Kirkhill burial ground - Cambusnethan parish

[Lodger]

I have photographs of the following headstones from the ancient churchyard of Cambusnethan. This was the site of the original, pre-reformation parish church of Cambusnethan. The church was abandoned about 1647 and re-located to Greenhead. (That church now lies in ruins).
All that's left here is the graveyard and it is in the most deplorable condition. The vandals have wrecked it beyond recognition. Beautiful old medieval stones, a huge mausoleum belonging to Lord and Lady Belhaven, the burial vaults of the Steuarts of Coltness and the Lockharts of Castlehill, have all either been demolished or vandalised. The biggest culprit was the former local authority - the Burgh of Motherwell & Wishaw back in the 1960s. A bulldozer was sent down to clear away about a quarter of the stones in order that an Orange parade could march to the Covenanter's grave. (This has now disappeared).

Monumental Inscriptions were transcribed by a Mr Brownlee about 1974, they have never been published but a copy is with the Scottish Genealogy Society in Edinburgh. Other people may have made transcriptions but the 1974 ones will be way more accurate as the vandals hadn't honed their skills so well then.

To reach this burial ground is not easy!  It is at the very end of Kirkhill Road in Netherton and can only be accessed on foot, down a steep hill. I had to climb over a waist-high gate, so be warned.

Anyone who wants a photograph please send your email address by PM.

ADDISON of Banffshire.
BELL & GOURLIE.
BINNIE & SOMMERVILLE.
BROWNLEE & FRENCH.
BROWNLIE & FERGUSON.
BROWNLIE & NEILSON.
BROWNLIE & NISBET.
BROWNLIE & RUSSELL.
DOBIE, JOHNSTON, INGLIS, MURRAY & WHARRIE.
FORREST. Freemason.
GILCHRIST & GOURLIE.
GOURLIE & PRENTICE.
GRAY.
HAMILTON & ADDIE.
HAMILTON & McALPINE.
HAMILTON, BARRIE, FRAME & THOMSON.
INGLIS & DUNCAN.
KENNEDY & SMELLIE.
LAWRIE & TROTTER.
LEGGATE, CAMERON, CRANSTON & MACKIE.
LIVINGSTON & McGRIGOR.
LOTHIAN, LANG & PEARSTON.
LOTHIAN & VEITCH.
LOUDON.
LOUDON & THOMSON.
MARSHALL & SCOTT.
MARSHALL & SOMMERVILLE.
McKINNON, SMITH & SMELLIE.
MONRO, GIBSON & ALEXANDER.
NELSON, STODDART & MIDDLETON.
NICOL & BROWNLEE.
NIVEN.
PATERSON & JACKSON.
PEARSON.
REID & PATERSON.
REID & TORRANCE.
ROBERTSON & STEEL.
SOMMERVILLE, RUSSELL & BAILEY.
WATT, Margaret, servant to Lord & Lady Belhaven.
WILLIAMSON.
WILLIAMSON & BURN.
YEATS of Gowkthrapple.

[Lodger]

To show the extent of the vandalism, here is a picture of the gravestone of Margaret Watt. Thanks to the late Thomas Orr of Motherwell, we are left with a full transcription, taken from his "Historic & Decriptive Sketches of the joint Burgh of Motherwell & Wishaw 1925".
"In memory of Margaret Watt, a true Christian, and for upwards of thirty years the faithful and highly esteemed servant of Lord and Lady Belhaven, who deeply lament her loss and placed this stone as a tribute of respect and regard. "The righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance". Died 5th June 1862".

[ScotFamTed]

Hello Lodger, Thanks for your generous offer of a photo. Unfortunately, I'm unable to pm at present as I haven't made enough posts........ I'm interested in the BELL & GOURLIE headstone as I'm currently researching this family. Can you tell me what I do to get my email address to you? 


thanks
ScotFamTed

[Lodger]

Hi Ted, if you make another 2 posts you'll be allowed to PM.
The inscription on the stone reads -
"Erected by William Bell and Margaret Gourlie in memory of their son William who died 1st May 1811 in the 23rd year of his age".

The picture I have is too big to post here, sorry.

Lodger.

[ScotFamTed]

 :)Thanks Lodger! very much appreciated! I'll go and see if I can be of any help on any threads and get back to you 

[greeneyedlad]

hello i found this site as i was trying to research this graveyard as morbid as it sounds when i was a teenager i used to do grave rubbing here as i only lived up the road.

this is a link to someone i found on google who has taken lots of photos here that i thought you all would like to see

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mlovestandpics/with/7220430384/#photo_7220430384

[MonicaL]

Hi  greeneyedlad

Welcome to RootsChat 

Monica

[greeneyedlad]

hi Monica

thank you very much.

am i right in saying this site can help me find my family tree??

Martin x

[MonicaL]

Hi Martin

RootsChat is all about people working on their family histories, with like minded people offering to help with searches and information along the way.

Why don't you start a new post for your specific family queries or issues. Better than adding that info to this ongoing thread which is specific to Lodger and his work on the Kirkhill burial ground.

Monica