit anely as a residenter.[9]

In the River Nith near Barburgh Mill is OS recordit the place name "Lintmill Pool", likely name't fae the ae-time uiss o the mill for the graithin o lint or linen fae the lint plant.[2] The mill is first shawn on maps in 1804 an is merkit as a lint mill,[10] as it is in 1821[11] an 1828.[12] The first OS map o 1855 records a 'Bobbin mill' in English (a spellin mistak gies 'Bobbing')[13] houiver by 1899 it is shawn as a ooen mill an it steyed as sick until its feenal closur in the 1960s.[8][14]

The praisent mill micht hae been built bi Charles Stuart Menteth o the Closeburn Estate aroond 1790-1810 an by 1862 it wis haudit bi the Baird faimily that haed bocht the estate.[8]

Upon his deith in 1867 James Mackie McKerlie o Barburgh wis descrived as a 'manufacturer' withoot forder speceefication, confirmin that the mill wisna a corn or meal mill.[15] Alexander an John Cowan becam tenants an in 1900s entrys John Elliot is recordit as the tenant.

In the early 19t century the twa-story Barburgh Mill, an 'L'-shapit grummel-built structur wis uised as a ooen mill, manufacturin blankes in 1939[8] an closed syne the 1960s, later pairt uised as store.[16][17] The owershot wheel wis parrockit within a wheel hoose an the mill sahws various eikins and alterins, sich as the shiftin o the coorse o the lade.[8]

Barburgh Smiddy stuid til the wast o the mill, single-storey an grummle-built wi a brick-built eikin, no dout servin local needs in addeetion tae thaim o the mill. A saw pit wis locatit nearby.[18] Stables micht hae been praisent here as weel as wirkers accommodation.[8]

Barburgh Mill Hoose staunds til the wast o the burn an providit accommodation for the miller in 1854 - the hoose haes a sundial, uisually a heich-status featur.[19]

Barburgh Mill Roman Fortlet eedit

In 1945 Barburgh Mill Roman Fortlent (NX 9021 8844) wis diskivert close til the mill an in 1971 it wis fully howkit afore the graivel-quarrelin at the location. Quarrel operations haed wrackit aw o the north side o the fortlet an muckle o its soothren side an aw. Aw o the surface hints o the fortlet in the survivin aurie hae noo gane.

The Roman road ran aneath the fortlet's hillock site. Awtho turves wis fund, naething o the rampairts wis fund, an an inby surface aurie o ae fift o ae acre wis calculatit. Twa timmer berricks, ilk wi sax rooms, wis praisent. Durin the first Antonine speal sic a fortlet wad hae providit accommodation for ae century o infantry. The ditch wad have been veesible until at least the 14t century. An annexe micht hae been praisent bit no inby structurs wis fund.[20]

The Killin Times eedit

On 5 Mey 1864, bi scry, the follaein people fae Closeburn Pairish wis declare't tae be "outlins an fugies": Gien unner wir seegnatur, at Edinburgh, the 5t o Mey, ane thoosand sax hunner aichty an fower year, an o wir ring the thirtyt an sax year..

John Padzean at the Mill o Bird-brugh (Barbrugh).
Thomas Macmurdy, Barbuy (Barburgh).
James Harkness in Locherbain.
Thomas Milligan at the Mill o Closeburn.
James Gilkerse in Holm o Dalgarnock.
James Hunter, younger in Wood-end.
James Watson, Hill-end.
William Ferguson, Three-rigs.
Robert Dalziel in Cleughfoot, Dalgarnock.
[9]

The Mairtyrs Cross at Dalgarnock Kirk daesna record the deiths o the Covenanters John Padzean or Thomas Macmurdy, suggestin that thay survived the Killin Times.

John Kirkpatrick bade at Barburgh Heid near the mill an haed been responsible as an informer for the captur o the Covenanter John Mathison. John haed been deportit til Americae houiver he wis able tae retour an conteena his wirk. John Kirkpatrick haed taen wee revenge upon the deith o John Mathison bi wrackin his heidstane in a nicht-time act o vandalism, houiver his actions haedna gane unobservit an efter receivin a follaein letter his wis gart tae pey for a replacement:[21]

'“Mr. [John] Kirkpatrick [in Barburgh head],

We have received information from our friends in Nithsdale how you retaining your old malignity and enmity against the people of God have in pursuance there of adventured to run the risque of meddling with the monument of the dead, demolishing and breaking the gravestone of a sufferer for the cause of Christ which is highly criminal in the eyes of the law, and is more than your neck is worth, and deserves just severity as bringing to remembrance your old hatred, and the hand you had in his sufferings. And now ye seem to be longing for a visit for your old murthering actions, which if you would evite, we straitly charge and command you, upon your perill to repair that stone, by laying one upon the grave, fully as good as the former with the same precise motto as well engraven, and that you perform the work with all expedition, and if it be not done against May day first [1714], which is a sufficient time, we promise to pay you a visit, perhaps to your cost, and if you oblige us which to assure yourself that your old deeds will be remembered to purpose which to assure you of we have ordered this to be written in presence of our correspondence at Crawford-John, March 1, 1714, and subscribed in our name by Hu[gh]. Clerk, c[ler]k.[22]

Deith Records for Barburgh eedit

 
The heidstane o the Covenanter James Mathieson at Closeburn seemetry.

Thir records is maistly taen fae the inscriptions on the heidstanes at Dalgarnock an shaw a variety o version o the 'Barburgh' placename.

  • On 28 Mairch 1872, William Grassie dee'd at Barburgh Mill, aged 40,[23] an wis buirit at the Dalgarnock Seemetry whaur his memorial staunds yet.
  • On 16 October 1852, Agnes Maxwell dee'd at Burbraugh Mill aged 4 year. Agnes's paurents wis William Maxwell an Elizabeth Bennoch. She wis buirit at the Dalgarnock Seemetry an aw wi her paurents.[24]
  • In 1704 John Nivison o Barbouy (Barburgh) place't a memorial tae his faither, that haed been the miller at Closeburn, at Dalgarnock Seemetry.[25]
  • On 5 Februar 1867 James Mackie McKerlie, manufacturer, aged 24, dee'd at the mill, an his guidwife Mary Ann Mackie dee'd at the mill an aw, aged 51.
  • Isabella Love, dochter o John an Henriette McKerlie, dee'd at th mill on 15 Julie 1871 aged 18 month. Johm McKerlie later flittit til the ooen mill at Cample Mill an dee'd aged 60 fae injurs acquire't fae a mishanter at Campleslacks in 1881.[15]
  • John Jackson wis praisent at Barbarock Mill aboot 1840-1850.[2]

Transport eedit

Barburgh lies in Nithsdale, a naitural communication througang that haes upshottit in the main A76 road passin throu it, an the railwey cutthin throu it an aw at a greater hicht. The Dumfries-til-Aur road rins throu on its way tae Thornhill fae Auldgirth. The veelage niver haed a railwey station, the nearest nouadays bein Sanquhar railwey station an afore a station wis praisent at Auldgirth.

As an auld towl road the A76 ance haed a towl hoose, first recordit as Burbrught Toll in 1821 an in 1828 an aw,[10][11][26] houiver on the 1843-1882 OS map it is cried 'Stepends Toll' wi a tron an a watter troch nearby.[27] By 899 the towl seestem no langer existit an the site is recordit as "Whitespots Cottages".[28]

References eedit

  1. Groome, Francis (1886). Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland. Vol III. Thomas C Jack. p. 574.
  2. a b c d e f "Scotlands Places". Archived frae the original on 12 Apryle 2020. Retrieved 26 November 2017.
  3. Groome, Francis (1886). Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland. Thomas C Jack. p. 574.
  4. "An Eighth-century Reference to the Monastery at Hoddom" (PDF). Archived frae the original (PDF) on 2 Apryle 2015. Retrieved 26 November 2017.
  5. "Roy Military Survey of Scotland, 1747-1755". Retrieved 26 November 2017.
  6. a b Watson, R. (1901). Closeburn (Dumfriesshire). Reminiscent, Historic & Traditional. Inglis Ker & Co. p. 53.
  7. "Roy Military Survey of Scotland, 1747-1755". Retrieved 26 November 2017.
  8. a b c d e f "Garroch Waterpower Scheme : Part V. Barburgh Mill by Richard J. Clarke" (PDF). Archived frae the original (PDF) on 10 Mey 2013. Retrieved 27 November 2017.
  9. a b "Closeburn (Dumfriesshire); reminiscent, historic and traditional". Retrieved 26 November 2017.
  10. a b "William CRAWFORD - Map of Dumfries-shire". Retrieved 27 November 2017.
  11. a b "John AINSLIE - Ainslie's Map of the Southern Part of Scotland". Retrieved 27 November 2017.
  12. "1828 - John THOMSON - Dumfriesshire". Retrieved 27 November 2017.
  13. "Dumfries Sheet XL.4 (Closeburn). Survey date: 1855. Publication date: 1861". Retrieved 27 November 2017.
  14. "Dumfriesshire 040.04 (includes: Closeburn). Publication date: 1900. Revised:1899". Retrieved 27 November 2017.
  15. a b Wright, Margaret (2005). Dalgarnock Kirkyard Memorial Inscriptions. Dumfries and Galloway Family Research Centre. p. 33.
  16. "Canmore -Barburgh Mill". Archived frae the original on 12 Apryle 2020. Retrieved 26 November 2017.
  17. Wright, Margaret (2005). The Industrial Archaeology of Scotland. I. The Lowlands and Borders. B.T.Batsford Ltd. p. 96.
  18. "Canmore - Barburgh Smithy". Archived frae the original on 12 Apryle 2020. Retrieved 26 November 2017.
  19. "1854-1858 - ORDNANCE SURVEY - Six-inch 1st edition maps of Scotland". Retrieved 27 November 2017.
  20. "Canmore - Barburgh Mill". Archived frae the original on 12 Apryle 2020. Retrieved 26 November 2017.
  21. Watson, R. (1901). Closeburn (Dumfriesshire). Reminiscent, Historic & Traditional. Inglis Ker & Co. p. 16.
  22. Watson, R. (1901). Closeburn (Dumfriesshire). Reminiscent, Historic & Traditional. Inglis Ker & Co. p. 263.
  23. Wright, Margaret (2005). Dalgarnock Kirkyard Memorial Inscriptions. Dumfries and Galloway Family Research Centre. p. 123.
  24. Wright, Margaret (2005). Dalgarnock Kirkyard Memorial Inscriptions. Dumfries and Galloway Family Research Centre. p. 31.
  25. Wright, Margaret (2005). Dalgarnock Kirkyard Memorial Inscriptions. Dumfries and Galloway Family Research Centre. p. 32.
  26. "1828 - John THOMSON - Dumfriesshire". Retrieved 27 November 2017.
  27. "Ordnance Survey Maps - Six-inch 1st edition, Scotland, 1843-1882". Retrieved 26 November 2017.
  28. "Dumfriesshire 040.04 (includes: Closeburn). Publication date: 1900. Revised:1899". Retrieved 27 November 2017.


External links eedit