Kirkconnel
Encyclopedia
Kirkconnel is a small parish and town in Dumfries and Galloway
, southwestern Scotland
. It is located on the A76
near the head of Nithsdale
. Kirkconnel led a more quiet existence than neighboring towns like Sanquhar
. Principally it has been a farming community. There are few buildings of any significance. The name comes from The Church of Saint Conal
. In 1850 the village had only a single street 400 yards long.
The town is served by Kirkconnel railway station
.
The early church and settlement were situated at the foot of Kirkland Hill on the drove road from Ayrshire
to Lanarkshire
, which followed the steep incline beside the Glenaylmer Burn. Whether Saint Conal was an Irish monk or the son of a local shepherd befriended and educated by Glasgow’s Saint Mungo
, Christianity came early to this part of Nithsdale. A Celtic cross
, erected in 1880 by the Duke of Buccleuch
at the instigation of the minister, the Rev. John Donaldson, marks the reputed burial place of Saint Conal. From the neighborhood of the cross, on a clear day, can be seen the churches at Kirkconnel, Sanquhar
and Kirkbride
, all associated with Saint Conal.
Life changed dramatically for this small town in the 1890s when a coal pit was opened at Fauldheld. Coal
had always been mined in the district before, but never in large quantities. From then on coal dominated the life of the little town. The coal industry moved away in recent decades, and with it much of the population.
It is also associated with the ballad Helen of Kirconnel.
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...
, southwestern 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 A76
A76 road
The A76 is a major trunk road in south west Scotland.Starting at Kilmarnock in East Ayrshire, the A76 goes through or immediately by-passes Hurlford, Mauchline, Cumnock, Pathhead and New Cumnock before entering Dumfries and Galloway and continuing through Sanquhar, Mennock, Enterkinfoot,...
near the head of Nithsdale
River Nith
The River Nith is a river in South West Scotland.-Source, flow and mouth:The Nith rises in the Carsphairn hills of East Ayrshire, more precisely between Prickeny Hill and Enoch Hill, 7 km East of Dalmellington...
. Kirkconnel led a more quiet existence than neighboring towns like Sanquhar
Sanquhar
Sanquhar is a town on the River Nith in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. It lies north of Thornhill and west of Moffat. It is a Royal Burgh.Sanquhar is notable for its tiny post office , claimed to be the oldest working post office in the world...
. Principally it has been a farming community. There are few buildings of any significance. The name comes from The Church of Saint Conal
Saint Conal
Saint Conal was an Irish bishop who flourished in the second half of the fifth century and ruled over the church of Drum, County Roscommon, the place being subsequently named Drumconnell, after St. Conal....
. In 1850 the village had only a single street 400 yards long.
The town is served by Kirkconnel railway station
Kirkconnel railway station
Kirkconnel railway station is a railway station in the town of Kirkconnel, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. The station is unstaffed, is managed by First ScotRail.- History :...
.
The early church and settlement were situated at the foot of Kirkland Hill on the drove road from Ayrshire
Ayrshire
Ayrshire is a registration county, and former administrative county in south-west Scotland, United Kingdom, located on the shores of the Firth of Clyde. Its principal towns include Ayr, Kilmarnock and Irvine. The town of Troon on the coast has hosted the British Open Golf Championship twice in the...
to Lanarkshire
Lanarkshire
Lanarkshire or the County of Lanark ) is a Lieutenancy area, registration county and former local government county in the central Lowlands of Scotland...
, which followed the steep incline beside the Glenaylmer Burn. Whether Saint Conal was an Irish monk or the son of a local shepherd befriended and educated by Glasgow’s Saint Mungo
Saint Mungo
Saint Mungo is the commonly used name for Saint Kentigern . He was the late 6th century apostle of the Brythonic Kingdom of Strathclyde in modern Scotland, and patron saint and founder of the city of Glasgow.-Name:In Wales and England, this saint is known by his birth and baptismal name Kentigern...
, Christianity came early to this part of Nithsdale. A Celtic cross
Celtic cross
A Celtic cross is a symbol that combines a cross with a ring surrounding the intersection. In the Celtic Christian world it was combined with the Christian cross and this design was often used for high crosses – a free-standing cross made of stone and often richly decorated...
, erected in 1880 by the Duke of Buccleuch
Duke of Buccleuch
The title Duke of Buccleuch , formerly also spelt Duke of Buccleugh, was created in the Peerage of Scotland on 20 April 1663 for the Duke of Monmouth, who was the eldest illegitimate son of Charles II of Scotland, England, and Ireland and who had married Anne Scott, 4th Countess of Buccleuch.Anne...
at the instigation of the minister, the Rev. John Donaldson, marks the reputed burial place of Saint Conal. From the neighborhood of the cross, on a clear day, can be seen the churches at Kirkconnel, Sanquhar
Sanquhar
Sanquhar is a town on the River Nith in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. It lies north of Thornhill and west of Moffat. It is a Royal Burgh.Sanquhar is notable for its tiny post office , claimed to be the oldest working post office in the world...
and Kirkbride
Kirkbride
Kirkbride may refer to:* Kirkbride Plan, an architectural design* Anne Kirkbride , British soap opera actress* John Kirkbride , Scottish guitarist and songwriter* Julie Kirkbride , British MP, representing Bromsgrove...
, all associated with Saint Conal.
Life changed dramatically for this small town in the 1890s when a coal pit was opened at Fauldheld. Coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
had always been mined in the district before, but never in large quantities. From then on coal dominated the life of the little town. The coal industry moved away in recent decades, and with it much of the population.
It is also associated with the ballad Helen of Kirconnel.
Notable people
- Kris HaddowKris HaddowKris Haddow is a Scottish playwright and performer, originally from Kirkconnel in Dumfries and Galloway.-Background:...
- playwrightPlaywrightA playwright, also called a dramatist, is a person who writes plays.The term is not a variant spelling of "playwrite", but something quite distinct: the word wright is an archaic English term for a craftsman or builder...
and performer (born Kris Clark) - Willie FergusonWillie FergusonWilliam Copeland Ferguson was a Scottish footballer and manager best known for his time at Chelsea and Dumfries side Queen of the South. His position was usually as a left winger.-Early years:...
- footballer with Chelsea F.C.Chelsea F.C.Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
and Queen of the South F.C.Queen of the South F.C.Queen of the South Football Club is a Scottish professional football club founded in 1919 and located in Dumfries. The club currently plays in the Scottish First Division, the second tier of Scottish football. They are officially nicknamed The Doonhamers, but usually referred to as Queens or QoS...