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Thornhill

Thornhill maps

Historic maps of Thornhill and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis.   View all Thornhill maps

Thornhill photos

We have no photos of Thornhill, although we do have photos of these nearby places:

Burnhead| Carronbridge| Penpont| Closeburn| Tynron| Barjarg Tower| Moniaive

Thornhill area books

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Thornhill books
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Memories of Thornhill

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Dumfriesshire memories

Mr Inglis

It was in early 1965 I with the young lady who was to become my wife went to see the minister Rev John H.A.Inglis at this manse to see if he would marry us,this he duly did on the 25th of September of that year and we are still together 42 years later
The manse is now privately owned,a new manse was built a few years ago and it may olso be privately owned, as the minister lives in Thornhill now, being in charge of several parishes.

The Falls

Cairn Mill c1960
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This dam on the river Scaur would be erected to power the mill,the big building to the right of the falls of which is now gone as is the dam
When I was a boy water was taken from the left and used to power a turbine to generate electricty for Capenoch big house,it was not a very good light,it was I think only 110volts
When the river was in flood it was an awesome sight to see the water powering over the rocks and the salmon jumping having been waiting in the pools downriver for a flood to get upriver to spawn

(Lady) Sara Grierson, of Craigdarroch

Craigdarroch House c1960
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(Sir) William Grierson, 9th Lord of Lag, & his wife, Nicola Maxwell had issue known, 10, viz.:

(1) Helena Grierson, born before 1597,
(2) (Sir) Robert Grierson of Lag, born before 1598 at Lag, Dumfries-shire, Scotland; died c1654; he married Margaret Murray, daughter of (Sir) James Murray of Cockpool, in May, 1622,
(3) Sara Grierson, born before 1598,
(4) Agnes Grierson, born before 1599, d. 3rd February, 1664,
(5) Alexander Grierson, born before 1599, died 1655,
(6) William Grierson, born before 1600,
(7) John Grierson, born before 1601, died before 1638,
(8) (Sir) James Grierson, born c1604, died 1666,
(9) Isabel Grierson, born c1604,
(10) Lancelot Grierson, born after 1604, died before 10th June, 1656.

(Lady) Craigdarroch, married William Fergusson, son of Robert Fergusson and Jean Cunningham. A contract for the marriage of William Fergusson and Sara Grierson was signed on 9th May 1621. William Fergusson lived at Craigdarroch, Scotland. Sara Grierson was born in 1598, styled Lady Craigdarroch.

Growing up in Moniaive 1954-1969.

I was born and brought up in Moniaive, and my mother owned the local hairdresser's salon (JACIE'S) at 3 Ayr Street. I lived with my mother (Janet), sister (Jenny) and maternal grandparents (who also had a house in Dunreggan, 4th down on the right from the bridge) (Dickie and May until 1964ish).
I started school at Moniaive Primary, and then went to Wallace Hall Academy at Closeburn on the school bus.
Moniaive was a fantastic place to grow up in the 60s, we had our resident 'Bobby', whose Police Station was directly across the street from my house. It was first manned by PC Clinton, and then by PC Dick Bodle, his wife Jean and son Ed (who went on to join the RAF). These were the days that, if you were in trouble, the village bobby would first give you a good clip around the ear, and then drag you home to get some more! And far more effective than today's standards.
The 50s and 60s were the... Read more

Schooldays

I was born in Hayfield Cottages, Auldgirth in April 1931. My first year at school
Mrs Garthwaite was my teacher. She lived in the house just north of the school.
In the mid 30s my brother Bob and I saw an airship fly over Barbra Mill. Can
anyone else remember that? Aulgirth sports were held in the field across from
the inn. We gathered the empty bottles and took them to Mrs Telford the landlady.

Although I left Auldgirth when I was six I have so many pleasant memories of
the place, like catching and eating my first burn trout, going to school parties at Kennedys home at Blackwood. Jock Richardson & Jock Robson (farmers) I remember.

Wartime Evacuation to Auldgirth

My mother and I evacuated from Glasgow to Auldgirth in 1941 to escape the bombing immediately following the Clydebank bombing. We stayed with a wonderful family called Collins who were friends of my father's family. Mr Collins in peacetime was a gardener on the Kennedy Estate called I remember "The Big House" and the Collin's cottage was adjacent. I was only 4 years old but remember it fondly, although we were there only a matter of months. I remember an army unit was stationed on the estate. An army mobile cinema would come and show films to the estate workers. I distinctly remember watching "The Road to Morocco" shown in the Campbell's cottage up the road. I still remember we all helped gather in the hay. My memories of that short period in Auldgirth are the happiest of my entire childhood. Mother and I returned to Glasgow where I started infant school in 1942. In 1974 I had occasion to be attending a professional meeting at the Royal Crichton Hospital,... Read more

A Haunted Cottage

About 10 to 15 years ago I remember reading an article in the Sunday Post concerning a haunted cottage in Auldgirth. Apparently there was a considerable amount of poltergeist activity and eventually a clergyman was called in to perform a rite of exorcism. Does anybody have any more information? Has the poltergeist activity continued or ceased?

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