Craigend Tower is the ancestral home of the Head of the Shaws in Kells.
There is only one known printed reference to the Tower at Craigend which involves a witch, a cat and a Shaw.
There is a mention of Craigend (ruins) on a map Grid ref 25826,579271 date 1851-53
Click to view Craigend (ruins) map (pdf)
Robert visiting Craigend Tower (in heavy
rain) 2003
- there are stones on the ground
Dear Robert
Many thanks for your emails re Craigend. I do know the location - it is west
of a former small-holding or farm called Craigshinnie off the "Gatehill
Road" between Clatteringshaws and Glenlee. Although I only (until now)
knew it as a map name not a former habitation - that's why I didn't "click" on the name.
The small dam of Craigshinnie Dam was built in 1934-5 on the site of the construction
shaft for the Clatteringshaws-Glenlee hydroelectric tunnel, as it brings additional
water into the tunnel from a number of burns, including two from Craigend. A
forest road leads from Craigshinnie Dam over the hills to "Dunkirk" cross-roads near The Garries in Clatteringshaws Forest. A track leads off that
forest road to the location in the forest called Craigend - but although I have
used the forest road many times over the years (apart from the past few months
because logging lorries are making it impassable for private vehicles) I have
to admit that I have never actually been to the place marked on the map as Craigend.
I do know the stone in Kells Kirkyard but do not have access to any more records than I own personally (no more room!), but I shall be getting in touch on Monday with our local historians in the Glenkens and also a local farmer of excellent local knowledge who lived at Clatteringshaws from 1960 to 2001 and worked in Craigshinnie. I am afraid that I am not qualified to do detailed searching - as I only have a personal interest in Dumfries & Galloway and it has taken me 10 years to even "scratch the surface".
I shall also pass your information onto the Curator of Kirkcudbright Museum who has access to many more records and more people.
Regarding Clatteringshaws Forest, much damage was done by the wilful lack of care of planting 20-30 years ago, and I regret that some more damage is now being done by tree harvesting throughout the area. Not only by the massive machinery but by the huge lorries that thunder through the area damaging the roads. For example there was a unique tree-tunnel at Loch Dee, a 150 metre dark tunnel-walk descending to the shoreline inside the trees, created many years ago by the simple clearing of branches up on both sides of the path by up to 2 metres. Last Autumn the harvesting machines swept right through it "by accident". We took the Forestry Commission to task about their utter callousness in harvesting, but to no avail - they said that the tunnel was an "unofficial path and of no historic importance or interest".
Couple more things to you might be interest in:
1. A new video was released in December "The Stewartry of Kirkcudbright", this turned out to be one of the best locally made films on the area and lasts (surprising for a local video) 2 hours. Only 200 copies were made and it sold out quickly - mainly by word of mouth! More copies were made, and I understand that over 1000 copies have now been sold - quite unprecedented for this area. I have enclosed a scan jpeg photo in case you are interested in a copy - I hasten to add that I am not connected with the production of it or make a profit - I just think it excellent! I have bought 6 copies for myself, friends and friends overseas, and although the retail price was £12+ I can get the agents in Castle Douglas or myself to post you a copy for £10 incl airmail. No profit asked or wanted.
Unfortunately the video is PAL Colour and not available in other formats/DVD. Should have got Peter Jackson to do it!
2. I have a spare copy of the Ordnance Survey Explorer Map (1:25 000 scale - 4cm to 1km) for Galloway Forest Park South, covering Clatteringshaws, New Galloway and lower Glenlee etc. If you do not have a copy of this detailed map, I am happy to forward you a copy - no payment required as I receive my maps at low cost through wholesale contacts.
I shall confirm that your information has been passed on to better parties next week.
Hope the weather is good in Wellington - we were last there about 7 years ago; pouring with rain plus a rough crossing of the Cook Strait!
Kind regards
Chris Newman
BELOW IS SOME INFORMATION FROM:
Murray Shaw
2/177 Penrose Road
Mt Wellington
Auckland
1861 Census
CraigEnd (note the spelling)
Occupants: William Shaw 49, Henrietta 50 wife, Robert 20 (teacher), Jane 15, Alexander 15, Henreietta 11, Mary 8, and a ploughman who seems to be a boarder.
The farm was recorded as 100 acres, and the house has 3 rooms with windows.
Note that this is a very rough reading of the census extract (of which Murray and Robert have a copy) and it will repay more careful analysis.
Here is a problem: is this the same Craigend as the Craigend Tower? Murray supplies a map, which shows another Craigend. Unfortunately, for us there are several of them, but can they all have Shaws in them? There is evidence to be weighted here.
Robert