Strathloan farm

[mosstrooper]

No doubt George will be in touch with you Emily, his mother lived there too.
My mother was born one field away at Wester Strath.

James.

[EmilyRB65]

Hi James, looking forward to hearing from George!

I am saddened but not really surprised to hear that someone made buildings into separate dwellings and sold them off. We used to have a rope swing that went over the horse field...but that's all for another post.

Emily

[EmilyRB65]

James - she'd have known the "honey boys" then, up at the top of the big field?

[mosstrooper]

Emily,
          My mother and 6 other sisters (Reynolds) would know everyone around that area, I was born at Crossroads where my Granny and Granddad moved from Wester Strath. Here is the house at Crossroads.

James.

[Seoras]

Hi James and Emily,nearly right James,my mother,like me was from Avonbridge.It was my great aunt Jen who had the farm,my gran's sister.She was Janet Brown Wardlaw and ran the farm with her husband Samuel Craig Conn.Hi Emily,it's a lovely place isn't it,the photo's James very kindly took,brought back memories.There is a little burn somewhere,is that right,I seem to remember or maybe I'm getting muddled.

James,only six weeks till I see it again for real

[EmilyRB65]

Hi George!

It's amazing how it's changed...from a burned out shell when my Dad bought it to what we see today - marvelous. The river Avon is at the back of the house through the field. My father dug a lake one year, what fun that was. He also rebuilt an Albion Bus, and a Turbo Bently, there in courtyard behind the building with the milk churn in front. The part of the building with no door was the wood shed. and the paving wasn't there when they had it, we used to get snowed in at Christmas time!

My father died last year in September and we (siblings) were going to scatter his ashes at Middle Strath.

Emily

[Seoras]

Such a shame that cottage has gone James.I wish someone could dig out a photo of Taylor's Buildings in Avonbridge,also sadly gone.I believe a garage was the last building on the site.My great grandparents George Wardlaw and Agnes Tweedie lived there,my grandparents married there as did my aunt Jen.

At Taylor's Buildings that is,not at the garage

[Seoras]

Ah,bit bigger than a burn then Emily ,I do remember fishing in the river.My aunt Jen moved out over 30 years ago and went to live in Bridge Street in Avonbridge.I expect it was after this you moved in.

[EmilyRB65]

just a wee bit bigger - it is near the head of the river, so it was wade-able when the wild coo's got too near!

I wish I could remember the date, the poor building was in an awful state - vandals/disenchanted youth had got in.  Still it's beautiful now!  I bet your Aunt Jen missed all the space. There is a lintle at the back of the house (which was the front I think) with wedding dates on it.

Emily