Kirkhill burial ground - Cambusnethan parish

[JudyR]

Hello and thank you for posting this listing, which turned up as I searched for my Netherton families of Russell, McAlpine, and Brownlie.  I would be interested to hear from others researching these families, and also to see the photos of the monuments.

JudyR
Bogart, Georgia, USA
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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]

Hi Judy, could you epand a little with names and dates? Brownlie/ee is the most popular name in the old churchyard and Russell isn't too far behind. So it would help to give wives maiden surnames and any dates that you have.

[JudyR]

Hello and thank you very much for your response.  I will get together a short listing of names and dates to send.  I think that the most distant would be family of John Russell (b 1766) and his wife Margaret McAlpine (b 1780).  Most of their children are said to have been born in Netherton.  Some emigrated to Canada and one grandchild (my ancestor George Russell b 1848) to the USA.
Regards, JudyR

Hi Judy, could you epand a little with names and dates? Brownlie/ee is the most popular name in the old churchyard and Russell isn't too far behind. So it would help to give wives maiden surnames and any dates that you have.

[rocking rose]

having been to the heritage centre i have found out that ancestors of mine were buried at kirkhill burial ground. we tried and failed to find this yesterday, driving down kirkhill road as far as we could and came to what appeared to be two private houses with locked,fenced gates. we then tried carbarns road as i thought the burial ground was fairly near the sewage works? but again no luck. have looked on google maps too but perhaps someone could give me a hint as to how best to approach the area. thanks in advance

[sancti]

Quote from Lodger

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

[rocking rose]

hello there thanks for your fast response, i had noticed the post your metion  so maybe just as well i didnt find it as had no wellies or change of clothes with me yesterday! i was just unsure where exactly it is possible to access the waist high gate mentioned by lodger as i could only see two private houses. cheers

[sancti]

https://www.flickr.com/photos/41583834@N03/sets/72157626506445311/

[sancti]

Looking at satellite photos it looks like you take the track to the right of the 2 houses and follow it down a tree lined track

[Lodger]

You have to follow the road all the way down, the 2 houses you mention are Kirkhill Orchard (a modern-ish bungalow type) and then Kirkhill House (a Victorian villa). The road turns to the right and carries on down the down the hill. (I think, from memory, the 5-bar gate is at the bottom).
Check this link, the burial ground is just to the right of the large pond, on the north side of the river, it's in the big clump of trees.  The water purification plant is to the right of the burial ground.

https://www.google.com/maps/@55.7640464,-3.9629581,1034m/data=!3m1!1e3

Be warned, it is not an easy trip!