Auchencairn
Encyclopedia
Auchencairn is a village
in Dumfries and Galloway
, Scotland
. It is located on the coast of the Solway Firth
at the head of Auchencairn Bay and lies on the A711 road between the town
of Dalbeattie
to the east and Kirkcudbright
to the west.
'.
period, but the first written record of Auchencairn occurs from 1305 in a charter of Edward I
in which 'Aghencarne' is listed among lands belonging to Dundrennan Abbey
. In the early 17th century the village grew around the corn mill, and many of the older stone buildings in the village date from this time.
From 1750 onwards, Auchencairn Bay became the centre of extensive smuggling activity in the area, with many of the local inhabitants being involved. This history is reflected in the name of the village pub, the Smugglers Inn.
' incident in 1695. Over a period of several months, the inhabitants, a farmer Andrew Mackie and his family, reported mysterious occurrences such as stones being thrown at them, cattle being moved and buildings being set alight. The family and others also reported a ghost
taking form and speaking. Several clergymen came to pray at the site, but no change was immediately evident; in the next few months the strange occurrences stopped but the farm was eventually abandoned due to the incident. The incident was made known when the details were published by the Reverend Telfair a year later with the support of 14 eyewitnesses.
, also in Dumfries and Gallaway, that is located to the north of Dumfries
and south of the village of Ae. It is also the name of a hamlet forming the north part of the village of Whiting Bay
on the Isle of Arran
.
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
in Dumfries and Galloway
Dumfries and Galloway
Dumfries and Galloway is one of 32 unitary council areas of Scotland. It was one of the nine administrative 'regions' of mainland Scotland created in 1975 by the Local Government etc. Act 1973...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. It is located on the coast of the Solway Firth
Solway Firth
The Solway Firth is a firth that forms part of the border between England and Scotland, between Cumbria and Dumfries and Galloway. It stretches from St Bees Head, just south of Whitehaven in Cumbria, to the Mull of Galloway, on the western end of Dumfries and Galloway. The Isle of Man is also very...
at the head of Auchencairn Bay and lies on the A711 road between the town
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
of Dalbeattie
Dalbeattie
Dalbeattie is a town in Dumfries and Galloway , Scotland.Dalbeattie is situated in a wooded valley on the Urr Water east of Castle Douglas and south west of Dumfries...
to the east and Kirkcudbright
Kirkcudbright
Kirkcudbright, is a town in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland.The town lies south of Castle Douglas and Dalbeattie, in the part of Dumfries and Galloway known as the Stewartry, at the mouth of the River Dee, some six miles from the sea...
to the west.
Etymology
The name Auchencairn comes from the Scottish Gaelic 'Achadh an càirn' or 'Achadh nan carn' which translates as 'the field of the cairnCairn
Cairn is a term used mainly in the English-speaking world for a man-made pile of stones. It comes from the or . Cairns are found all over the world in uplands, on moorland, on mountaintops, near waterways and on sea cliffs, and also in barren desert and tundra areas...
'.
Services
Facilities available in Auchencairn include:- the Smugglers Inn, a public housePublic houseA public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
dating from the 18th century - a village store and post officePost officeA post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
, which was opened by the Princess RoyalAnne, Princess RoyalPrincess Anne, Princess Royal , is the only daughter of Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...
in March, 2008 - Auchencairn GarageAutomobile repair shopAn automobile repair shop is a place where automobiles are repaired by auto mechanics and electricians.- Types :The automotive garage can be divided in so many category....
, provides auto-repairs, servicing and fuel - Auchencairn Primary School, which has around 45 pupils
- A mobile library
- St. Oswald's Church, belonging to the Church of ScotlandChurch of ScotlandThe Church of Scotland, known informally by its Scots language name, the Kirk, is a Presbyterian church, decisively shaped by the Scottish Reformation....
it was opened in 1855 - A bus service connects the village to Dalbeattie, Kirkcudbright and Castle DouglasCastle DouglasCastle Douglas , a town in the south of Scotland in Dumfries and Galloway, lies in the eastern part of Galloway known as the Stewartry, between the towns of Dalbeattie and Gatehouse of Fleet.-History:...
- A hotelHotelA hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
and a number of bed and breakfastBed and breakfastA bed and breakfast is a small lodging establishment that offers overnight accommodation and breakfast, but usually does not offer other meals. Since the 1980s, the meaning of the term has also extended to include accommodations that are also known as "self-catering" establishments...
s and holiday cottageHoliday cottageA holiday cottage is a cottage used for accommodation, which has become common in the United Kingdom and Canada. They are typically small homes that vacationers can rent and run as if it were their own home for the duration of their stay. This gives them the freedom to eat in, eat out, stay in bed...
s can be found in the local area
History
There is evidence of human habitation of the area since the MesolithicMesolithic
The Mesolithic is an archaeological concept used to refer to certain groups of archaeological cultures defined as falling between the Paleolithic and the Neolithic....
period, but the first written record of Auchencairn occurs from 1305 in a charter of Edward I
Edward I of England
Edward I , also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots, was King of England from 1272 to 1307. The first son of Henry III, Edward was involved early in the political intrigues of his father's reign, which included an outright rebellion by the English barons...
in which 'Aghencarne' is listed among lands belonging to Dundrennan Abbey
Dundrennan Abbey
Dundrennan Abbey, in Dundrennan, Scotland, near to Kirkcudbright, was a Cistercian monastery in the Romanesque architectural style, established in 1142 by Fergus of Galloway, King David I of Scotland , and monks from Rievaulx Abbey....
. In the early 17th century the village grew around the corn mill, and many of the older stone buildings in the village date from this time.
From 1750 onwards, Auchencairn Bay became the centre of extensive smuggling activity in the area, with many of the local inhabitants being involved. This history is reflected in the name of the village pub, the Smugglers Inn.
Poltergeist incident
At the top end of the village stands a dead tree; it is all that remains of a farm called the Ringcroft of Stocking, the site of the 'Mackie PoltergeistPoltergeist
A poltergeist is a paranormal phenomenon which consists of events alluding to the manifestation of an imperceptible entity. Such manifestation typically includes inanimate objects moving or being thrown about, sentient noises and, on some occasions, physical attacks on those witnessing the...
' incident in 1695. Over a period of several months, the inhabitants, a farmer Andrew Mackie and his family, reported mysterious occurrences such as stones being thrown at them, cattle being moved and buildings being set alight. The family and others also reported a ghost
Ghost
In traditional belief and fiction, a ghost is the soul or spirit of a deceased person or animal that can appear, in visible form or other manifestation, to the living. Descriptions of the apparition of ghosts vary widely from an invisible presence to translucent or barely visible wispy shapes, to...
taking form and speaking. Several clergymen came to pray at the site, but no change was immediately evident; in the next few months the strange occurrences stopped but the farm was eventually abandoned due to the incident. The incident was made known when the details were published by the Reverend Telfair a year later with the support of 14 eyewitnesses.
Other locations
Auchencairn is the name of a hamletHamlet (place)
A hamlet is usually a rural settlement which is too small to be considered a village, though sometimes the word is used for a different sort of community. Historically, when a hamlet became large enough to justify building a church, it was then classified as a village...
, also in Dumfries and Gallaway, that is located to the north of Dumfries
Dumfries
Dumfries is a market town and former royal burgh within the Dumfries and Galloway council area of Scotland. It is near the mouth of the River Nith into the Solway Firth. Dumfries was the county town of the former county of Dumfriesshire. Dumfries is nicknamed Queen of the South...
and south of the village of Ae. It is also the name of a hamlet forming the north part of the village of Whiting Bay
Whiting Bay
Whiting Bay is a village located on the Isle of Arran in the Firth of Clyde, Scotland. The name Whiting Bay is thought to originate from "Viking" Bay. It is approximately 3 miles south of the village of Lamlash. Whiting Bay is the third largest village on the island and was once the site of...
on the Isle of Arran
Isle of Arran
Arran or the Isle of Arran is the largest island in the Firth of Clyde, Scotland, and with an area of is the seventh largest Scottish island. It is in the unitary council area of North Ayrshire and the 2001 census had a resident population of 5,058...
.