Although it may at first seem a little strange to be including a section about local history on this site I just had to do it. I feel the history of a place is such an important factor when trying to capture a visual image, it''s not just about what I see but what I feel as I look out over this beautiful landscape, who lived here, what did they do and how did they shape this place I love and call home.
Prehistory The Dark Ages The Middle Ages Later Times Heston Island
Prehistory
Although no written mention of Auchencairn from before the 14th century has been discovered there are signs that this area has been inhabited from Mesolithic times (5000 - 4000B.C. approx.). The Mesolithic folk were hunters and fishers, and lived by collecting shell-fish, harpooning fish, and hunting seals, roe-deer, boar, badger, otter and wild cat. Their implements included harpoons of red deer antlers or bone. They had no axes and were not able to clear forest, and so had to keep to the shore and river mouths. Remains from this early period are scanty. One example of a deer-horn barbed fish-spear was found at Cumstoun on the Dee estuary near Kirkcudbright; there is an oyster-shell midden on the island of Heston at the top of the raised beach immediately below the existing house; and one stray find of a tiny stone tool was made on Torr. Most of our knowledge of these folk comes from remains in two main areas of Scotland - one on the West coast near Oban and the Isle of Oronsay, and the other in the Kirkcudbright area. From the evidence of Oban and Oronsay they must have arrived by sea; it is thought from Northern Spain and South-West France - not, of course, in a single voyage, but probably over several generations.
During the following period the land was colonised by an incoming people, the Neolithic folk who, from 4000 to 3000 B.C., increasingly settled throughout the region. They had axes, and being able to clear woodlands, developed farmlands for, as well as being hunters, they had become farmers. They grew wheat and barley - oats and rye came into use later. They had domesticated cattle, sheep, pigs and goats. Remains from this time are fairly abundant, the richest sources being the burial cairns. A group of at least seven of these courtyard cairns has been found in the Cree Basin, the most remarkable of which are those at Boreland (Minigaff) and Cairnholy. Other finds have been made; examples of'Beaker' pottery at High Banks, Kirkcudbright being the nearest to the Rerrick area.
The succeeding Bronze Age population have left traces in the shape of weapons, food-vessels, cup-and-ring markings and many cairns. There are twenty-six cairns in the Cree Basin, others in the Ken and Deugh valleys and a more isolated group in the Carsphairn area. Some of these cairn groups include stone circles. Among the many weapons found throughout the region there is a bronze dagger from Carlingwark Loch. The cairn at High Banks contained two food vessels, and an urn of the period was found at Whinnieliggate. In the Fleet Bay area and on the east side of the Dee there are many cup-and-ring markings.back to top
Iron Age remains include sixty-six forts concentrated in the coastal belt between the Fleet and Urr valleys, with seven promontory forts also,probably from this period.
The cave sites at Torrs, Kirkcudbright, have yielded Iron Age material; from Torrs, Castle Douglas, there is a remarkable horse-hat and a drinking horn terminal; and a huge hoard of over a hundred tools and weapons was recovered from Carlingwark Loch. No fewer than twenty forts or encampments of Iron Age origin have been identified in Rerrick, as many as in any other parish in the Stewartry.
The main known Roman sites are the large fort at Glenlochar and the small fort at Gatehouse; there are indications of a small site near Buittle Mill. The princilpal Roman road so far found runs from Dalswinton in Dumfrieshire via Castle Douglas to Gatehouse. In Roman times many of the population of Scotland lived in caves, and some on artificial islands (crannogs) in the lochs, a practice which dates from the Ist century and which persisted into medieval times. back to top
The Dark Ages
During the Dark Ages which,followed the collapse of the Roman Empire, conditions must have been very disturbed. It is from this period that the considerable group of 'courtyard' forts in Rerrick parish extending over the hilly ridge to the Urr estuary seems to date, and may be linked with the 5th-7th century trading site at the Mote of Mark near Kippford. In the Auchencairn area there are several of these sites; two near the old road from the Hall farm towards Airds; one above the cemetery; one at Nether Hazelfield; one on Suie Hill and one on Dungarry. These last two have been examined and were found to differ from all the others in certain respects, they are thought to date from the 8th century - one theory being that they were built by refugee Scots from Dalriada fleeing from invading Northern Picts. Scots were, of course, Gaelic speakers.back to top
Dark Age remains other than earthworks are few. There are some crosses, and the St Constantine dedications around Dalbeattie seem to be connected with the mission of St Kentigern's disciple about 575 A.D. He was sent there because he was a 'Briton', i.e. a Welsh speaker. There are indications that Welsh died out about 700 A.D., perhaps through Anglian influence as shown in such names as that of the River Fleet. The Anglian period lasted roughly from after 600 to about 900 A.D. The coastal Norse names too probably date from this time. The introduction of Gaelic by the Gallgaidhil may be dated from after 920. These Gallgaidhil were Northmen from the Isles who overran the south-west. The name means 'Foreign Gaels', and was given to them by the Irish and Scottish Gaels. It was from these Gallgaidhil that the regional name was derived. Their language, Gaelic, replaced the Old British or Welsh speech, and was in common use in Galloway until the 17th century. These incoming Northmen were lieges of the Earl of Orkney who were also Earls of Galloway. Malcolm III, King of Scots, claimed Galloway through his marriage to Ingibjorg, a daughter (or widow) of Thorfinn, the great Earl of Orkney. Malcolm later married the English Princess, Margaret, and it was her sons who eventually succeeded their father, thus usurping their half-brothers, the sons of Ingibjorg, whom many Gallovidians, and Scots too, considered to be the rightful heirs.back to top
The Middle Ages
It was during the reign of David I, Margaret's son, that the land was divided into parishes, it was David, too, who created a Galloway chieftain, Fergus, Lord of Galloway. The two had spent much of their youth together at the English court, and on their return to Scotland imposed their acquired Norman ways, including the feudal system of government, on their subjects. Fergus moved from Whithorn and established himself near Kirkcudbright - even now the place is called Lochfergus. As well as imposing feudalism he replaced the old celtic form of worship with the Roman form and established many churches. The natives showed theh resentment at these changes by rebelling, but before the middle of the 13th century Alexander II had finally crushed the risings, and feudalism under Anglo-Norman nobles was firmly established.back to top
Remains from this period include 25 'motes', mainly in the Dee and Fleet basins, though the most notable is the outlying Mote of Urr. These motes were as a rule wooden defensive structures built on an eminence which was often artificial. The stone-built 'keeps' found throughout Scotland were a later development serving the same purpose. There are five 'Homestead' motes in the Stewartry, and many of the earthworks recorded belong to the medieval" period as does the crannog in Loch Rutton. The ruinous castles at Buittle and Castledykes (Kirkcudbright) date from this time; and Palace Yard at Girthon may have begun as an Edwardian camp, and contains the remains of the last pre-Reformation Bishop of Galloway's Palace.back to top
Later Times
The earliest written record referring to Auchencairn is in a charter of Edward I dated 1305. 'Aghencarne' is mentioned among lands pertaining to the Abbey of Dundrennan, along with the "isle of Estholm, Roskerald, Clonsinagh (Glenshinnoch), Barlockwood and Barlock". Another charter of 1567/68 granted by the son of the Lord Herries, John Maxwell, to his brother James, gave him entitlement to "the lands in Achincarne" There is a record from 1675 showing that the daughters of Robert Cairns of Torr a member of the branch of the Cairns family who had long held the estate of Orchardton - inherited the "eight-mark land of Auchencairn and the land of Little Forest".back to top
The village grew round the corn mill in the early 17th century, and the oldest houses are those nearest the mill. The mill building, or all that remains of it, was last used as a joiner's shop. The present day 'brick buildings' stand on the site of the old mill dam. Another group of houses stood beside the burn near where the war memorial stands; these were known as the Netherton of Torr. They were demolished in the 19th century, but a smiddy and a slaughterhouse remained on the other side of the road between the bridge and the existing shop till well into the 20th century.back to top
Heston Island
The earliest trace of human life on the island is the mesolithic oyster-shell midden already mentioned. The next indications take us to the time when the island was part of the demesne of Dundrennan Abbey and the monks used it for grazing, and possibly constructed a tidal fish-pond. The monks called the island Estholme, the easterly part of their lands, and this seems the most likely derivation of the name, altered down the years to Heston. According to the author of 'Highways and Byways of Galloway and Carrick', Crockett's name Isle Rathan is really a very old name for the island.
At certain conditions of the tide the island is accessible on foot as there is a natural causeway of shingle and mussels from near Almorness Point to the northern tip of Heston. This causeway is known as the 'Rak", an example of the Norse influence on Galloway place names.
There are rocks projecting into the sea at the southern tip of the isle which are almost covered at normal high tide. They are known as Daft Anne's Steps, and the legend goes that Daft Anne was a girl of somewhat weak intelligence who lived at the foot of the village in the distant days when the tide receded considerably further from the bay than it does today so that the island could be approached on foot from the Balcary shore across to the southern tip. Anne set out one day for the island laying stepping stones ahead of her, hoping to reach there completely dry-shed, but unfortunately misjudged things at one point, fell into deep water and was drowned.back to top
Above the present house on the island there are the remains of another building to be seen. These are the ruins of a fortified mansion built by John Balliol. His castle at Buittle was destroyed by Bruce in 1313, never to be rebuilt. After Bruce died in 1329 Balliol was crowned King in 1332, after the battle of Dupplin Moor, but a few weeks later was surprised at Annan and fled to England. Edward III at once invaded Scotland and after Halidon Hill laid the country defenceless. However, feeling was still so high against Balliol that he felt it advisable to build a refuge on Heston, leasing or buying the land from the monks at Dundrennan Abbey.
The mansion was completed in 1342 and was garrisoned by a Duncan McDowell; but again because of the hostility of the Scots on the mainland, Edward had to commission cetain Bristol merchants to carry wine, food and salt to the island with all speed. The House is referred to in the documents of the time as a 'pele', which means that it must have stood in a stockaded surround. Balliol did not reside permanently on this island, and in 1345 McDowell changed sides. As a result, the English attacked Heston and McDowell was taken prisoner to the Tower of London. In 1346 King David was captured by the English at Neville's Cross, and the following year Balliol returned to his Heston mansion, but in 1348 he had once again to depend on English shipping for supplies. By 1357 when David was released, Balliol had probably left Heston for good and never returned to Scotland. His former chief supporter in Galloway, McDowell, had come to terms with the Scottish Crown and with the Douglases who were now Lords of Galloway.back to top
From then until recent times nothing is heard of happenings on Heston. In the 18th century at the height of the smuggling activity, the island was used as a depot, the goods being stored in the caves as well as being sunk and buoyed in the waters off-shore. One of the caves is reputed to have shelves or ledges cut out in the rock, and S.R.Crockett made great play with this in his 'Raiders'.
In the 19th century a copper mine was being worked and traces of the workings can be seen on the slope above that remarkable natural feature, the 'Elephant Rock', on the mainland side of the island not far from the cottage. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries the mussels on the Rak were cropped by some Kippford residents who took them to Dalbeattie whence they were sent by train to the English markets. In 1893 a light was established on the seaward side after much agitation because of the numbers of craft that were being lost. A few years later the light was much strengthened; it is still in being; about three years ago it was changed for an automatic lighthouse. It used to be in the care of the residents in the island cottage, their fee being only a little more than the rent they paid. There was formerly a life-boat stationed on the Balcary shore - the Boathouse and the slipway, which have now been turned into a private residence, can still be seen - and there was a gun on the island for the summoning of help when required.
No one stays permanently on the island nowadays, although the cottage is sometimes let as a holiday home. The only inhabitants now being the seabirds, mainly gulls, in great numbers, and a grazing flock of sheep.back to top
Ports, Excise and Smuggling
Kirkcudbright had been an important port, but by 1692 its shipping consisted of'one small boat of eight tons for carrying their coals but she hath never as yet been employed'. In the 18th century things had improved, and the Old Statistical Account records 28 ships, 2 in foreign trade. By 1840 this had risen to 54 ships, including the regular steamer sailings to Glasgow and Liverpool. Ship-building and allied trades were carried on, chiefly at Kirkcudbright. At this time, according to a writer of the day, it was common on looking out over the Firth from any of the many high points in the area, to see upwards of a hundred ships between St Bees' Head and the Mull of Galloway. Up till then the port of Dumfries covered the whole coast from the English border to the Mull of Galloway, but in 1870 Kirkcudbright and Wigtown were raised to the status of separate ports. Mulloch Bay, Burnfoot and Balcary were Free Ports, Balcary ranking as 'safe and commodious'. Their chief exports were meal. potatoes and barley; the chief import was lime.back to top
Before the Union of 1707 foreign trade was negligible, but after that it increased and there was a regular arrival of tobacco ships from Virginia with cargoes of tar and other produce in addition. There was a fair trade in wine from Oporto and an occasional timber ship from the Baltic. In times of food shortage quantities of grain were imported from Ireland, but for some reason Parliament prohibited this, with the result that the trade went 'underground'.
The building of the railway from Dumfries to Portpatrick (1858-62) with a later branch to Kirkcudbright, weakened the coastal trade, and finally in 1908 the once-active harbour at Kirkcudbright was partially filled up. There is still some trade through the port today, chiefly in oil; but the only other active port in the area is Palnackie at the head of the estuary of the Urr. It was once too small for the number of ships wishing to use it.back to top
From about 1750 onwards smuggling became formidable in extent, and by 1760 the legitimate tobacco traders were driven out of business. Shipping interests then turned to the bounty-fed herring fishery which soon became of importance to Dumfries.
Although smuggling reached astonishing proportions there does not seem to have been any propensity to engage in the lawless 'wrecking' that was such a feature of the time on the Cornish and Welsh coasts, and elsewhere.
The country-women played a very large part in the smuggling activities, gathering in large bands often 40-50 strong against the 2 or 3 helpless revenue officers. In 1761 it was reported by the Collector of Excise in a letter to the Board that after the withdrawal of 2 companies of Highlanders, the insolence and audacity of the smugglers had much increased; they were riding openly through the countryside in bands with upwards of 6O horses. Even when the officers had succeeded in confiscating a cargo, it was quite often the case that a large band, sometimes disguised, would attack them and hold them prisoners while the cargo was dispersed.back to top
In 1727 an Alexander Campbell was appointed 'tydesman', a post under the Controller of Excise. He was to take up duty at Auchencairn. At that time the King's cutter - the Revenue boat- was stationed in Balcary Bay. The salaries of the Revenue cutter were: The Captain - £20 p.a., Crewmen - £15.
There is in the records an estimate of the value of the goods smuggled from 5 ships, as reported in August 1791; it was said to be over £7,000. The total amount of goods smuggled into the area was feared to be very much in excess of this.
One of the most notorious of the smuggling communities in this area was centred on the village of Craigrow, which stood near the head of Torr Peninsula on the Orchardton side. It was no uncommon sight for a band of 30-50 smugglers from Craigrow to be seen riding across the Bow Farm, with casks and bags of contraband slung across their saddles, into the more open countryside near Auchencairn.
The existence of this nest of smugglers so near the new mansion of Orchardton was an annoyance to Sir Robert Maxwell, the owner, and he tried unsuccessfully to persuade Edward Cairns to let him have the land so that he could root them out. His son, James, on inheriting the property in 1785 did persuade Cairns to sell the land and the village was destroyed and the smugglers dispersed - a happening which, it is said, Edward Cairns regretted ever afterwards. Craigrow was sometimes called Kirvellan, and the bay and point are now shoun on the O.S. map as Girvellan. The old well that served the village can still be seen.back to top