Carse Loch
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Carse Loch is situated (NX 926 849) in a low-lying area, surrounded by woodland, close to the A76 at
Friar's Carse Friars' Carse is a mansion house and estate situated (NX 926 850) southeast of Auldgirth on the main road (A76) to Dumfries, Parish of Dunscore, Scotland. The property is located on the west bank of the River Nith and is known for its strong as ...
, in
Dumfries and Galloway Dumfries and Galloway (; ) is one of the 32 unitary council areas of Scotland, located in the western part of the Southern Uplands. It is bordered by East Ayrshire, South Ayrshire, and South Lanarkshire to the north; Scottish Borders to the no ...
, Parish of
Dunscore Dunscore ( , less commonly ) is a small village which lies northwest of Dumfries on the B729, in Dumfriesshire, in the District Council Region of Dumfries and Galloway, southwest Scotland. The village consists of about 150 people and has a chu ...
. It was once used as a monastic fish pond and the friars are said to have hidden their treasures on the
crannog A crannog (; ; ) is typically a partially or entirely artificial island, usually constructed in lakes, bogs and estuary, estuarine waters of Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. Unlike the prehistoric pile dwellings around the Alps, which were built ...
in times of danger. The loch is located about 7 miles from Dumfries and 2 miles from
Auldgirth Auldgirth is a village on the A76 road in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. Auldgirth village features 'The Auldgirth Inn' and the former Auldgirth Primary School, which closed in 2000. Originally inhabitants of Auldgirth located to the scheme, sit ...
.


History

In 1465 a charter was granted by Cardinal Antonius of Rome for the
Cistercian The Cistercians (), officially the Order of Cistercians (, abbreviated as OCist or SOCist), are a Catholic religious order of monks and nuns that branched off from the Benedictines and follow the Rule of Saint Benedict, as well as the contri ...
order of monks from
Melrose Melrose may refer to: Places United Kingdom * Melrose, Scottish Borders, a town in the Scottish Borders, Scotland ** Melrose Abbey, ruined monastery ** Melrose RFC, rugby club Australia * Melrose, Queensland, a locality in the South Burnett R ...
to build a monastery on the site of the old British fort and
druid A druid was a member of the high-ranking priestly class in ancient Celtic cultures. The druids were religious leaders as well as legal authorities, adjudicators, lorekeepers, medical professionals and political advisors. Druids left no wr ...
ical circle at
Friar's Carse Friars' Carse is a mansion house and estate situated (NX 926 850) southeast of Auldgirth on the main road (A76) to Dumfries, Parish of Dunscore, Scotland. The property is located on the west bank of the River Nith and is known for its strong as ...
.POFR, Page 3 Only a monastic farm or
grange Grange may refer to: Buildings * Grange House, Scotland, built in 1564, and demolished in 1906 * Grange Estate, Pennsylvania, built in 1682 * The Grange (Toronto), Toronto, Ontario, built in 1817 * Monastic grange, a farming estate belonging to ...
may have actually been established at the site of the present day hotel of Friars Carse rather than a friary as also witnessed by the names Grange Mill, Grange Loch, Grangeview, etc. The place name 'Court Hill' close to the loch may recall the location of the Court Hill of the friars and later feudal lairds, suggesting that the loch may have served as the
drowning pit A drowning pit, drowning pool, murder-pool or murder hole (not to be confused with defensive murder holes) was a well or pond specifically for executing women and girls (for males the dule tree or gibbet was used) under Scottish feudal laws. R ...
for female criminals as part of the 'pit and gallows' powers of feudal law enforcement. The place name 'Kerse or Carse' in the Scots language refers to 'Low and fertile land adjacent to a river or loch'. The loch was once used as a fish pond by the friars of the monastic grange. William Crawford's map of 1804 shows a Grange Mill and Grange Loch with a single island. Roy's map of 1747 shows a 'Grange Loch' with a mill nearby and a single island. The 1855 OS map shows a substantial loch with a single island and the nearby Carse Mill corn mill with a lade avoiding the loch and joining its Main Burn outflow. By 1899 Carse Loch has reduced considerably in size and the lade from Carse Mill enters it directly. In 1909 the loch, recorded as Friars' Carse Loch, had a surface area of between two and three acres. The loch was fed by the diverted and dammed Laggan Burn as well a burn running down from Allanton, the outflow being the Mains Burn. Since the closure of the mill the Laggan Burn no longer runs into the loch, greatly reducing the water supply.


The Crannog

A small island in a loch near Friars' Carse was identified as a being the remains of a lake dwelling or crannog, and in 1878 was measured as being circa 80 ft by 70 ft. Some of the timbers were morticed and bore traces of clay flooring and central paving. Medieval pottery was found and additionally a dug-out canoe or logboat with a paddle, carrying an inserted sternboard, was found in the mud near the crannog As stated, the friars are said to have hidden their treasures on the crannog with its pillar or piles during times of war, raids from England, etc. The nearby
Debatable lands The Debatable Lands, also known as debatable ground, batable ground or threip lands,. lay between Scotland and England. It was formerly in question as to which it belonged to when they were distinct kingdoms. For most of its existence, the area ...
were also frequently in turmoil. An axe hammer was found on the old
crannog A crannog (; ; ) is typically a partially or entirely artificial island, usually constructed in lakes, bogs and estuary, estuarine waters of Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. Unlike the prehistoric pile dwellings around the Alps, which were built ...
that was located in the loch. Carse Loch is now much reduced in surface area through drainage and is enclosed within a marsh surrounded by a part of the Stottpark woodlands. The original crannog is said to have collapsed under the water surface in 1879 following its archaeological investigation, although one or two islands are still shown on modern OS maps.POFR, Page 4 The loch has since been progressively drained via the Mains Burn.


Carse Mills

The corn mill or miln ( Scots), shown near 'Grange Loch' in 1747, was still operational in 1909Friars' Carse, Page 1 fed by the Laggan Burn with two holding ponds with a dam and sluice located to the south of the minor road at Burnhead. The OS maps show that the lade leading away from the mill originally emptied into the Mains Burn until the 1890s when the water entered the partly drained loch directly. The Mains Burn empties directly into the
River Nith The River Nith (; Common Brittonic: ''Nowios'') is a river in south-west Scotland. The Nith rises in the Carsphairn hills of East Ayrshire, between Prickeny Hill and Enoch Hill, east of Dalmellington. For the majority of its course it flows ...
. A diversion lade is shown on the 19th century OS maps, allowing water to be directed away from the water wheel when required. A smithy and a small school are marked on the 19th century OS maps next to Grangeview below Burnhead Farm. A mill building is also shown in 1855 at Carse Mains Farm below Penflowing Bridge, where a small millpond and dam was once located. By 1899 the millpond had been drained and only a hydraulic ram is shown at the site of the old mill.1855 25in OS Map
Retrieved : 2012-08-09


Micro-history

In 1879 fine examples of Roman
paterae In the material culture of classical antiquity, a ''patera'' () or ''phiale'' ( ) is a shallow ceramic or metal libation bowl. It often has a bulbous indentation (''omphalos'', "belly button") in the center underside to facilitate holding it, i ...
or drinking bowls were found near Friars Carse during the construction of the road. The Laggan Burn in 1909 was considered to be suitable for the production of electricity via a hydroelectric power plant. Memorials in Dunscore Old Kirk burial ground record details of the Ireland and Fergusson families of Carse Mill.


See also

*
Friar's Carse Friars' Carse is a mansion house and estate situated (NX 926 850) southeast of Auldgirth on the main road (A76) to Dumfries, Parish of Dunscore, Scotland. The property is located on the west bank of the River Nith and is known for its strong as ...


References


Notes


Sources

* Particulars of the Estate of Friars' carse - for sale by Private Bargain. 1909. * POFR Ltd. (2012). ''Friars Carse. The History''. * Storer, James & Greig, John (1805). ''Views of the North of Britain illustrative of the Works of Robert Burns''. London: Vernor and Hood.


External links

{{Commons category, Carse Loch
Friars Carse Country House Hotel
Lochs of Dumfries and Galloway History of Dumfries and Galloway Bronze Age Scotland Iron Age sites in Scotland Crannogs in Scotland Freshwater lochs of Scotland