Place-name: | Barney Hill |
Suggested Meaning: | ‘crossing hill’ |
G bearna ‘pass, crossing, gap’ | |
Blaeu Coila (1654): | No Entry |
OS Name Books (1855-57): | Barney Hill |
Location: | Ordnance Survey (1892-1960) |
Current Status: |
Other Early Forms: |
The Ordnance Survey Name Books (1855-57) entry for Barney Hill reads –
A small hill about 25 chains N. [North] of Nethertown farm house.
Barney Hill sits on the eastern lower slopes of Corsencon hill between Duncan’s Burn and Longhouse Burn.
Sir Herbert Maxwell considers Barney Hill in the parish of Kirkcowan, Wigtownshire as Gaelic bearna ‘pass, a crossing, gap’ and also identifies this element in a several other Barney place-names [1].
Barney Hill may represent a route, on foot, across the face of Corsencon hill between the parishes of New Cumnock and Kirkconnel. An alternative to the road that runs behind the hill.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
References |
[1] Sir Herbert Maxwell “The Place-Names of Galloway” |
Maps | |
By Permission of National Library of Scotland | |
https://maps.nls.uk/ | |
Map 1 | Ordnance Survey (1892-1960) |
Ordnance Survey Name Books |
By Permission of Scotland’s Places |
scotlandsplaces.gov.uk |
Ayrshire OS Name Books (1855-57) Vol. 49| Barney Hill |