2 10 57 https://glenkensarchive.scot/glenkens_archive/files/original/18/574/GGLP-CYDI-Technical-Note-6-Castledykes-Kirkcudbright.pdf c3b037554900ffc6282292d5da811216 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Can You Dig It – Technical Notes – 6 Castledykes, Kirkcudbright Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Technical Notes Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource GGLP Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Text Any textual data included in the document OFFICIAL Galloway Glens ‘Can You Dig It’ Community Archaeology project – Technical notes. #6: Castledykes – The Castle of the King PUBLISHED TUESDAY, 2 JULY 2019 Castledykes (NX 6771 5088) is located within Kirkcudbright, lying to the west of Kirkcudbright Academy and southeast of the sewage works. The monument is accessible by Castledykes road. It appears as a series of grassy banks with scrub woodland covering some portions of the site. OFFICIAL OFFICIAL It’s History The first mention of the castle at Kirkcudbright was in 1288, when John Comyn, sheriff of Wigtown, was noted as being the guardian of ‘the castle and lands which belonged to the King in Kirkcudbright’. This castle was probably the structure erected at Castledykes. The office of guardian was combined with that of Dumfries and Wigtown in 1291-2. Castledykes (centre) from an aerial image During the first phase of the Wars of Independence, Edward I evidently intended Kirkcudbright as a supply port when his fleet lay off the Dee estuary in 1300. The castle was held by the English throughout this period, with Edward I camping at Kirkcudbright for ten days in the summer of that year. Thereafter the king turned his attention to the east of Scotland, leaving the west to his son Edward who may have come to Kirkcudbright in July 1301. Kirkcudbright appears to have been used as supply base again in 1306. OFFICIAL OFFICIAL After Edward I’s death in 1307, the castle is unlikely to have been significantly used by the English, and the town was reported as waste in 1335-6. The castle of Kirkcudbright was included in a grant of the lordship of Galloway to Edward Bruce, brother of the king, in the early 14th century, but virtually nothing was heard of the castle after that date. There is no record that the castle was used at all by the Douglas family up until their forfeiture in 1455 and the castle probably lay in ruins. Sir Thomas Maclellan acquired the site in 1577 and he appears to have used much of the material from the castle to build his house (Maclellan’s Castle) which still stands within the town. In 1964 Castledykes was recognised as a nationally important site with the motte being designated (and so protected) as a scheduled monument The Excavations The motte at Castledykes was investigated through substantial excavation works by Robison in the 1911, 1912 and 1913. These works were successful in recording the foundation courses for the curtain wall and corner towers of what appeared to be the late 13th to early 14th century castle. The layout was revealed to be a rubble-built rectangular enclosure with a round tower at each corner. The eastern tower formed one side of two externally buttressed gatehouse towers, with the other sitting along the northeastern wall, placing the entrance for the castle as coming from the northeast. The buttresses on the gatehouse towers and the adjacent curtain wall are unusual for this period but it is possible that they were designed to carry machicolations near the wall-top, perhaps even arched, as seen at Haughton Castle, Northumberland. The footings at the western corner revealed this tower to be larger in size and it probably represented the keep. The plan reproduced by the excavators represents this tower as a later addition buttressing that corner of the enclosure inside and out, but this may perhaps represent the sequence of construction. OFFICIAL OFFICIAL Plan showing Castledykes in relation to earthwork The latter tower and the one to the north both contained the remains of spiral staircases, which presumably gave access to the upper floors. Robison wrote that the defences of the outer bailey had disappeared but that he presumed they would have been on a stockade principle and, if so, that no trace of them would remain. These excavations followed the approach of ‘wall chasing’ - excavating a series of narrow linear trenches that followed obvious structures. While this was a common approach in the early 20th century, it is now considered a poor strategy as it fails to examine, in plan, the sequential development of sites. OFFICIAL OFFICIAL Wall chasing trench from 1911 Since Robison’s work, there has only been two further instances of archaeological interventions at Castledykes, both of which were small-scale. In 2002, Brann monitored civil engineering test pits and boreholes in advance of a proposed expansion of the Waste Water Treatment Works. Another watching brief by Rathmell Archaeology in 2005 supported the construction of a pipeline running to the works close to the access road. No significant archaeological features or deposits were recorded by either. The Finds Artefacts recovered from the 1911-13 excavations included pottery sherds, fragments of ironwork and a small-toothed comb made from bone. The finds were discussed in more detail by Dunning, Hodges and Jope in 1957-58. OFFICIAL OFFICIAL Depiction of imported jugs from Dunning, Hodges & Jope The pottery represented at least 50 jugs and four cooking pots. There were no dishes, bowls or more specialised shapes. At least six (and probably eight) of the jugs were imports from southwest France. Of the remaining, a variety of styles and fabrics suggested several different sources, some probably being brought from England. A number showed an underlying uniformity of fabric which could have been made at or near Kirkcudbright. The French pottery was identified as being late 13th to early 14th century in date, with one fragment coming from a medieval polychrome pitcher - the only example of this type from Scotland at the time of the article. The transport of this pottery has been associated with the extensive Gascon wine trade to Britain. These artefacts are held by Dumfries and Galloway Council within the collections of the Stewartry Museum. OFFICIAL OFFICIAL Conclusion No upstanding structures remain of the castle and the site survives as a massive earthwork comprising a roughly oblong mound surrounded by a ditch. Excavations undertaken in the 1910s revealed the layout of the castle as a rectangular enclosure with a round tower at each corner and a substantial gatehouse to the northeast. Pottery sherds recovered from the excavations were dated to the late 13th to early 14th century, which matches with the short-lived period of use suggested by the historic references. Modern interpretation of the Motte placed in the Outer Bailey OFFICIAL OFFICIAL Further Reading Robison, J 1914 ‘Account of the excavation of the Edwardian Castle at Castledykes, Kirkcudbright’, Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland Vol. 48 pp 381-394 Dunning, G C, Hodges, H W M and Jope, E M 1957-58 ‘Kirkcudbright Castle, its Pottery and Ironwork’, Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland Vol. 91 pp 117-138 Created by Rathmell Archaeology for the Galloway Glens, July 2019. http://www.rathmell-arch.co.uk/ OFFICIAL  Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Can You Dig It – Technical Notes – 6 Castledykes, Kirkcudbright Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context GGLP_114 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource GGLP Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource GCAT Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2019 Description An account of the resource Prepared as part of the Galloway Glens Can You Dig It scheme, these notes summarise some of the historic archaeological excavations to have taken place in the Galloway Glens area. archaeology GGLP https://glenkensarchive.scot/glenkens_archive/files/original/18/573/GGLP-CYDI-Technical-Note-5-Glenlochar-Roman-Fort.pdf 7b132fa4ea12479dc96d8947d5ca6df2 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Can You Dig It – Technical Notes – 5 Glenlochar Roman Fort Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Technical Notes Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource GGLP Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Text Any textual data included in the document OFFICIAL Galloway Glens ‘Can You Dig It’ Community Archaeology project – Technical notes. #5: Glenlochar Roman Fort “Great empires are not maintained by timidity” Tacitus PLUBLISHED TUESDAY, 4 JUNE 2019 Glenlochar Roman Fort is located on the east bank of the River Dee two miles north of Castle Douglas and approximately one mile north Threave Castle. The site is bisected by the modern day B795. It has had two residential properties constructed within what was the interior and has been overlain by rich arable fields. OFFICIAL OFFICIAL Its History Originally misinterpreted as the remains of an Abbey, Glenlochar Roman Fort was first identified in 1949 by Dr Kenneth St. Joseph through the presence of cropmarks. St Joseph was an early pioneer of aerial photographic techniques, assisting in identifying countless sites across the British Isles. Five camps were also identified by St Joseph attesting the importance of this location for Roman activity in Scotland. Aerial photograph of Glenlochar Roman fort It was known at the time of discovery of the fort that there were a series of Roman sites lying along an east-west road running along the Solway coast. To the east on the Nith there are sites at Carzield from the Antonine period and at Dalswinton from the Flavian period. Further west there was a smaller fort at Gatehouse of Fleet, which was also discovered by St Joseph using aerial OFFICIAL OFFICIAL photography. The location of these forts along this westward road, coupled with the Roman road from Glenlochar, towards Ayrshire suggests the development of the Roman system of cordon control. The excavations The excavation at Glenlochar took place across March and April 1952. The excavation consisted of one main trench and two minor trenches. The trenches were laid out to assess the nature of the defences and to assess the layout of structures within the interior of the fort. Trench excavated during the 1952 season The excavated trenches revealed that there had been a series of three superimposed forts, which for the most part retained common alignments. The first had been constructed in the Flavian period and may have been OFFICIAL OFFICIAL destroyed by fire. The second was constructed in the Antonine period, while the third represented later improvements also during the Antonine period. To the north of this known fort, there is the suggestion there was an earlier Flavian (Agricolan) fort on a different site: a large ditch, visible on the aerial photographs at the northern end beyond the limits of the Antonine phases. This suggests that an earlier site may be situated just north of the B795 on the higher ground. Five Roman camps are also known at Glenlochar - showing the temporary encampment of military units - suggesting the importance of this location on the eastern bank of the Dee throughout the Roman campaigns in Scotland. The Finds 65 fragments of pottery were unearthed during the excavation in 1952. They came from 17 different vessels, of which it was possible to create drawings of 6 of the vessels. Of those 6 vessels which were reconstructed, 3 were coarse ware vessels, while the remaining 3 were of samian ware. The pottery recovered was able to assist in determining the stratigraphy and chronology of the site, with there being two distinct dated pottery types: a Flavian group and an early Antonine group. Conclusion The Roman activity is a reminder of the an Age of Invasion when the Roman empire controlled the indigenous populations of south west Scotland. The site represents repeated and continued attempts to assert some form of control/presence within the Galloway Glens area. The excavations have given us the briefest of insights into the importance of Glenlochar locally, but also suggest its importance in the large national narrative of the Roman occupation of Scotland. OFFICIAL OFFICIAL Further Reading Richmond and St Joseph, I A and J K (1953) 'The Roman fort at Glenlochar, Kirkcudbrightshire', Trans Dumfriesshire Galloway Natur Hist Antiq Soc, 3rd, vol. 30, 1951-2. Page(s): 1-16 Jones, R (2011) Roman Camps in Scotland, Society of Antiquaries of Scotland. Page(s): 215-6 Created by Rathmell Archaeology for the Galloway Glens, June 2019. http://www.rathmell-arch.co.uk/ OFFICIAL  Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Can You Dig It – Technical Notes – 5 Glenlochar Roman Fort Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context GGLP_113 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource GGLP Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource GCAT Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2019 Description An account of the resource Prepared as part of the Galloway Glens Can You Dig It scheme, these notes summarise some of the historic archaeological excavations to have taken place in the Galloway Glens area. archaeology GGLP https://glenkensarchive.scot/glenkens_archive/files/original/18/572/GGLP-CYDI-Technical-Note-4-Threave-Castle-Excavations.pdf cdcaf7f7708d69f0cef9893ea11be311 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Can You Dig It – Technical Notes – 4 Threave Castle Excavations Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Technical Notes Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource GGLP Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Text Any textual data included in the document OFFICIAL Galloway Glens ‘Can You Dig It’ Community Archaeology project – Technical notes. #4: Excavation at Threave Castle – The Stronghold of the Black Douglases PUBLISHED TUESDAY, 7 MAY 2019 Threave Castle (NX 73920 62282) is located on a 10ha low-lying island within the River Dee, approximately 1.5m West of Castle Douglas. The Castle is in the care of Historic Environment Scotland and there are car parking facilities off the A75 at Kelton Mains. OFFICIAL OFFICIAL It’s History Threave Castle is not mention in the written records until 1400 when Archibald ‘The Grim’, the third Earl of Douglas died on the site. It is thought that Archibald The Grim commissioned the construction of the tower house in 1369 on the island after his elevation to the Lord of Galloway. Threave Castle remained the stronghold of the ‘Black Douglas’ family throughout the 15th century. The growing influence and power of the ‘Black Douglas’ family became a perceived threat to the Scottish Crown, which prompted extreme action by King James II, starting with the annexation of the Earldom of Wigtown in 1450. Then in 1452, James II murdered William, the 8th Earl of Douglas while he dined at Stirling Castle. In the summer of 1455 James laid siege to Threave Castle but failed to inflict substantial damage upon the Douglas’s stronghold. Only after a long siege and by bribing the garrison was James able to take the castle. Threave Castle and the lordship was taken into crown ownership and the ‘Black Douglas’ family destroyed. Through the subsequent centuries, Threave Castle waned in significance and was reported to have fallen to disrepair. In 1638 the Threave Castle was in the hands of Robert Maxwell, Earl of Nithsdale and keeper of Threave. Maxwell garrisoned a small number of men with a large amount of arms, ammunition and provisions within it to withstand a lengthy siege. This was in response to OFFICIAL OFFICIAL concerns about the Covenanters, who would ultimately lay siege to the Castle in 1640. Despite the improved heavy ordnance of the day at the disposal of the Covenanter force, they found that the defences at Threave Castle held fast, and the siege was broken only after the garrison were given royal permission to surrender. The War Committee of the Covenanters decided to systematically dismantle Threave Castle. Its stone was used in other construction projects and thereafter it was allowed to decay, apart from work being completed in the 19th century to enable the Tower House to house French prisoners of war. The Excavations The excavations at Threave Castle took place between 1974 and 1978, extensive trenching was conducted across the whole site, which covered both the landward and river defences, various structures and enclosure both external and internal. The excavations were too extensive to go into detail in this piece. The first phase of Douglas occupation saw the construction of a tower house in the 14th century, the excavation produced evidence that suggested that during the ‘Black Douglas’ Families occupation that Threave Castle was largely selfsufficient if evidence for activities such as wood-turning, smithing, lead smelting being carried out on the island. It was also suggested from the data gathered during the excavation that there was little in the way of new construction after the Threave Castle was removed from the Douglas family, the excavation showed that during the 16th century the turf bank of the N side of the tower-house was rebuilt and the main ditch was re-instated. During the 17th the main was recut again with an outer bank to the N and E, 2 new buildings were constructed and down pipe added to the tower house serving as a latrine. OFFICIAL OFFICIAL The Finds There was a large assemblage of finds recovered from Threave Castle, the assemblage was made up of a broad array of artefacts which were placed into 4 distinct phases to help create a material chronology for the site: Phase 1: Pre – Douglas (- 1370) Phase 2: Douglas era (1370 - 1455) Phase 3: Post – Douglas era (1455 - 1640) Phase 4: 1640 onwards Silver locket and seal of Douglas family crest from Threave Castle Numerous worked metal objects were recovered during the excavation many of these items were utilitarian in design knifes, handles from cooking pots, keys giving insight into a functioning community at the castle. There were also a small number of precious silver and gold artefacts recovered, including a silver Maltese cross and locket along with a gold earring and strap-end. Wooden objects were prominent in the assemble with many wooden vessels being discovered along with carpentry timbers, a wooden rudder was recovered from the harbour area, along with many leather finds such as shoes and off cuts. For a more detailed assessment of the artefacts please see the further reading. OFFICIAL OFFICIAL Conclusion Threave Castle was the power base of the Black Douglases during the 15th century, the family rose to such prominence that it their influence became of concern to James II which ultimately led to the families demise, the castle sphere influence also waned shortly after, also with standing multiple sieges the changing political and military climate ultimately lead to the castle being put out of commission on purpose. The archaeological data from Threave Castle provides an insight to the workings of a medieval castle with evidence suggesting that the level of self-sufficiency on the island help make it the stronghold it was. Further Reading Good and Tabraham, G L and C J.(1981) 'Excavations at Threave Castle, Galloway, 1974-78', Medieval Archaeology, vol. 25, 1981. Page(s): 90-140 Created by Rathmell Archaeology for the Galloway Glens, May 2019. http://www.rathmell-arch.co.uk/ OFFICIAL  Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Can You Dig It – Technical Notes – 4 Threave Castle Excavations Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context GGLP_112 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource GGLP Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource GCAT Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2019 Description An account of the resource Prepared as part of the Galloway Glens Can You Dig It scheme, these notes summarise some of the historic archaeological excavations to have taken place in the Galloway Glens area. archaeology GGLP https://glenkensarchive.scot/glenkens_archive/files/original/18/571/GGLP-CYDI-Techinical-Note-3-Park-of-Tongland.pdf cca1fbbf64c571bb888270b0120d480b Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Can You Dig It – Technical Notes – 3 Park of Tongland Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Technical Notes Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource GGLP Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Text Any textual data included in the document Galloway Glens ‘Can You Dig It’ Community Archaeology project – Technical notes. #3: Park of Tongland Bronze Age cremation cemetery – A complex prehistoric site with unusual pottery… PUBLISHED: MONDAY, 1 APRIL 2019 Located west of the A711 and northwest of Tongland Park, Tongland Cemetery and standing stones occupies a small terrace overlooking the River Dee. The site’s location can be characterised as an undulating plateau which features a number of linear, north-south running rocky outcrops. The land is currently used as pasture. Its History The site was first interpreted as a stone circle by Coles in 1895, who noted on his plan a potential for the existence of an outer circle made up of much smaller stones. The outer circle was later dismissed by the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland in 1914, on the basis that the smaller stones could not be absolutely associated with the standing stones. It was not until 1971 that Aubrey Burl classified the site as a ‘four poster’ stone circle. The Excavation The excavation by McCullagh of Tongland cemetery took place in 1987. The excavation area incorporated all three of the standing stones which made up the possible outer ring of stones first noted by Coles. It was deemed necessary at the time to undertake a full excavation, as there had already been considerable disturbance to the site. Plan from McCullagh excavations The excavation indicated that there were four sequential phases of activity. The first two phases were the most distinct, with the first phase consisting of the excavation of a series of burial pits and the erection of two standing stones. One of the standing stones had fallen before the second phase, which involved the construction of a cairn and the erection of two further standing stones. It should be noted that at no point were there more than three stones standing upright at any one time at Tongland. Radiocarbon dates recovered from the site supported the argument that the site was sequential, as opposed to multi-phase, as the dates were very close together. The burial rite exclusively involved cremation, with the large quantities of charcoal suggesting that these cremations would have taken place within the immediate surroundings of the site. The incomplete nature of the funerary deposits suggests that only a token deposit of bone from the cremated body was necessary to complete the funerary rite. The Finds The 1987 excavation unearthed a significant addition to the known Bronze Age pottery corpus from the south west of Scotland with the discovery of two collared urns and an accessory vessel. The materials used to manufacture them came from the local area, and it was suggested that their poor quality and mediocre character meant they may have been made by the same individual. The lattice decorated collared urn One of the funerary urns exhibited a repeated lattice pattern which had been incised into the surface of the clay before firing. This was unusual; while the pattern itself is not rare, it tends to be made by pressing a twisted cord into the clay rather than cutting into it. The morphology and decorative pattern of the two collared urns meant that they were interpreted as later in the sequence: an estimated date age range of c.1450 – 1250 BC was attributed to these objects on typological grounds, but unfortunately no radiocarbon dates were recovered which could support this. Its Current Status The excavations at Tongland Cemetery provided us with a rare excavated example of a Bronze Age cremation cemetery, giving us a glimpse into the funerary rites and traditions in the southwest of Scotland at this time. The work involved during the excavation and post-excavation phases, and the site’s subsequent publication, was part funded by Historic Scotland. The access route to the stones is signposted Three of the four standing stones can still be seen at the site today. It is still accessible through the farm via a route signposted on a barn as you approach. The site can be accessed using gate which respects the existing field boundary. No climbing is required. This archaeological site is protected as a Scheduled Monument and must not be disturbed. Further Reading Burl, A. (1976) The stone circles of the British Isles. London and New Haven Coles, F R. (1895) 'The stone circles of the Stewartry of Kirkcudbright', Proceedings of the Society of Antiquarians of Scotland, vol. 29 McCullagh, R. P. J. (1992). The Excavation of the Bronze Age Cemetery and Standing Stones at Park of Tongland, Kirkcudbright Dumfries and Galloway, Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society, vol 58 Created by Rathmell Archaeology for the Galloway Glens, April 2019. http://www.rathmell-arch.co.uk/  Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Can You Dig It – Technical Notes – 3 Park of Tongland Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context GGLP_111 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource GGLP Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource GCAT Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2019 Description An account of the resource Prepared as part of the Galloway Glens Can You Dig It scheme, these notes summarise some of the historic archaeological excavations to have taken place in the Galloway Glens area. archaeology GGLP https://glenkensarchive.scot/glenkens_archive/files/original/18/570/GGLP-CYDI-Technical-Note-2-Carminnow.pdf fe9be615325a236fd664ebb8f06da7b5 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Can You Dig It – Technical Notes – 2 Carminnow Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Technical Notes Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource GGLP Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Text Any textual data included in the document OFFICIAL Galloway Glens ‘Can You Dig It’ Community Archaeology project – Technical notes. #2: Carminnow Fort – A footnote in the career of V.G. Childe PULISHED: ·FRIDAY, 8 MARCH 2019 Located west of the B729 at Glenkens Fish Farm, just southeast of Carsphairn, are the remains of Carminnow Fort. The site lies within an area of rough pasture on the edge of the Galloway Forest Park, and is bounded to the southwest by Kendoon Loch. Today the site can be viewed via access through the fish farm. It was excavated and recorded by Australian-born archaeologist Vere Gordon Childe. Appointed Abercrombie Professor of Archaeology at Edinburgh University in 1927, Childe remained in this post for a further twenty years, during which time he worked extensively in Scotland. Its History The fort was first recorded in the 1890s as a ‘supposed Roman camp’ by Fredrick R. Coles: his survey, which provided descriptions and illustrations of motes and forts throughout the Mid Stewartry of Kirkudbright, was published in the 1892 volume of the Proceedings of the Society of Scotland. 1935 saw the excavations by Childe: these were followed in 1951 by a survey, conducted by the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS). OFFICIAL OFFICIAL V. Gordon Childe 1852-1957 Vere Gordon Childe One of the most widely known archaeologists of the twentieth century, Childe was respected for his work in incorporating regional research into the broader picture of European and Near Eastern prehistory. With emphasis placed on technological advancement and the development of economic structures within human society, he become celebrated in particular for his theories of the Neolithic Revolution and the Urban Revolution. He also excavated some well-known Neolithic sites on Orkney, including the settlement of Skara Brae and the chambered tombs of Maeshowe and Quoyness. Childe was a known socialist, at a time when this was viewed with suspicion, and his work was deeply influenced by Marxist ideas, particularly with regard to how societies developed and changed over time. His penchant for poetry and fast cars was also widely known. Today, his theories have been largely disproved, but he remains a highly respected figure. OFFICIAL OFFICIAL Coles' 1892 plan of Carminnow The site Carminnow provides us with an example of a promontory fort with triple ramparts: in plan, its interior is lozenge-shaped, measuring 45m x 59m in extent. The curving ramparts, which cut across the promontory, measure a maximum distance of 55m in length. The eastern edge of the promontory is the best preserved: here, two ramparts survive, standing 2.1m high to either side of an intervening ditch. To the west, both promontory and rampart are difficult to see. The site is not so well preserved now as it was in 1892, as at no point do all three ramparts survive together. OFFICIAL OFFICIAL Section from the 1935 excavation The excavations Childe’s 1935 excavations of Carminnow Fort took place with funding assistance from Sir Alexander Gibb and Sir Robert Macalpine & Sons. Sections were cut through the inner rampart, revealing a core of large stones surrounded by earth and rubble packing. Childe notes that during the excavation, no evidence of any kind of structures was obtained from the fort’s interior. A small and modest selection of artefacts were recovered, including fragments of bone, two flint chips and a minute fragment of what was thought to be pottery. Although not the most glamorous of OFFICIAL OFFICIAL finds, they still indicted some form of occupation on the site. The results of the excavation were published in the Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland. Its Current Status On the 14th of December 1994, Carminnow was removed from the list of scheduled monuments as it no longer fulfilled the criteria for being of national importance. This was due in part to the raising of the water level of Kendoon Loch, which had caused much of the promontory to become submerged, leaving only fragments of the defensive ramparts exposed. These can still be viewed today. Despite the fort’s change in status, it remains an important site as the information obtained through excavation and recording is still invaluable in assisting archaeologists to research and categorise similar sites today. Further Reading Childe, V G. (1936b) '(1) Carminnow Fort; (2) Supplementary excavations at the vitrified fort of Finavon, Angus; and (3) some Bronze Age vessels from Angus', Proc Soc Antiq Scot, vol. 70, 1935-6. Page(s): 341-7 Coles, F R. (1892) 'The motes, forts, and doons of the Stewartry of Kirkcudbrightshire', Proc Soc Antiq Scot, vol. 26, 1891-2. Page(s): 166-9 fig.71 Created by Rathmell Archaeology for the Galloway Glens, March 2019. http://www.rathmell-arch.co.uk/ OFFICIAL  Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Can You Dig It – Technical Notes – 2 Carminnow Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context GGLP_110 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource GGLP Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource GCAT Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2019 Description An account of the resource Prepared as part of the Galloway Glens Can You Dig It scheme, these notes summarise some of the historic archaeological excavations to have taken place in the Galloway Glens area. archaeology GGLP https://glenkensarchive.scot/glenkens_archive/files/original/18/569/GGLP-CYDI-Technical-Note-1-Polmaddy.pdf 9c57f9d92a091987661bf16e01722df9 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Can You Dig It – Technical Notes – 1 Polmaddy Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Technical Notes Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource GGLP Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Text Any textual data included in the document Galloway Glens ‘Can You Dig It’ Community Archaeology project – Technical notes. #1: Polmaddy Deserted Settlement – The Auchendrain that never was PUBLIS HED: FRIDAY, 1 5 FEBRUARY 201 9 Sitting roughly 700m west of the A713, between Carsphairn and St John’s Town of Dalry, are the remains of the deserted settlement of Polmaddy. The site is located in an area of open ground within the Galloway Forest Park, bounded to the south and west by a loop in the Polmaddy Burn. Car parking facilities and a picnic area are provided nearby by Forestry Commission Scotland, who have also created a walking route which allows access to the site. FCS Access Sign Its History A settlement was first recorded here in 1505 AD, when King James IV granted the lands of Polmaddy to the McClellands of Bombie, a well-known local family with strong connections in the area around Kirkcudbright and the Dee Valley. The ruined buildings that survive today appear to be much later: the settlement probably remained occupied until the late 18th or early 19th century. At this point, it was abandoned, as part of a wider re-organisation of the agricultural landscape across south-west Scotland. Improvements During this period of change, known as the agricultural improvements, the traditional small communities or ‘ferm-touns’ were abandoned. They were replaced with much larger enclosed farms tenanted by a single famer who were encouraged to use a variety of techniques - such as applying lime or seaweed to the soil as fertiliser to improve yields and profits. The tenants of the fermtouns, who had traditionally eked out a living through growing a range of crops and livestock on often poor soils, faced losing their tenancy when lands were organised. Often, they were forced to seek alternative employment in nearby towns and cities or even further afield. The Fermtoun Polmaddy provides us with an unusual and well-preserved example of a traditional post-medieval fermtoun in lowland Scotland. A total of twenty-three different buildings were identified here during a detailed survey of the site which took place in 1971, their walls sometimes surviving to over 1m in height. A number appear to have been houses, but the remains of a byre were also found, identified by the presence of drainage holes at the base of the wall. Five kilns for drying corn were also found, as well as the ruins of the mill building where grain grown by the community would have been ground into flour for making bread. The mill would have been waterpowered: the mill pond and lade can still be seen in the centre of the settlement, to the north of an area which shows traces of the raised rigs where crops would have been cultivated. One of the buildings at Polmaddy The Pack Road An even more unusual survival at Polmaddy are the remains of an inn, built to serve the needs of travellers using the Pack Road which passed close to the settlement, and which had its origins in the medieval period. It is known to have run from near Glenlee to Carsphairn, but may originally have formed part of a much more extensive road linking Ayr to Kirkcudbright. The route forded the Polmaddy Burn just southwest of the settlement of Polmaddy, skirting its northwest edge. The inn sat slightly apart, to the east of the road, which can still be seen in places as a rough track which now survives as a hollow. Waymarker at the Inn The excavations The 1971 excavations revealed a number of finds in and around the investigated structures which helped shed light on the lives of their inhabitants. There were large numbers of fragments from clay tobacco pipes, and sherds derived from glazed red and white earthenware vessels. The assemblage was dominated by artefacts of late 18th or early 19th century date, i.e. material lost or discarded close to the time of abandonment. Some small pieces of structural ironwork and a single coin with an illegible legend were also found. Saving Polmaddy In 1971, the importance of Polmaddy became more widely known when the area was acquired for forestry. A local resident, Mr Ansell, championed the site, which was preserved in a clearing within the afforested area. At the time, the aim was to create a local amenity which featured a reconstructed house and kiln. This would have created a facility similar to the open air museum at Auchendrain, which had been established in Argyll in the mid-1960s. Unfortunately, due to financial constraints, the plans never came to fruition, making this the Auchendrain that never was. Its Current Status The recognition of Polmaddy’s importance in the 1970s meant that it was protected in an open space in an area which formed part of a much larger forestry plantation, now included in Galloway Forest Park. Its unique and valuable role in Scotland’s heritage was further highlighted in 1992, when it was granted statutory protection as a Scheduled Monument. This means that metal-detecting and ground disturbance without consent is illegal across the site, with disturbance of the standing structures similarly prohibited. This ensures that the site and all its component parts will remain intact and undisturbed for future generations to enjoy and appreciate. Further Reading Yates, M J. (1978) 'The excavations at Polmaddy, New Galloway', Trans Dumfriesshire Galloway Natur Hist Antiq Soc, 3rd, vol. 53, 1977-8. Page(s): 133-46 Created by Rathmell Archaeology for the Galloway Glens, February 2019. http://www.rathmell-arch.co.uk/  Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Can You Dig It – Technical Notes – 1 Polmaddy Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context GGLP_109 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource GGLP Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource GCAT Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2019 Description An account of the resource Prepared as part of the Galloway Glens Can You Dig It scheme, these notes summarise some of the historic archaeological excavations to have taken place in the Galloway Glens area. archaeology GGLP https://glenkensarchive.scot/glenkens_archive/files/original/17/568/GGLP-CYDI-nuhin-new-unner-the-sun.pdf 640ba63cb03e30986cd8d42317727bc0 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Nuhin New Unner the Sun Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Nuhin New Unner The Sun Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource GGLP Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Text Any textual data included in the document nuhin new unner the sun nothing new under the sun we’ll nivver ken, jist foo mony we’ll never know, just how many tales tales are scrieved a’neeth the clay are written beneath the clay the mud is thick wi fit’s bin tint: the mud is thick with what’s been lost: stories only haulf telt; wirds an warlds, tashed an torn by time; mockit scraps fae past lives stories only half told; words and worlds, ripped up by time; filthy scraps from past lives aa that wis scrat wi sklate, everything that was scratched with slate swallad up by the wither, so fan folk gather swallowed up by the weather, so when people gather up the fragmentit hale aats bin left, up the fragmented whole that’s been left, they’ve tae guess fit haun wis huddin it they’ve to guess what hand was holding it the memry o a mither stravaigs doon Raider’s Road, it settles like a smirr, queart an saft , amon the shrapnel fae the past the memory of a mother strolls down Raider’s Road, it settles like a fine drizzle, quiet and soft, among the shrapnel of the past here wis a wifey fit played the manny o the hoose here was a women who played the man of the house een pair o hauns tae mak a guid man’s toil intae her ane one pair of hands to make a husband’s toil into her own the very same pair fit wid skelp, claethe an bathe three bairns the very same pair that would spank, clothe and bathe three children ower late tae ask her, fit her hert wid git sair fur an fit wid pit a glint in her een too late to ask her, what her heart would get sore for and what would put a glint in her eye ower late tae ask her, fit wye she’d bin leftil look aifter the hamesteed alane too late to ask her, why she’d bin left to look after the home by herself the livin hae a habit o screivin ontae the deid, an we cry this act: historical fact the living have a habit of writing over the deid, an act we call: historical fact but we ca truly spik, fur the speechless but we can’t truly speak, for the speechless especially fan we tak the stories o the day wi favour the maist an pint the past wi them so we can mak on fitiver folks we canna thole, jist didnae exist back then especially when we take the stories from today we favour the most and paint the past with them so we can pretend like whichever groups we can’t abide, just didn’t exist back then it’s a sair fecht, footerin aboot aul bones fur the truth it’s a tough job, messing around with old bones for the truth neentheless, nonetheless, dubbit finngurs muddy fingers dee their best tae mak sense o aa the guddle an the rubble, as they unpick the weel twistit threid o’ time aat scowps unnergroon do their best to make sense of all the mess and the rubble, as they unpick the well twisted thread of time that runs, hither and thither underground fur those o us fit bide aboon the soil — a puckle bitties o a tassie, fit wis blethered intae, for those of us that live above the soil — a handful of pieces from a cup, that was nattered and chatted into, lang teemt o it’s secrets an long emptied of its secrets and beddit bedded in the grun in the ground minds us tae dig deep an learn fit’s unnerneath reminds us to dig deep and learn what’s underneath wir ane skin our own skin mebbe there’s nuhin new unner the sun maybe there’s nothing new under the sun mebbe wir the same as wiv aywis bin maybe we’re the same as we’ve always been  Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Nuhin New Unner the Sun Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context GGLP_108 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource GGLP Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource GCAT Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2021 Description An account of the resource In 2021, the ‘Can You Dig It’ project commissioned Mae Diansangu to write a poem inspired by the ‘Can You Dig It’ investigation of a deserted farmstead called Upper Gairloch on the Raiders Road. Wanting to showcase a fresh perspective on Scotland's past during the pandemic, the poem was released to coincide with StAnza, Scotland's International Poetry Festival. GGLP heritage language https://glenkensarchive.scot/glenkens_archive/files/original/16/567/GGLP_CYDI-Lost-Wells-of-Galloway-Well-Cards.pdf 1f7c79a10aa9345bee60d31aabb7f9ab Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Lost Wells of Galloway – Well Cards Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Lost Wells Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource GGLP Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Text Any textual data included in the document Black Morrow Well also known as Black Moray / Murray’s Well There are several versions to the story. The well takes it’s name from from a gypsy chief who lived in the area called either Black Morrow or Murray. He took his name from his dark complexion and his great strength. He caused much suffering in the rich farm lands of the area. Young William McLellan, the younger son of the former laird of Bombie, wished to get his father's lands back, but did not want to fight Black Morrow personally. McLellan came up with a plan. He filled a well near Black Morrow’s camp with spirits; when the gypsy chief had drunk freely he fell asleep. McLellan who had been watching the proceedings from a safe place sprung out from his hiding place and with one blow severed the head of Black Morrow from it’s body. McLellan stuck the head on the point of his sword and took it to the king, James II, who then returned the Barony of Bombie to him. McLellan took the image of a head on a sword for his crest. Rediscovered by Jenny Roberts Location: 268442, 549405 Parish: Kirkcudbright Fairies Well In Spout Glen south of Lochhill. Named on 1843-1882 map but not thereafter. In the OS Names Book 1848-1851 Vol 132 p.17 Fairies Well is described as located at “About 5/8 mile NW by W of Valleyfield House” and as “A small spring well on the farm of Loch Hill and close to the margin of Spout Burn it is traditionally handed down as being formally [sic] the haunt of fairies, hence the name.” In the OS Names Book Vol 132 p.57 Fairies Well is “A small spring situated on the farm of Lochhill and in the Spout Glen the water of which is considered very good Mr Carlisle of Largs [said] that there is a superstitious tradition in the locality that fairies used to visit here, hence the name.” Fairy Wells were to be found on old estates in Scotland during the “Fairy Era” of the 19th Century. Rediscovered by Lyn Walby Location: 266878, 556917 Parish: Tongland Gout Well of Larg Rediscovered by William Ion - Minnigaff 242782, 566446 OS namebook: "A small spring well situated in doon wood and deer park of Kirroughtree, in former times it was much reported to be incredulous on the first day of May for the purpose of being cured of the gout & by washing or drinking of the water. It is still well known by this name." An additional note is added to the record as follows “hereabout is a well called the Gout Well of Larg of which they tell this story, how that a piper stole away the offering left at this well (these offerings are some inconsiderable thing which the country people used to leave at wells when they come making use of them towards any cure) but when he was drinking of ale which he intended to pay with the money he had taken away, the gout, as they say siezed on him, of which he could not be cured but at that well, having first restored to it the money which he had formerly taken away. Symson’s Descriptions of Galloway 1684” Only one other original reference, apart from Symson’s, was found. This was in ‘Where the Whaups are Crying - A Dumfries and Galloway Anthology’ edited by Innes MacLeod, 2001: “Minnigaff Kirk Session ‘rebooked and exhorted’ a number of young people, Patrick Stewart, James Reid, Jo Roxburgh, Robert Roxburgh, Margaret Martine and Jane Reid, on 29th May, 1720 for visiting the Gout Well on the first day of May. Minnigaff Parish Records” Gold Wells Rediscovered by Susan Paton - Carsphairn 258964, 597793 OS namebook: "near the summit are a number of springs, two of them are Known by the name of "Gold Wells" out of which and some small streams in the locality A William Dodd who was celebrated for his chemical skill collected a quantity of Gold, and converting it into some foreign coin but while doing so, he was disturbed by some of the officers of the Crown sent to apprehend him in his lucrative retirement." Rambles in Galloway by Harper: “In what are called the gold wells of Cairnsmore, it is said that a Dr. Dodds, a sort of alchemist in his day, placed paper-mills, with which he collected the gold dust from the water ; and near the roadside, on the lands of Lagwine, he erected his smithy for converting the gold into coins of the West Indian Islands. On the seclusion of his retirement being disturbed by some officers of the Crown sent to apprehend him, it is generally believed in the district that he threw his whole coining apparatus into what is commonly known as the green well of Lagwine….The Doctor was tried at Edinburgh, but it is not known what became of him afterwards.” Richardson’s Rock Rediscovered by Nic Coombey - Borgue 2655, 5432 Image Credit: Solway Firth Partnership Scottish Gallovidian Encyclopedia and Torrs Farm First published 1824: “Wee Ross – One of the best known islands belonging Galloway; …. Between the two lands is a rock termed Janet Richardson. This was a poor woman who belonged to Clauchendolly, and who went on to the rock at ebb-tide, to gather a powkfu’ o’ mussels; while so employed the sea flowed round the rock, unobserved by her, at length noticing it – she “kilted up her coats, aboon the na’el,” as the saying is, pluged in, but the buldering waters of the sound hurried her off her feckless shanks, but she having a farkage o’ claise about her, they keeped her aboon broe, until she was driven ashore on the Milton Lands; from such circumstance is the rock named, and that name will likely remain as long as if it had been given by Cook or Parry.” Craigencallie Natural Well Rediscovered by Arthur Eggleton – Minnigaff 250260, 578030 The well itself is unnamed but it sits next to a ruin called Craigencallie where the story lies… Legend is that following his first victory at nearby Loch Trool, Robert the Bruce divided his force and instructed them to meet at Craigencallie (Gaelic: Creagan Cailleach – The Crag Of The Old Woman). He arrived alone, exhausted. The three times widowed woman there offered her 3 sons, each of a different father, for soldiers and to demonstrate their worth they engaged in an archery display, shooting ravens. The rock upon which two ravens were slain by a single arrow is named Pin Rock (Stone) and can be seen on the current map. The three sons then played a prominent part in the victory at Raploch Moor a few days later, utilising cattle to create noise throughout the night so to mislead their opponents as to the size of their force, then attacking at dawn against an anxious and alarmed enemy. The widow was later rewarded with 15 square miles of farmland by Newton Stewart with the descendants of her sons farming there into the 20th Century. Well structure built immediately by it King’s Well Lies at 587m (1925ft) on the saddle between Meaul Hill 695m/2250ft and Cairnsgarroch 659m/2153ft. It appears on the modern OS map and as far back as OS 6" 1843 - 82. Nearby on some of the older maps is King's Stone about 60ft away. Why King's Well? It is tempting to assume it refers to Robert the Bruce who was known to be at Glentrool & Clatteringshaws in 1307 (both less than 10 miles away as the crow flies) and at Glenluce/Whithorn in 1329 (Ref The Bruce Trust). The nearby Polmaddie to Carsphairn Pack Road is part of the old Pilgrims Way. However, from my own bookcase; "Galloway: the spell of its hills and glens", by Andrew McCormick published 1932 in the chapter headed "Cars Fearn", reference is made to "when King James V passed through that neighbourhood"; so could Kings Well be named after him (16th century) rather than Robert the Bruce (14th century)? Both kings visited Whithorn at some point. Of course the well may have been named in jest by shepherds or men building nearby drystane dykes from 1700s. Rediscovered by Niall Mackie Location: 250405, 591264 Parish: Carsphairn Physic Well (Chalybeate) Rediscovered by Michael Ansell in Forrest Glen, Kells 256152, 587533 Appears first on OS 1st ed. 6’’ map of 1853. Then on OS 6’’ map 1888-1913 and on subsequent OS 25:1 and 50:1 maps to the present day. Note the well as marked on the maps is about 20m too far east, it is actually positioned just inside the Forrest Estate land and on the west side of the dyke. The well seems remarkably well preserved but is of no great depth, probably filled in with debris. The well is close to a rocky eminence called Craigmaharb. Ostensibly this looks like ScG creag na h-earba, ‘rock of the hind’ but the ‘ma’ element often stands for the ScG honorific ‘mo’, meaning ‘my’ and is used to refer to one or other saint. This might mean that the site had some religious significance but this is highly speculative. The problem is that no known Gaelic saint is suggested by the specific element ‘herb’ here. It is hard to see a cult of St Herbert of Derwentwater being established here although of course Galloway was once under the sway of the Northumbrians. Although appearing to be remote and isolated, in the past the Forrest Glen was quite densely populated as the ruins of many former holdings such as nearby Ringreoch attest. So the well would have been within reasonable reach of the rural community here. Lost Wells of Kirkcudbright Rediscovered by Jenny Roberts Used by the monks at St Mary’s Butter Well 268212, 550148 Priory to wash the butter when they were making it. Reopened in the 1840s as the Park House well had run dry. Barbaras Well 268818, 551159 This well was thought to be called after a woman who lived nearby. Cotland Well 268802, 550007 Monk’s Well 267375, 548917 ‘An excellent spring of water issuing from a leading pipe into a trough or cistern’ used by the monks when the Augustian St Mary’s Priory was in existence. This well is situated near Cannee Far. In the 1840s the water from this well was piped to St Mary’s House. Sounding Kettle 269745, 549713 Refers to a hole in the ground through which a small burn enters. It makes a strange sound, hence the name. Wells at Drummore Castle Rediscovered by Alison Fabian – South of Kirkcudbright While looking into wells in her area, Alison came across written mention of two unnamed wells at the site of the prehistoric fort called Drummore Castle. ‘In his report of 1891, Frederick Coles stated that the ramparts were still imposing and strong, suggesting to him that the fort was constructed with one thing in mind....defence. He also stated that two wells were still visible in amongst the thick vegetation at the summit of the hill, indicating that the fort was meant to be inhabited. ‘ Harper’s Rambles in Galloway 1876 (who references Chalmer’s Caledonia 1807) identifies Drummore as being a frontier garrison of the Selgovae. ‘At the bottom of the hill was a well, now covered with stones, which is thought to have supplied the garrison with water.’ Image from Coles, F. R. 1981 ‘The Motes, Forts and Doons of the Stewartry of Kirkcudbright (Part I)’, PSAS Vol. 25, 352-96 Placenames to suggest above: Howwell ‘Howwell is in the prefix from the Norse holl, contracted from hvall, for a hill or hillock. The meaning is, the well at the hill or hillock.’ St Mirran’s Well It is a spring well and is very close to Kirkmirran Kirk. They are named after St Mirren who was a Catholic monk and missionary from Ireland (c.565 – c.620). A contemporary of St Columba. He was prior of Bangor Abbey before making his missionary voyage to Scotland. It is very close to Potterland, by Potterland Mill and close to Potterland Lane which forms part of the parish boundary. It was on the grounds of Colonel Maxwell of Orchardton. The 1845 Statistical Account states that in ancient times it was probably a parish, with the kirk being a chapel of ease. Rediscovered by Ruth Airley Location: 280116, 555027 Parish: Kelton St Glassen’s Well In danger of becoming lost, as although described in 1847 in the Kirkcudbrightshire name books as an ‘excellent spring well’, it was described in 1971 as encased by a 1.0m diameter glazed pipe, the exposed end of which is covered by a cast-iron lid. There is a brief mention in 2004 that there is little left to see. Torrance 1996: The site dates from at least 1536. M’Kerlie 1878: We do not find any church dedicated to such a Saint, but in Keith's list of Scottish Saints there is MacGlastian, a bishop in Scotland in 814, whose festival day was the 30th January. Saints in this Place-Name: St. Glascian or Maglastian…is said to have been an illustrious and saintly bishop during the reign of King Achaius, a Scottish king contemporaneous with Charlemagne. Very few particulars can be ascertained as to his life. All that is at present known of him is gathered from the traces of his cultus which remain in various districts of the country. Thus the parish of Kinglassie, near Kirkcaldy, seems to have been named after him, and in the neighbourhood is a spring of fine water known as St. Glass's Well. There is another well named after him at Dundrennan (Kirkcudbrightshire). Kilmaglas, now Stachur, in Argyleshire, indicates another dedication to this saint. Rediscovered by Kathy Keeling Location: 275970, 546917 Parish: Rerrick Rumbling Well Rediscovered by Lyn Ferguson - Buittle 280515 561550 OS namebook: “This is a small and good spring upon the farm of New Buittle and used to be resorted to by the credulous. In the parish of Buittle about a mile from the Kirk towards the north is a well called the Rumbling Well. Frequented by a multitude of sick people for all sorts of diseases the first Sunday of May lying there the Saturday night and then drinking of it early in the morning.” Canmore: “The rumbling well is mentioned in 1684 as a resort of sick people, who left money or clothes as a thank you offering (1914). A spring of water from the base of a natural bank. The back of the well has been revetted with stone, and there is a plentiful supply of water (1963).” Places of Worship in Scotland 2003: “The well is described as a holy well located on flat ground near the foot of a hill , adjacent to a modern reservoir.” Slot Well Rediscovered by Lyn Ferguson - Buittle 281328 561613 Canmore: “The Slot well was frequented in 1684 by people wishing to cure their sick cattle. As a thank offering they left behind the bands and shackles used to bind the animals (1914). The Slot well is now buried beneath stones which have fallen from the field dyke and a mass of tangled under-growth. A steady stream of water, however, issues from the ground 3.0m below the position of the well indicating that the spring is still functioning (1963).” Lochenbreck Spa Well Image from Andrew Wilson Rediscovered by Sue Taylor – Balmaghie 264904, 565021 Lochenbreck spa well is a chalybeate well (natural mineral spring containing iron salts) located in Laurieston Forest on Laurieston Road, a minor road between Laurieston and Gatehouse of Fleet. The well has appeared on maps since at least 1797, and used to be a very popular attraction both for wealthy holidaymakers and for sufferers of TB and other ailments, who sought out the well's medicinal properties. Still today, its waters run bright orange. This well's history has been inextricably bound up with that of the Lochenbreck Spa Hotel, which was either built or converted from a previous lodging or dwelling house located on the other side of the current small road in order to meet a demand for spa visitor accommodation, probably in the 18th century according to reports. The hotel clearly made a feature of the spa and its water properties to attract visitors, creating a circular pavilion to enclose the well, installing a pump for its water, and even extending the hotel gardens to include the well in its landscaping. The hotel closed in 1905 and sadly later burnt down. The tremendous fire was the result of an oil lamp spillage. It has been reported that the bard Robert Burns stayed at the inn a few times, and it's claimed he may even have written or made notes for his work Scots Wha Hae whilst there; but these claims are also disputed. Another frequent guest was the writer and artist Malcolm Maclachlan Harper (1839-1914), who apparently wrote articles about the hotel/spa, though I have been unable to trace any of these. However, the 1906 edition of his book Rambles in Galloway contains not only descriptions of the well and hotel, but also a poem he wrote inspired by the spa. The lassie I lo’ed Oh! dearly I lo'e a' the Dee's rocky mountains, Its licht birken glens, an' its dark heather braes, Where the bonnie wild roses in simmer are blawin' An' sweetly the wee birds are croonin their lays: An' dear aye to me is the bricht glancin' burrnie That rins 'mang the rocks in the deep shady dell But dearer an' brichter to me than them a' is The lassie I lo'ed at Lochenbreck Well! An' bonnie the wee ferny nook in the glen is Awa' 'mong the uplan's o' Grennoch's wild shore, An' pure is the breath o' the breeze that is blawin' Frae hills roun' Loch Dee, where the mad torrents roar. An' sweet to the e'e are the bricht broomy knowies, An' wee glentin flo'ers 'neath the sun's gowden spell But bonnier an' sweeter to me than them a' is The lassie I lo'ed at Lochenbreck Well! Oh! naething in Nature to me half sae fair is Nae wee modest primrose in shade o' the tree Nae lily in beauty wi' her can compare, Or wee daisies gleamin' sae fair on the lea. To me, a' the year, it would be a bricht simmer If that it were mine in her presence to dwell Malcolm MacLachlan For dearer to me than a' titles or gowd is The lassie I lo'ed at Lochenbreck Well! Harper 1876 Lochenbreck Well Time was, I poured golden from the earth. And they flocked to my brilliance, drank of my ochre goodness, housed my followers and me. Installed in my new bower, I bubbled free, glowed amber in goblets, eased pains, healed the sick, revived spirits; entertained the young people who, fired by my zest and sparkle, sipped til the small hours. Once, resplendent in red, I danced for Burns (well, he'd galloped through a storm for me). Star of Galloway! Flame of the North! Well of healing! - they called me. In those days. No one flocks or gallops now. It's quiet. In my roofless fallen bower in the silent woodland, I lie low, reflect, murmur, dancing only with the rain. Trickle a little, feral orange, waiting. Sue Taylor 2021 St Ninian’s Well Parton (270840, 569806), by Sue Taylor St Ninian's Well is located at Chapelbrae in the grounds of the former Parton estate on the east bank of the Dee, and close to a ruined estate chapel, a priest's house and an ice house. The well only acquires its very specific name on very recent OS maps - OS 2017 and OS 1944-70. The well does appear unnamed on four or five earlier maps (the earliest is 1843-82) - marked only as "Spring". Julia Watt, Whithorn Trust: “Generally, the naming of a well for the saint either means there was either a local dedicated church and cult of St Ninian or else it's on the pilgrimage route from the East to Whithorn and grateful pilgrims or local religious foundations named the well.” Image: Paul Hodson Image: Tom Marshall Paul Hodson: “The Glendonwyns of Parton were supporters of Robert the Bruce, and he gifted Parton to them in return. At the time of the reformation they remained Catholic, and in 1580 built [the nearby] house as their priest's house and private chapel. I would surmise that the chapel in the field either predates St Inan's Kirk [the late 16th century ruin in Parton churchyard] or was built at the same time as [the] house. The Glendonwyns got into financial trouble and the estate was bought by their cousins, the Murrays. The well alcove bears the inscription ’Fons Sancti Niniani’, which I think means ‘sacred waters of Ninian’. No idea of the well's age, but I guess the well and baptisms will be linked to the Catholic chapel rather than St Inan's, so Reformation times. The inscription is on a granite block and there is the remains of an iron fence and arch around the well, so I would say these are Victorian, when the Murrays tarted the estate up! Apparently they used to baptise people in the well, and we have what is left of the cup used to pour water on children’s heads (see photo). I don’t have a date for the cup. It is handmade, and was given to us by a former neighbour who had taken it from the well before we came here. There is also a small figurine of Ninian in Parton House that used to stand in the recess in the photo.” Green Well of Scotland By Sue Foster & David Bartholomew – Carsphairn 255735, 594564 OS Namebook: “A spring well on the Farm of Lagwine situated about 5 chains above the Bridge over the Deugh. It formerly was famed for its medicinal qualities but owing to the carelessness of the people in the neighbourhood all sorts of filth has been thrown into it. It was into this well that Mr Dodds threw his dies for coining when pursued by the officers of the crown. A great many tales is told by the country people about large quantities of gold being in the bottom.” Account of Alexander McKay c.1860: “by the villagers and others long resident in the parish this goes by the name of the Deil’s Well. The Bank Holm, the Deil’s Well and the neighbouring wood constitute the Sunday afternoon resorts of the villagers when the weather was fine. Of the Deil’s Well all sorts of stories were told: how that at times past it had at various times received valuables that otherwise were likely to fall into the hands of the enemy, and therefore other than it being unfathomably deep and containing much rubbish, it would yield these treasures again were it pumped dry and cleaned out. Its great depth however was a deterrent as it had swallowed up several chains of a stone dyke, part of which disappeared in my time, and yet apparently could swallow up as much more. Also it was said that slaughter and murder had been committed here, and the bones of the dead might not with impunity be disturbed. So that there were several reasons why no attempt had ever been made to clear out the Deil’s Well, and that was enough.” Image: Anna Campbell Willie’s Well Compiled by Claire Martin – Castle Douglas 277548, 563095 It is in the middle of a field, in an area where there are standing stones nearby. First map it appears on is 1843 - 1882 OS map 6 inch and it also appears on 1888 to 1913 OS 6 inch map. The entry for Willie's Well in the Scottish Healing Wells book by R & F Morris states that Willie's Well is “in a field in front of Erniespie House, probably named for William Graham, a Covenanter killed by Claverhouse troops who lies buried here [at Crossmichael churchyard], Erniespie is a mile north of Castle Douglas.” Further research states that William Graham was killed in 1682, another source says he was killed in 1684. The first source, Alexander Shield's A short memorial of 1690, states William was shot by the troops belonging to John Graham, Laird of Claverhouse. William Graham's gravestone is in Crossmichael Churchyard and was erected sometime between 1702 and 1714. William Graham was a tailor in Crossmichael and was said to have been visiting his mother on the day that he was killed. Another story appears in More Stewartry Sketches by Iain Durisdeer (shared by Dr Peter Hewitt) relating the well to a man called William Auchenleck who was shot and killed: “the soldiers disentangled the twisted body from the stirrup and threw it down an adjacent well in what is now the field in front of Ernespie House. Site visit: could not find a well site in the location listed on the current OS map. We did however find more than two piles of dressed stone in a nearby wooded area and wondered if perhaps the landowner had blocked up the well and moved surrounding stones to a different location? The well which was Auchenleck’s tomb became known locally as ‘Willie’s Well’, the name which it still bears. Not much of it is now visible because it was useless in its original function … Perhaps some day the well will be uncovered and the few mortal remains of William Auchenleck, Soldier-ofFortune and Covenanter, will be given an honourable burial.” Image: Claire Martin Frenchman’s Rock By Nic Coombey – Borgue 266029, 546358 OS Name Book: A large rock situated near the Western Coast of Kirkcudbright Bay and at Low spring tide it can be forded. According to tradition, Senwick Church contained a quantity of Plate [and] was plundered by French pirates who safely escaped with their booty; but a storm arising immediately after they had put to Sea, the ship was dashed upon this rock, and every person on board perished. In Memory of this event, the rock has ever since been styled the Frenchmen's Rock. It is also said the rock was bombarded one night by mistake, it being thought to be Paul Jones’s ship! Photo Credit: Solway Firth Partnership “They stole the silver plate but they paid with their lives! Heaven, as if watching over this act stirred up the winds and waves and the ship was wrecked on these rocks.” Rediscovered by Samantha Oakley Location: 262706, 577877 Parish: Kells Physic Well (A rather negative) Ordnance Survey Namebook: About 9 chains ESE [East South East] of Millbank. A Spring well on the farm of Millbank. It was formerly resorted to by diseased persons, who were superstitious enough to think its Waters possessed the virtue of healing. It is not a Mineral Well. Possible mention in Witchcraft and Folk Belief in the Age of Enlightenment, Scotland, 1670-1740 by Lizanne Henderson (2016): An interesting late example indicates that professionals occasionally made use of folk cures. Robert Trotter (c.1736-1815), known as the “Muir Doctor”, was based in the Glenkens. He often sent his patients to the physic well in the New Galloway parks. Cairn Edward Well (Chalybeate) by Keith Hamblin – Kells 263435, 573408 Ordnance Survey Name Book, Sept 1846: “About 1 7/8 mile south of Kenmure Castle. A chalybeate well on the ---------- of Clone and situate near to the East base of Cairn Edward (Hill) hence the name. This well was much frequented too by diseased persons to which its waters had proved beneficial.” According to the Name Book, Cairn Edward (the Hill) takes its name from the following story: “When Edward Bruce was upon the pursuit of the English through Galloway, and when reaching the summit of the ridge of hills, which divides the Dee from the Ken, and beheld the imposing scene that presented itself to his view, he was transported with delight, and exclaimed, ‘that beautiful Country must be mine.’ The spot afterwards became famous, and a Cairn still called Cairn Edward, was raised upon it, as a memorial of this interesting visit.” Wishing Pot Recorded by William Ion – Minnigaff (241326, 566941) Sits in the rocks underneath Queen Mary’s Bridge. It is a round, deep hole in the rocks about 30cm across, probably formed naturally by the action of the water. Well known in the Newton Stewart and Minnigaff areas as a wishing well requiring stones to be dropped into it from the bridge for a wish to come true. The number of stones needed to be dropped into the well varies but three seems to be the most common figure. Knowledge of the well is still current but it is not clear for how long this tradition has existed. There is no reference to the well in older texts and it does not appear on maps or in Canmore. Five Pound Well Located in Minnigaff – 245184, 576457 The Ordnance Survey Name Book entry explains that the name for this well came from a bad bet: "This name applies to the source of Penkill Burn. It is said to have derived its name from a man who undertook to drink all the water in it for £5 but could not accomplish it.“ Five Pound Well first appears on the 1st Edition Ordnance Survey 6-inch map of 1852. It still appears on modern mapping and can even be seen on current aerial imagery as a small pool at the side of a burn, although it appears to be smaller in area than that depicted on the earlier mapping. Reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland Punch Well Minnigaff - 241149, 575213 Punch Well is located on the southwest side of Larg Hill, in an area named Punch Well Brae. The Ordnance Survey name book (1848-51) describes it as a "A good spring well on that portion of Larg Hill called Punch Well Brae. It’s name originated from the circumstance of shepherds, farmers and friends sometimes ascending this hill for the view of the surrounding country, and who are in the habit of making punch and drinking it here." Punch Well continues to appear on mapping until at least the 1960s, but is no longer shown on current maps. The name Punch Well Brae is still shown to this day though. Brownie’s Well Dalry 264584, 581416 The well only appears on the 1st Edition Ordnance Survey map of 1854. The Ordnance Survey name book describes it as "A spring well on the farm of Bogue and situate near to the south end of Brownie's Green hence the name. This well at present is nearly filled up and defaced." A more specific tale behind the name is given in Lights and Shadows of Scottish Character and Scenery (1824) by Cincinnatus Caledonius (reproduced on the website www.kirkcudbright.co). This story centres on a farmer called Ramsay who helped to conceal Covenanters on his land. He was summoned before the Council of Scotland and while he was away, his farm was mysteriously taken care of. Overnight the corn would be shorn, threshed and taken to the kiln before anyone was up the next day. The stories started going round that it was Brownies doing the work – although in the end it turned out that it was the Covenanters who he had helped out over the years. Image Pool by Susan Smyth – Dalry 264464, 591648 Ordnance Survey name book: “A small pool in the Stroanfreggan Burn in which an Image cut in stone of a woman and two babes was found some years ago, hence the name. The Image has been built into the chimney over the fireplace in Stroanfreggan House, also another one was got in it which is over the Door supposed to have been the representation of St Paul, no tradition or facts whatsoever can be gleaned respecting them.” A paper by John Corrie in the Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland from 1912 identifies a stone in the grounds of Hastings Hall, Moniaive (pictured) as being one of the stones pulled out of the Image Pool. It’s identified as being the shaft of an early Christian cross, and Corrie writes that the carvings might be similar to those found on the Anglo-Saxon Ruthwell Cross. Holy Linn Waterfall By Donald Gibson – Dalry 265552, 580844 The waterfall sits along the Garple Burn as it passes through Barscobe Wood. The Ordnance Survey name book describes it as "A cascade of about 20 feet of a fall in Garpel Burn, during the Scottish persecution, the ousted Minster of Balmaclellan had baptized several children of his flock here hence the name." It is mentioned in the New Statistical Accounts of Scotland from 1845: "[The progress of the Garpel] is marked by a few waterfalls. The most picturesque of these is the Holy Linn, a cascade worthy of its present celebrity, both on account of its natural beauty, and from having been the spot where the ejected minister of the parish, in persecuting times, baptized the children of his flock" (Parish of Balmaclellan, 1845, Vol. 4, pp 99-100).  Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Lost Wells of Galloway – Well Cards Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context GGLP_107 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource GGLP Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource GCAT Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2020 Description An account of the resource An online project to help to rediscover our lost wells and bring their stories back to life. GGLP heritage https://glenkensarchive.scot/glenkens_archive/files/original/16/566/GGLP-CYDI-Lost-Wells-of-Galloway-Named-Pools.pdf fe236b6b38413f4ea70af2621a0e1fb2 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Lost Wells of Galloway – Named Pools Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Lost Wells Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource GGLP Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Text Any textual data included in the document NAMED POOLS No Name Location Overview Researcher 259478, 573556 257954, 573526 William Ion 1 The Otter Pool 2 Marion's Pool 3 Laggan Pool 257210, 574083 4 Linnfraig 259737, 589284 Pool on the Black Water of Dee at the site of Crannoch Ford. Only appears on modern maps (associated with the Raiders Road). Is a popular tourist attraction and picnic spot. A pool on the Black Water of Dee close to Marion’s Isles. Also close to Orchars farmstead which sits to the southwest. It first appears on the 1st edition Ordnance Survey 6-inch map of 1851 and continues to appear through to current mapping (2022). The Ordnance Survey name book (OS1/20/78/14) states: "This pool is situated at the West end of the islands called Marion from which it takes its name’. Marion’s Isles entry simply states that they are ‘supposed to have taken their name from a woman of that name". A pool on the Black Water of Dee beside Laggan Ford and near Laggan o’Dee farmstead (which sits to the north of the pool). It first appears on the 1st edition Ordnance Survey 6inch map of 1851 and continues to appear through to current mapping (2022). The Ordnance Survey name book (OS1/20/53/25) states: "A pool on the Black Water of Dee where Salmon abounds. It takes its name from the farm of Laggan of Dee". A pool on the Water of Deugh as it passes to the east of Dalshangan. It first appears on the 1st edition Ordnance Survey 6-inch map of 1853 and continues to appear through to current mapping (2022). The Ordnance Survey name book (OS1/20/17/17) describes it as: "A deep pool in the Water of Deugh, and situated at the south end of Dalshangan Plantation." The researcher notes: "the positioning of the name on the map leaves the exact pool location a little unclear. It is printed alongside a rocky constriction in the course of the river and I take it to be the pool above or upstream of this constriction that is referred to". They also note that "At first glance Linnfraig might suggest ScG Linn Fraoich, ‘heather pool’ however it’s unlikely that -fraig is a reflex of fraoich, one would expect -ree, -rie, ry(e) (as perhaps in Dalry). And /-xr-/ > /-fr-/ is phonetically quite possible ... It may be that the underlying form of the specific element is actually ScG creag, ‘a rock’, referring to William Ion William Ion Michael Ansell 5 Bloody Mires 253403, 588852 6 Carse Pool 260036, 587920 7 Cutter's Pool 267497, 546947 8 Red Brae Pool 268041, 556021 the rocky constriction I mentioned above. This is by analogy with Stroanfreggan, which an earlier spelling of 1655 shows as Stronchreigan for ScG Sròn a’ Chreagain (‘the promontory of the rocky place’). This shows that in this area Gaelic ‘ch’ can be represented in Scots by ‘f’. Thus Linn Chreag, ‘pool of rocks’ may be the correct interpretation." This water feature is shown on the 1st edition Ordnance Survey map of 1853 and the second edition on 1888-1913 as a small lochan with open water. However, more recent Ordnance Survey mapping shows it as a bog with no open water. It is now in the middle of the huge Forrest Estate monoculture Sitka plantation and indeed has been ploughed over and planted up. It occupies something of a poorly drained col between Torrs and Thorny Hill. There are no burns entering or discharging from the mires. The Ordnance Survey name book (OS1/20/15/29) states: "A small stagnant pool of water on the farm of Darnaw, and a short distance N. West of Thorny Hill, in it at various times sheep have been found drowned hence the name." Carse Pool is located on the Water of Deugh as it passes Dundeugh. It first appears on the 1st edition Ordnance Survey 6-inch map of 1853 and continues to appear through to current mapping (2022). The Ordnance Survey name book (OS1/20/19/12) describes it as "A deep pool in the Water of Deugh, and situated close on the West side of the Carse of Dundeugh hence the name." The researcher notes: "The Scots word ‘carse’ means ‘a low lying tract of land beside a river’. This word was borrowed into Galloway Gaelic, giving rise to such as Cars Fàda (Carsfad) and Cars Fhèarna (Carsphairn)." Cutter's Pool sits along the eastern side of Kirkcudbright Bay. It first appears on the 1st edition Ordnance Survey 6-inch map of 1854 and continues to appear through to current mapping (2022). The Ordnance Survey name book (OS1/20/158/38) describes it as "A deep pool about 35 chains in length in the channel of the River Dee, it is both a sheltered & safe anchorage for vessels, and was the place where the revenue cutters used to lie hence the name." One of a series of named pools located along Tarff Water as it runs south from High Bridge of Tarff to Cumstoun. Red Brae Pool first appears on the 1st edition Ordnance Survey 6inch map of 1852 and continues to appear through to current mapping (2022). Michael Ansell & Jen Cianci Michael Ansell Alison Fabian Lyn Walby 9 Gordon's Pool 268117, 555940 10 Chapel Pool 268204, 555706 11 Sandybrae Pool 268142, 555426 12 Clinton's Pool 268130, 555357 13 Boretree Pool 268351, 555084 14 Battery Pool 268353, 555016 The Ordnance Survey name book (OS1/20/132/23) describes it as “A small pool in Tarf Water situated close to Red Bank hence the name.” One of a series of named pools located along Tarff Water as it runs south from High Bridge of Tarff to Cumstoun. Gordon's Pool first appears on the 1st edition Ordnance Survey 6inch map of 1852 and continues to appear through to current mapping (2022). The Ordnance Survey name book (OS1/20/132/22) describes it as “A deep pool of water (in the Tarf Water) in which it is [said] a person called Gordon was drowned, hence the name.” One of a series of named pools located along Tarff Water as it runs south from High Bridge of Tarff to Cumstoun. Chapel Pool first appears on the 1st edition Ordnance Survey 6-inch map of 1852 and continues to appear through to current mapping (2022). The Ordnance Survey name book (OS1/20/132/61) describes it as "A small pool in the Tarf Water, what gave rise to this name is not generally known, it may be from the farm Chapel which is close to it.” One of a series of named pools located along Tarff Water as it runs south from High Bridge of Tarff to Cumstoun. Sandybrae Pool first appears on the 1st edition Ordnance Survey 6inch map of 1852 and continues to appear through to current mapping (2022). The Ordnance Survey name book (OS1/20/132/23) describes it as “A small pool in Tarf Water situated opposite to Sandybrae hence the name.” One of a series of named pools located along Tarff Water as it runs south from High Bridge of Tarff to Cumstoun. Clinton's Pool first appears on the 1st edition Ordnance Survey 6inch map of 1852 and continues to appear through to current mapping (2022). The Ordnance Survey name book (OS1/20/132/24) describes it as “A small pool in Tarf [Water] which has its name from a person called Clinton who one time lived convenient.” One of a series of named pools located along Tarff Water as it runs south from High Bridge of Tarff to Cumstoun. Boretree Pool first appears on the 1st edition Ordnance Survey 6inch map of 1852 and continues to appear through to current mapping (2022). The Ordnance Survey name book (OS1/20/132/13) describes it as “A small pool in Tarf Water which derived its name from a kind of tree growing on its eastern side. Called Boretree in England, called Elder." The spelling 'Alder' is also written on the entry. One of a series of named pools located along Tarff Water as it runs south from High Bridge of Tarff to Cumstoun. Battery Pool first appears on the 1st edition Ordnance Survey 6-inch map of 1852 and continues to appear through to current mapping (2022). Lyn Walby Lyn Walby Lyn Walby Lyn Walby Lyn Walby Lyn Walby 15 Lint Hole 268589, 554476 16 Lochan of Vice 268986, 561261 17 Horse Pool 259942, 580988 18 Englishmen's Dub 264230, 573127 19 Bell's Pool 262138, 590321 20 Craig Pool 263539, 592076 The Ordnance Survey name book (OS1/20/132/14) describes it as "A small pool in Tarf [Water] on its eastern side is a [small?] battery which prevents the water from breaking over the fields hence the name." One of a series of named pools located along Tarff Water as it runs south from High Bridge of Tarff to Cumstoun. A pool named Lint Hole first appears on the 1st edition Ordnance Survey 6-inch map of 1852 and continues to appear through to current mapping (2022). The Ordnance Survey name book (OS1/20/132/90) describes it as “A small pool in the Water of Tarf, it derives its name from lint being steeped at this spot.” A pool near to the summit of Whirstone Hill. It first appears on the 1st edition Ordnance Survey 6-inch map of 1852 and continues to appear through to current mapping (2022). The Ordnance Survey name book (OS1/20/109/18) states: "A small cavity at the western extremity of Whirstone Hill. It is filled with water two thirds of the year, the remainder which occurs during drought it is perfectly dry, the rocks immediately about it are of a dark color and tradition says that the Devil frequents it, hence the name." Horse Pool is located along Glenlee Burn to the east of Ford House. It first appears on the 1st edition Ordnance Survey 6-inch map of 1853 and continues to appear through to current mapping (2022). The Ordnance Survey name book (OS1/20/36/20) describes it as "A deep pool of water in Glenlee Burn, a horse at one time [?] been lost in it hence the name." A pool named Englishmen's Dub first appears on the 1st edition Ordnance Survey 6-inch map of 1853 and continues to appear through to current (2022) mapping. Englishmen's Dub is located along the Lowran Burn on the eastern side of Cairn Edward Hill. The Ordnance Survey name book (OS1/20/57/19) describes it as: "A deep pool in Lowran Burn out of which two Englishmen had been got drowned hence the name." A pool named Bell's Pool first appears on the 1st edition Ordnance Survey 6-inch map of 1853 and continues to appear through to current mapping (2022). Bell's Pool is located along the Water of Ken, to the north of High Bridge of Ken. The Ordnance Survey name book (OS1/20/17/11) describes it as "A considerable pool in the "Water of Ken" and close to "Bell's Craig" it is said to have been a favourite pool of a person (while Angling) named Bell hence the name "Bell's Pool". A pool named Craig Pool first appears on the 1st edition Ordnance Survey 6-inch map of 1853 and continues to appear through to current mapping (2022). Craig Pool is located along the Water of Ken, to the north of Smittons Bridge. Lyn Walby Jennifer Roberts Dru Hatcher Keith Hamblin Susan Smyth Susan Smyth 21 Image Pool 264373, 591668 22 Big Alder Pool 260608, 590655 23 Little Alder Pool 260441, 590518 24 Well Hole 270013, 554032 The Ordnance Survey name book (OS1/20/20/7) describes it as "A deep pool in the Water of Ken and situated close to Stroanfreggan Craig hence the name". A pool named Image Pool first appears on the 1st edition Ordnance Survey 6-inch map of 1853 and continues to appear through to current mapping (2022). Image Pool is located along the Stroanfreggan Burn, to the south of Stroanfreggan Bridge. The Ordnance Survey name book (OS1/20/20/49) describes it as "A small pool in Stroanfreggan Burn in which an Image, cut in stone, of a woman and two babes was found some years ago, hence the name. The Image has been built into the chimney over the fireplace in Stroanfreggan House, also another one was got in it which is over the Door supposed to have been the representation of St Paul no tradition or facts whatsoever can be gleaned respecting them". A paper by John Corrie in the Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland from 1912 (Vol. 46, pp 258-263) identifies a stone in the grounds of Hastings Hall, Moniaive as being one of the stones pulled out of the Image Pool. It is identified as being the shaft of an early Christian cross, and Corrie writes that the carvings might be similar to those found on the Anglo-Saxon Ruthwell Cross. A pool named Big Alder Pool first appears on the 1st edition Ordnance Survey 6-inch map of 1853. Big Alder Pool was located along the Water of Deugh to the east of Carminnow farm. The pool was later incorporated into Kendoon Loch, which was formed as part of the Galloway Hydro Scheme in the 1930s. The Ordnance Survey name book (OS1/20/17/20) describes it as "A small pool in the Water of Deugh, with a few alder trees growing on its margin, hence the name." A pool named Little Alder Pool first appears on the 1st edition Ordnance Survey 6-inch map of 1853. Little Alder Pool is located along the Water of Deugh to the southeast of Carminnow farm. The Ordnance Survey name book (OS1/20/17/20) describes it as "A small pool in the Water of Deugh and situated a short distance south of Big Elder Pool". The Place-Names of the Galloway Glens database (https://kcb-placenames.glasgow.ac.uk) states "Its name has disappeared, probably as a result of its loss of significance since the raised water levels caused by the creation of the hydroelectric scheme". A pool along the eastern bank of the River Dee. It first appears on the 1st edition Ordnance Survey 6-inch map of 1852 and continues to appear through to current mapping (2022). Susan Smyth Susan Smyth Susan Smyth Claire Heron 25 Milligan's Hole 261897, 579948 26 Poachers Pool 237320, 577298 27 Dog Pool 28 Auld Wife's Stank 237353, 577099 237464, 577621 29 Moss Robin 257356, 555705 30 Heat Haggies Pond 259412, 557955 31 Sprott's Pool 259417, 557080 The Ordnance Survey name book (OS1/20/149/44) describes it as "A deep pool in the River Dee east of Wee Doach, in it are quantities of salmon caught by the means of a shoulder net. It has its name from a spring well in the bank of the river opposite". A pool along Finlay's Burn to the west of the Water of Ken. It first appears on the 1st edition Ordnance Survey map of 1853 and continues to appears through to current (2022) mapping. The Ordnance Survey name book (OS1/20/36/69) describes it as: "A small pool of water on the south side of Meikle Hill. It formed part of the parish boundary betwixt Dalry & Kells. It is said from a man that this took its name." The site of Poachers Pool is shown on the Water of Minnoch as it passes to the southeast of High Minniwick. Appears on current mapping (2022) but does not appear on historic mapping for the area. The site of Dog Pool is shown on the Water of Minnoch as it passes to the west of Holm. Appears on current mapping (2022) but does not appear on historic mapping for the area. The site of Auld Wife's Stank is shown within fields to the north of High Minniwick. It is depicted as smaller 'pond' on current (2022) mapping. The origin of the name is unknown and it does not appear to be listed in the Ordnance Survey name book despite appearing on the 1st edition Ordnance Survey map. Moss Robin is located to the north of Low Ardwall Hill. It first appears on the 1st edition Ordnance Survey map of 1854 and continues to appear on current mapping (2022). The Ordnance Survey name book (OS1/20/127/28) describes it as: "A small pond or lake on the [?] of Low Ardwell, formerly it ha[?] a moss and in consequence of it [?] all cut away, it filled up with [?]." Heat Haggies Pool is located to the west of the Water of Fleet. It first appears on the 1st edition Ordnance Survey map of 1854 and continues to appear on current mapping (2022). The Ordnance Survey name book (OS1/20/126/18) describes it as: "A large pool on the farm of Pulcree on the west side of Water of Fleet." One of a series of named pools located along the Water of Fleet. It first appears on the 1st edition Ordnance Survey map of 1854 and continues to appear on current mapping (2022). Samantha Oakley Claire Williamson Claire Williamson Claire Williamson Simon & Kate Lidwell Simon & Kate Lidwell Simon & Kate Lidwell 32 Stroquhain's Pool 259546, 558370 33 Standing Stone Pool 259574, 557234 34 Ditches Pool 259907, 556769 35 Red Brae Pool 268635, 554181 The Ordnance Survey name book (OS1/20/128/28) describes it as: "A considerable pool in an angle of the Water of Fleet, [?] a short distance south of Standing Stone Pool. A man named Sp[rott] often frequented it whilst ang[ling] hence the name." One of a series of named pools located along the Water of Fleet. The pool first appears on the 1st edition Ordnance Survey map of 1854 as 'Stroquhan's Pool' and continues to appear on current mapping (2022) under the spelling 'Stroquhain's Pool'. The Ordnance Survey name book (OS1/20/126/20) describes it as: "A small deep pool in the Water of Fleet, which has [its] name from a person called Maxwell (Laird of Stroquhan in Dumfriesshire) who was in 1699 drowned here, under the following circumstances, he had been on a visit to a Gentleman called Brown a resident in Bushy Bield near Anwoth, for whose [daughter] Jane Brown, Maxwell was said to entertain an attachment, but being unsuccessful in his addresses to the young Lady, & on the evening of the same day, it is said he left Bushy Bield [abruptly] & was drowned in the Water of Fleet in this pool which has been ever since called Stroquhan's Pool, in commemoration of the mournful accident." One of a series of named pools located along the Water of Fleet. The pool first appears on the 1st edition Ordnance Survey map of 1854 and continues to appear on current mapping (2022). The Ordnance Survey name book (OS1/20/128/28) describes it as: "A pool in an angle of the [Water] of Fleet, about 4 chains to the [east] of it is a small standing [stone] from which the pool took the name." A standing stone is visible to the east of the pool on mapping but has been identified as being more likely a "cattle-rubbing post" (MDG4578; Canmore: 63653). One of a series of named pools located along the Water of Fleet. The pool first appears on the 1st edition Ordnance Survey map of 1854 and continues to appear on current mapping (2022). The Ordnance Survey name book (OS1/20/128/29) describes it as: "A deep pool in the Water of Fleet situated about 30 chains below Sprotts Pool, not known in the locality how it got the name. It derives the name from a number of drains or ditches which empty their waters into the pool." One of a series of named pools located along Tarff Water as it runs south from High Bridge of Tarff to Cumstoun. A pool named Red Brae Pool first appears on the 1st edition Ordnance Survey 6-inch map of 1852 and continues to appear on mapping until 1957. The Simon & Kate Lidwell Simon & Kate Lidwell Simon & Kate Lidwell Claire Williamson 36 Hell's Hole 268416, 554161 37 Lower Bridge Pool 268527, 554050 38 Compstone Pool 268523, 553606 39 Kiln-End Pool 269930, 553928 40 Boat Weil 261831, 581285 pool no longer appears on mapping by 1967, by which time the river appears to have changed course to the west. The Ordnance Survey name book (OS1/20/149/23) describes it as "A small pool in Tarf Water at the foot of a gentle declivity called Red Brae hence the name." One of a series of named pools located along Tarff Water as it runs south from High Bridge of Tarff to Cumstoun. A pool named Hell's Hole first appears on the 1st edition Ordnance Survey 6-inch map of 1852 and continues to appear through to current mapping (2022). The Ordnance Survey name book (OS1/20/149/23) describes it as “A muddling deep pool in Tarf Water, what gives rise to this name is not known." On modern maps it appears as if the term might have been extended to also include the marshy ground to the east of the river. One of a series of named pools located along Tarff Water as it runs south from High Bridge of Tarff to Cumstoun. Lower Bridge Pool first appears on the 1st edition Ordnance Survey 6-inch map of 1852 and continues to appear through to current mapping (2022). The Ordnance Survey name book (OS1/20/149/23) describes it as “A small pool in Tarf Water and situate [sic] close to the Low Bridge of Tarf hence the name." One of a series of named pools located along Tarff Water as it runs south from High Bridge of Tarff to Cumstoun. Only appears on the 1st edition Ordnance Survey 6-inch map of 1852. The Ordnance Survey name book (OS1/20/149/24) describes it as “A large pool in Tarf Water from its proximity to Compston House it took the name." Kiln-End Pool sits along the eastern bank of the River Dee. It first appears on the 1st edition Ordnance Survey 6-inch map of 1852 and continues to appear through to current mapping (2022). The Ordnance Survey name book (OS1/20/149/44) describes it as "A pool in the River Dee situated a little south of Tongueland Mills, it is much frequented by anglers whilst fishing." Boat Weil sits along the Water of Ken just to the west of St John's Town of Dalry. It first appears on the 1st edition Ordnance Survey 6-inch map of 1853 and continues to appear through to current mapping (2022). The Ordnance Survey name book (OS1/20/36/25) describes it as "A large deep pool in the Water of Ken, situate between Boat Green & Dalry. A boat was at one time stationed here for the purpose of conveying passengers across the River, hence the name." Claire Williamson Claire Williamson Claire Williamson Claire Williamson Claire Williamson 41 Red Weil 282170, 561154 42 Dead Man's Weil 266328, 581739 43 Bar Weil 266051, 581279 44 Mc.Kie's Wiel 237438, 576989 45 Quaking Ash Wiel 237125, 575705 46 Queen Mary's Pool 270323, 554698 The site of Red Weil sits along the Urr Water to the west of Reedweel farm. Only appears on the 1st edition Ordnance Survey map of 1854. The Ordnance Survey name book (OS1/20/116/14) describes it as "A deep pool in Urr Water at a bend in the river its extent is about 8 [?] in length." The site of Dead Man's Weil is located along the Garple Burn to the northwest of Barscobe Loch. Dead Man's Weil or Well first appears on the 1st edition Ordnance Survey 6-inch map of 1854 and continues to appear through to current mapping (2022). The Ordnance Survey name book (OS1/20/39/39) states: "A deep pool in that part of Garpel Burn which runs through Bar Glen. It took its name in consequence of a dead man being found in it". The site of Bar Weil is located along the Garple Burn as is passes Bar Wood. It first appears on the 1st edition Ordnance Survey 6-inch map of 1854 and continues to appear through to current mapping (2022). The Ordnance Survey name book (OS1/20/39/40) describes it as "A pool in the Garpel Burn on the [farm] of Mill Mark & a short [distance] North of it is the Site of [Bar] Cothouse (hence the name)." Mc.Kie's Wiel is located to the west of Holm farm. It first appears on the 1st edition Ordnance Survey 6-inch map of 1848 and continues to appear on current mapping (2022). The Ordnance Survey name book (OS1/20/45/13) describes it as "A deep pool in the Water of Minnick, its name originated from a [man] called McKie who was drowned in it." Quaking Ash Wiel is located along the Water of Minnoch, to the southwest of the Old Bridge of Minnoch. It first appears on the 1st edition Ordnance Survey 6-inch map of 1848 and continues to appear on current mapping (2022). The Ordnance Survey name book (OS1/20/45/52) describes it as "A deep pool in the Water of Minnick over which leaned an Ash tree, which shook with the Slightest Breeze hence the name". Queen Mary's Pool is located at the southern end of Tongland Loch. The Ordnance Survey name book (OS1/20/132/53) describes it as: "A pool in the River Dee, over which Queen Mary's Bridge was built hence the name." The New Statistical Account for Tongland, describes a well a short distance from “Mary`s Brig” (1845 Vol. IV, 89-90): “An estate and knoll called Queenshill derived their name from Mary Queen of Scots, who, on her flight from the battle of Langside, is said to have rested in the neighbourhood and taken some refreshment. Continuing her flight, she crossed the Lyn Ferguson Donald Gibson Donald Gibson Claire Williamson Claire Williamson Moira Charters 47 Kennan's Isle Pool 270546, 555472 Dee by a wooden bridge ... about a mile from the present church [1845] ... There is a well, also, at a short distance [from the bridge], called by her name, from whence tradition says that she drank." It is said that the wooden bridge which Mary crossed was then destroyed to delay any pursuers and allow her to make haste on to Dundrennan Abbey. The Ordnance Survey maps from 1852 onwards show the site of the bridge and Queen Mary's Pool (as opposed to a well). It is said that after taking water from the well she waited at Dun's Wa's (270280, 554518), a house on the east bank of the river, while the bridge was destroyed. The Tongland dam now covers the site of this house. The current Ordnance Survey map (2022) also shows Queen Mary's Pool but it appears as part of the larger dam flowing to Tongland. There appears a bit of a debate as to whether this was the route that Mary took. The memoirs of Lord Herries, one of her supporters and who accompanied her on her flight from Scotland, states that she travelled via Sanquhar, Terrgeles and then on to Dundrennan. It is interesting the number of references to her in the area of Tongland (Queens Hill, Wood, Knoll, pool) and makes more sense in terms of a route to Dundrennan. Kennan's Isle Pool is located along the eastern side of Tongland Loch close to Kennan's Isle. It first appears on the 1st edition Ordnance Survey 6-inch map of 1852 and continues to appear on current mapping (2022). The Ordnance Survey name book (OS1/20/132/48) describes it as: "A considerable pool in the [River] Dee, which took its name [from] a small island on the [?] river called Kennan." The researcher notes: "I may be speculating here but the Kennan's Isle Pool and Kennan's Isle, could be related in some way to the Abbey at Tongland, due to its proximity and the name Kennan." Moira Charters  Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Lost Wells of Galloway – Named Pools Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context GGLP_106 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource GGLP Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource GCAT Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2020 Description An account of the resource An online project to help to rediscover our lost wells and bring their stories back to life. GGLP heritage https://glenkensarchive.scot/glenkens_archive/files/original/16/564/GGLP-CYDI-Lost-Wells-of-Galloway-Map-of-Named-Results.pdf 87368634b33a8949d4dfb33aacb3dea7 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Lost Wells of Galloway – Map of Named Results Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Lost Wells Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource GGLP Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Text Any textual data included in the document Lost Wells Key Named Wells Named Pools Green Well of Scotland Coastal Sites Carsphairn Dalry Five Pound Well Balmaclellan New Galloway Mossdale Parton St Ninian’s Well Gout Well of Larg Lochenbreck Well Crossmichael Laurieston Castle Rumbling Well Douglas CAN YOU Rutherford’s Well DIG IT Kirkcudbright St Glassen’s Well  Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Lost Wells of Galloway – Map of Named Results Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context GGLP_104 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource GGLP Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource GCAT Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2020 Description An account of the resource An online project to help to rediscover our lost wells and bring their stories back to life. GGLP heritage