deserted settlements of glassary parish

[genguy]

hello,
 i was in my local thrift shop in tarbert and picked up a binder entitled "deserted settlements of glassary parish, some of the ruined crofts, farms, and dwellings in glassary parish with names of people who once inhabited them".  put together by allan begg and published by argyll & bute council. if any of you would like to look for any old settlements then just let me know, there are pictures of some of the ruins which might be of interest also, hopefully it will be interest to some of you,
genny

[Isabella321]

Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk


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   deserted settlements of glassary parish
« on: Wednesday 29 September 10 14:04 BST (UK) »    Reply with quote
hello,
i was in my local thrift shop in tarbert and picked up a binder entitled "deserted settlements of glassary parish, some of the ruined crofts, farms, and dwellings in glassary parish with names of people who once inhabited them".  put together by allan begg and published by argyll & bute council. if any of you would like to look for any old settlements then just let me know, there are pictures of some of the ruins which might be of interest also, hopefully it will be interest to some of you,
genny

Hi genny,
I live in Melbourne, Aus. My Campbell ancestors came from Glassary parish. I'd love some help with finding 2 particular locations-
Dun-na-Marag
Kilmschal

Dun-na-marag, Glassary parish is given as place of birth for my G. grandfather, Thomas Campbell 1828, a brother John Campbell 1823 and sister Jean Campbell 1830.
John's parents were Archibald CAmpbell and Jane Brown
Thomas and Jean's parents were Archibald Campbell and Elizabeth Ralston

The IGI record gave Thomas and Jean's place of birth as Dunamuck which I've found through google to be near Dunadd. But recently I looked at their original birth records on Scotland's People and it is definitely given as Dun-na-marag. So assuming Dunamuck and Dun-na-marag are not the same place I'm wondering where Dun-na-marag is.

Kilmschal, Argyll is given in 1851 census as place of birth of 2 other sisters -
I'm wondering whether Kilmschal may be a contraction of Kilmichael Glassary.

Best wishes and thanks in advance for any help you or anyone can give me.

Isabella
melbourne
Vic Australia

[genguy]

hello, i am up late watching the miners come out, its amazing!
according to this booklet   dun-na -marag was situated between achnabreck and cairnbaan, (you should be able to find these places on a current map) apparently this settlement was still in use in 1855 and there was a mary rowan born there in thst year. the booklet says in earlier times it had once been a croft or holding as on an old plan it states 8 acres arable, 4 acres pasture.
the booklet does not say where dunamuck was but says there were quite a few dwellings and also a mill here, there is a list of deaths at dunamack which include an archibald campbell died at age 18 in 1856 and also a margaret campbell died at 82 in 1875, there is a donald campbell born at dunamuck in 1855.
i hope this is of some use, willl look through the book for the names you have listed and see if i can finnd anything else,
genny

[Isabella321]

Genny, I was hardly expecting such a speedy response!! You're right about the miners. It's fantastic they're getting them out so quickly.

Thanks for the info. It definitley seems like Dunamuck and Dun-na-marag were separate locations. I'll check out a few maps now I know where to look and thanks for the names. I'll go through my family tree and see if I get any matches.

Three cheers for the Chileans!!
and best wishes
Isabel

 

[Loonsong1790]

Hello, GENGUY. I just came across your post. The earliest ancestors I've been able to trace were married in Glassary on June 4, 1790. They were John Leitch and Ann Morrison. They were buried in Kilmichael-Glassary churchyard. I have nothing further on their parents, but have records of their descendants. I'd like to visit the area where they were born (John in Barnakill Farm, Glassary Parish and Ann in North Knapdale) next summer when my husband and I visit Scotland.  My records show children being born in various places and I'm wondering if your book has any information on them or on Barnakill Farm:
Tunecleugh Farm, Glassary, Argyll, Scotland
Killinochonach Farm, Glassary, Argyll, Scotland;
Every, North Knapdale,
Gartnagrenoch Farm, North Knapdale, Argyll, Scotland.
Kilmahumaig Farm, Crinan, North Knapdale
I'd also love to visit Kilmichael Glassary churchyard. Do you know if that's possible? Thank you for your offer.
Loonsong

[Isabella321]

Hi Loonsong,
I've just returned to Melbourne from a trip to Argyll and can answer some of your Qns for you.

the church yard at Kilmichael-Glassary is definitely open to visitors. I had a good poke around and didn't find any names that I recognised from my own family research. There's another cemetery at Achnabreck, off the Oban road about 2 miles north of Lochgilphead. I'm not sure when it was first used but it is now the main cemetery in the area.

I've checked my copy of the book -Deserted settlements of Glassary parish- and only one of the places on your list is mentioned in the book  -

Barnakill High.

Allan Begg, the author is convinced that it was once known as Barnakill, the word High being added later. If that's true then there's 2 whole pages of information about it and the people who lived there. No Leitchs mentioned unfortunately but I imagine you'd find the description fo the place interesting.

I bought my copy of the book through the Argyll and Bute Library Service. The headquarters are in Dunoon and they have a family history archive there.

Another book you might find interesting is Villages of Southern Argyll by Marion Pallister. [Amazon .com] It has chapters on Kilmichael Glassary, Slockovulllin, and nearby Crinan and Bellanoch.

Slockavullin is one of the few small hamlets to have survived. I visited it while I was in the area and it gives some idea of what the early settlements were like.

Regards
Isabella321
 
 

[namac56]

Hello Loonsong and Isabella
Another cemetery worth visiting is on the Inverary side of Lochgilphead - the old Kilmory cemetery.  It's a bit hard to find if you don't know where to look and it's at a narrow part of the main road.  There is a back entrance and a gate house to the old estate there and a path from the car park at the council offices.  It gets a good mention in Begg's book.
Best wishes

[Ringoroses]

Hi Genny (if you're still about).

Would love to hear whether there's anything in there about the Shirvan (aka Castleton) estate once owned by the Graham-Campbells. My ancestors (Carrick's) once worked on their estate, prob as farm servants or ag labs. I understand the estate moved location in the area, starting out further in-land, before ending up on the top edge of Lochgilp.

Regards
Ann

[smcurrie]

Hi, I'm traveling to Scotland in April and am trying to track down any record of my Currie ancestors in or near Glassary Parish. The earliest record I have is of John Currie being married to Mary McAlpine in Glassary on 24 December 1791. I have been told that when they were married, Mary lived on Lagg Farm near Kilmartin Valley and John lived Balliemore Farm.

I would greatly appreciate any information you may be able to pass along about these farms or John and Mary. Thanks,

Scott