| Place-name: | Knokluy |
| Suggested meaning: | hill of the calves, the young of a cow or dee |
| Gaelic cnoc ‘hill’ Gaelic laiogh ‘calves, the young of a cow or deer’ | |
| Place-name: | Clocklowie |
| Suggested Meaning: | stone, rock of the calves, the young of a cow or deer |
| Gaelic clach ‘stone, rock’ Gaelic laiogh ‘calves, the young of a cow or deer’ | |
| Place-name: | Clocklowie Hill |
| Place-Name: Clocklowie + SSE hill ‘hill’ | |
| Place-name: | Clocklowie Burn |
| Place-Name: Clocklowie + S. burn ‘stream’ | |
| Blaeu Coila (1654): | Clockluy |
| OS Name Books (1855-57): | Clocklowie, Clocklowie Hill, Clocklowie Burn |
| Location: | Ordnance Survey (1895) |
| Early Forms |
| Knokluy (1484) |
| Clockluy (1654 Blaeu), Clacluy ( 1752-55, Roy), Clockluie (1744/1747, OPR), Clockclue (1775, Armstrong), Clockluie (1785), Clocklowie (1804) |
Knokluy
The place-name Knokluy is found in the 1484 record of the dispute between the Baron of Cumnock and the Countess of Ross. Sir James Dunbar of Cumnock & Westfield had inherited the title of Cumnock through marriage to Euphemia Dunbar (before 1474), the eldest daughter and heir of Patrick Dunbar of Cumnock & Mochrum. He also inherited the title of Westfield from his father Sir Alexander Dunbar of Westfield, Morayshire [1]. Despite holding the positions of Sheriff of Elgin & Forres, Sir James got himself into some financial difficulty and not having the means to pay Elizabeth Livingston, Countess of Ross, she was granted the following lands in his barony of Cumnock [2] –
2 Oct 1484
Jacobus de Dunbar de Cumno owing 700 merks plus 10 merks expenses to Elizabeth Countess of Ross because of decreet of lords auditorum causarum et querelarum, not having enough moveable goods to pay, royal grant to said Elizabeth in lands of Wellis of Gelt, 2 merk lands of Lethanis, merkland of Knokluy, merkland of Ruchside, 2 merk lands of Uvirgarlach, 2 merk lands of Nethirgarclach, 2 merk lands of Nethirgerreve, with free regress to sd lands whenever he, heirs might pay 710 merks within 7 yrs .
Registrum Magni Sigilli Regum Scotorum, RMS/ii#1602| translation courtesy Stuart Clarkson
Knokluy to Clockluy to Clocklowie
However, the place-name Knokluy disappears from view seemingly to be replaced with the place-name Clockluy as witnessed in Blaeu’s Coila Provincia (1654) alongside the nearby Litthen and Ruchside hil, i.e. the alternatives of the 1484 forms Lethanis and Ruchside above.
It is worth noting that place-name Clokluy in the neighbouring parish of Ochiltree also appears in Blaeu Coila Provincia (1654), although it does not seem to appear in later maps.
Returning to New Cumnock form Clacluy is found in Roy’s Military survey of the Lowlands of Scotland,1752-1755 (see Map 3 in Table below) and as Clockclue in Armstrong’s Map of Ayrshire (1775).
Turning to the written records the Old Parish Records of New Cumnock of Baptisms /Births (1706-1855) the earliest baptisms give the place of birth in the form Clockluie –
- 28 Oct 1744, Margaret daughter to George Lambie* and Ellison Mitchell, in Clockluie
- 14 Jun 1747, Marion daughter to William Pagan and Margaret Beg, in Clockluie.
*Three children of William Lammie & Marion Taylor were baptised at Clockluie (William 1763, Christian 1769, Ellison 1772), while one child of Andrew McTurk and Jean Lammie was baptised at Clockluie (Margaret 1799).
By 1764, the above William Pagan possessed the farms of Clockluie, Meikle Creoch and Roughside belonging to the Earl of Dumfries & Stair* when the Tacks for Ninteen Years were advertised in the Caledonian Mercury newspaper [3].
*These 3 farms were part of what became known as the ‘Dumfries Estate‘ in the parishes of Old Cumnock and New Cumnock (and to a lesser extent the parish of Auchinleck) managed from Dumfries House in the parish of Old Cumnock. In 1793 the then Earl of Dumfries and his successors acquired the title of Marquess of Bute.
The earliest record of the form Clocklowie, found thus far, is from an article in 1804 in the Caledonian Mercury in a list of farms to be let in Ayrshire & Galloway, including ‘Clocklowie and Meikle Creoch‘, tenanted by John Hastings and comprising 62 acres Arable & Meadow and 1235 acres Pasture [4]. The coupling of the lands of Clocklowie and Meikle Creoch seems strange since their corresponding farm houses stand over 6 miles apart.
The early Census Records of 1841 and 1851 of the household of Robert Williamson, farmer give the farm name in the forms Clockcluie and Clockclowie respectively, both with an additional ‘c‘ after ‘clock‘ (cf. Armstrong map).
Clocklowie is situated in the lower south facing slope of Clocklowie Hill on the northern bank of Clocklowie Burn.
Reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland
Knokluy
Gaelic cnoc ‘hill’ Gaelic laiogh ‘calves’
The early form ‘merkland of Knokluy‘ (1484) suggests the first element is the common Gaelic cnoc ‘hill’ [6] while the second element is probably Gaelic laoigh ‘calves, the young of a cow or deer’ [7], i.e. drawing comparison with Ben Lui Gaelic beinn laoigh ‘mountain of the calves’ [8].
The transformation of the first element from knok– (1484) > clock- (1654), i.e. from Gaelic cnoc ‘hill’ > Gaelic clach, cloiche ‘rock, stone’ [9] requires some explaining, nevertheless it must surely be the case that the original Knockluy is now known as Clocklowie Hill.
There is another local example of the transformation of knok – > clock- in the neighbouring parish of Old Cumnock, namely that of Knoklauny (Blaeu 1654) to modern day Clocklownie farm (OS Map 1857/60), albeit that the hill it sits on is not formerly named on the map as Clocklownie Hill as such – [See Appendix I below].
Meanwhile In the parish of Straiton, Ayrshire, there is a Knockluy (Blaeu 1662) which now appears in modern day maps as Lochlowie Hill, with Lochlowie farmhouse (OS Map 1857/60) on its lower south-east facing slopes. In this case, the change of the first element is from knock– > loch– and possibly lag- [See Appendix I].
Clocklowie
Gaelic clach, cloiche ‘stone, rock’ Gaelic laiogh ‘calves, the young of a cow or deer’
The entry in the Ordnance Survey Name Books (1855-1857) for Clocklowie reads –
A house in the NE [North East] Corner of the Parish occupied by John Paterson, the property of the Marquis of Bute
The 1855 Valuation Rolls identify Paterson as the tenant of Clocklowie, Halfmerk, Roughside (i.e. Ruchside hill as opposed to Roughside in the Mansfield estate). By the 1865 and 1875 Valuation Rolls, Paterson was the tenant of Little Creoch (as opposed to Meikle Creoch), Clockluie* and Lethans.
*the 1875 form reads Clochluie
Folllowing the death of Paterson, Clocklowie & Lethans were paired together and over the years had several tenants while the farms were occupied by shepherds and their families, including those of John Lammie, shepherd and his family at Clocklowie (1905 Valuation Rolls), continuing the association of the Lambie/Lammie family and Clockluie/Clocklowie.
From the 1925 Valuation Rolls of 1925 onwards there is no record of a shepherd occupying Clocklowie. Only ruins now exist in a heavily forested area.
Substantial ruins of Clocklowie can be found lyings between a modern-day forestry track to the north and Clocklowie Burn to the south.
The first element of the name, Gaelic clach, cloiche ‘stone’ [9], typically refers to a stone of notable appearance in terms of size and shape. There is no sign of such a specific stone at Clocklowie ruins, although it has to be noted that the landscape has changed dramatically following the large-scale forestation of Clocklowie Hill including the creation of supporting forestry roads.
However, an alternative offering is Gaelic clach, cloiche ‘rock’* and the rocky outcrop on the left in the foreground may be a contender while the ruins of Clocklowie can be seen on the right hand side of the road.
Clocklowie Hill
Place-Name: Clocklowie + SSE hill ‘hill’
The entry in the Ordnance Survey Name Books (1855-1857) for Clocklowie Hill reads –
A hill bearing Heathy Pasture on the north side of Clocklowie
The Authorities for the Spelling of name Clocklowie Hill were Mr. Robert McNaught, Craigshiel;
John Lammie, herd, Clocklowie and John Riddle herd, Lethans. However, it is interesting to note that the other Authority, i.e. the County Map (presumably Johnstone 1845), does not include the suffix ‘hill’ which may have been influenced by the earlier name of Knokluy, which already comprised the element Gaelic cnoc ‘hill’.
It appears that Clocklowie Hill had been named after the farm building Clocklowie.
Today the hill, like many in the parish and sadly many more still to come, is cloaked in monotonous forestry, rendering them almost un-nameable!
Clocklowie Burn
Place-Name: Clocklowie + Scots burn ‘stream’
The entry in the Ordnance Survey Name Books (1855-1857) for Clocklowie Burn reads –
A Stream in the NE [North East] corner of the Parish, running in a westerly direction by the south side of Clocklowie, and falling into the Guelt Water
The forestry road now crosses over the Clocklowie Burn while the remains of a footbridge over the burn can be seen as it heads to join Guelt Water.
Clocklowie Burn with Halfmerk Hill in the distance (Robert Guthrie 2023) 
Clocklowie Burn from with Halfmerk Hill in the distance (Robert Guthrie 2023) 
Clocklowie Burn from with Halfmerk Hill in the distance (Robert Guthrie 2023) 
Clocklowie Burn at the road bridge (Robert Guthrie 2023) 
Clocklowie Burn from the road bridge heading for the Guelt Water (Robert Guthrie 2023) 
Clocklowie Burn with old footbridge in the distance (Robert Guthrie 2023)
APPENDIX I
Knoklauny (Old Cumnock) to Clocklownie
Knoklauny appears as a farmstead. Not also Clockwhyr to the north-east which is now known as Clochclocher.
Today, Knoklauny is known as Clocklownie with earlier forms Chockclyunnie*,1668 (Scotland’s People Wills) and Clock Lownie ,1690 ‘where it was alledged some few men were exercising their armes‘ [9]. Clockclownie sits at the heart of 600m contour which surely represents Gaelic cnoc ‘hill’ element in Knoklauny.
*Chockclyunnie probably typographical error of Clockclyunnie. N.B. Also in the map above is Clockwhyr now Clockclocher.
APPENDIX II
Knockluy (Straiton) to Lochluie
Knockluy appears on Blaeu (1654) as a farm stead.
In the 1st Edition of the OS Map Knockluy appears in the forms Lochluie Hill and Lochluie cottage. There is no loch- in the vicinity, e.g. Loch Luie, and it may be the case that an earlier form may have been Lagluie, where the first element is Gaelic lag ‘hollow'[11]*, suggesting the farmstead stood in a hollow at the foot of Knockluy. Perhaps when Lagluie > Lochluie, the hill was renamed after Lochluie.
*There are several examples in the parish of New Cumnock of place-name element lag- evolving into loch– , e.g. Lochbrowan , Lochingerroch, Lochmeharb all had earlier lag– forms [12,13,14].
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
| References |
| [1] James Paterson, History of the Counties of Ayr and Wigton Volume I Kyle, Part two (1871, 2003 Edition) | Dunbars of Mochrum and Cumnock |
| [2] Registrum Magni Sigilli Regum Scotorum |RMS/ii#1602, Translation courtesy of Stuart Clarkson, Guelph, Ontario |
| [3] British Newspaper Archives |Caledonian Mercury, Monday 29 October 1764. |
| [4] British Newspaper Archives |Caledonian Mercury, Monday, 15 October 1804 |
| [5] Reverend John Warrick, History of Old Cumnock, p. |
| [6] Edward Dwelly, Illustrated Gaelic-Dictionary Dictionary | cnoc |
| [7] Edward Dwelly, Illustrated Gaelic-Dictionary Dictionary | laoigh |
| [8] Peter Drummond, Scottish Hill Names, Their origin and meaning (1992) | Ben Lui |
| [9] Edward Dwelly, Illustrated Gaelic-Dictionary Dictionary | clach, cloiche |
| [10] Rev. John Warrick ‘A History of Old Cumnock’ (1899) | Clocklownie p. 190 |
| [11] Edward Dwelly, Illustrated Gaelic-Dictionary Dictionary | cnoc |
| [12] New Cumnock Place-Names | Lochbrowan |
| [13] New Cumnock Place-Names | Lochingirroch |
| [14] New Cumnock Place-Names | Lochmeharb |
| Maps |
| Reproduced with the Permission of National Library of Scotland |
| https://maps.nls.uk/ |
| Map 1: Johan Blaeu , Coila Provincia, [or], The province of Kyle / auct. Timoth. Pont. (1654) |Clockluy, New Cumnock |
| Map 2: Johan Blaeu , Coila Provincia, [or], The province of Kyle / auct. Timoth. Pont. (1654) |Clokluy, Ochiltree |
| Map 3: Roy Military Survey of Scotland, 1747-1755, Lowlands (1752-55) |Clacluy |
| Map 4: Andrew Armstrong A new map of Ayrshire (1775) |Clocklue |
| Map 5: Ordnance Survey Maps – Six-inch 1st edition, Scotland, 1843-1882 (1857) ,Ayrshire Sheet XXXVII (with inset of Sheet XII.A)|Clockowie, Clocklowie Burn, Clocklowie Hilll |
| Map 6: A. E. Thomson, Johnston’s Map of County of Ayr (1845) | Clocklowie |
| Map 7: Ordnance Survey, 1:25,000 maps of Great Britain – 1938-1953 | Clocklowie, Clocklowie Burn, Clocklowie Hill |
| Map 8: Johan Blaeu , Coila Provincia, [or], The province of Kyle / auct. Timoth. Pont. (1654) | Knockluy |
| Map 9: Ordnance Survey, 1:25,000 maps of Great Britain – 1938-1953 | Clockclownie, Old Cumnock |
| Map 9: Joan Blaeu, Caricta Borealis ,The northpart of Carrick (1654)| Knockluy |
| Map 10: Ordnance Survey Maps – Six-inch 1st edition, Scotland, 1843-1882 (1856) |Lochluie Hill, Lochluie |
| Ordnance Survey Name Books |
| By Permission of Scotland’s Places |
| scotlandsplaces.gov.uk |
| Ayrshire OS Name Books (1855-57) Vol. 49| Clocklowie |
| Ayrshire OS Name Books (1855-57) Vol. 49|Clocklowie Burn |
| Ayrshire OS Name Books (1855-57) Vol. 49|Clocklowie hill |
| Scotland’s People |
| https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk |
| Old Parish Records, Births, Marriages, Deaths, Census Records, Valuations Rolls, Wills & Testaments |