STONYKNOWES

Place-name:	Stonyknowes
Suggested Meaning:	stony hillocks
	SSE stony ‘stony’
	Scots knowes ‘hillocks’
Blaeu Coila (1654):	No entry
OS Name Books (1855-57):	Stonyknowes
Location:	Ordnance Survey (1843-1882)

The ruins of Stonyknowes sit off the right hand side of the New Cumnock-Dalmellington road beyond Knockburnie farm, some 5 miles from New Cumnock and was part of the Waterhead Estate. The Ordnance Survey map (1858) shows a cottage with a sheep ree at its back and another one out the front right hand side.

Map 1 Stonyknowes | Reproduced with the permission of The National Library of Scotland

The 1851 Census records two families living at Stonyknowes –

Robert Fleming, 45, agricultural laburer , born Tynron, Dumfriesshire along with 3 infant chidren, 2 born in New Cumnock and house-keeper Janet Edgar, 50.
John Kilpatrick, 31, agricultural labourer, born Dunscore, Dumfriesshire and his wife Margaret Kilpatrick, 31 born Tynron, Dumfriesshire and their infant daughter, born in New Cumnock.

Robert Fleming was still an occupant at Stoneyknowes in 1855/57 as witnessed by its entry in the Ordnance Survey Name Book –

A small cottage house on the west side of Knockburnie Cottage – occupied by Robert Flemming

Along with Robert Fleming the other “Authorities of Spelling” were William Gemmell, gamekeeper in Knocburnie Cottage and James Laurie, Knockburnie farm.

In 1861 Census the residents at Stony Knowes were George Sloan and his wife Agnes Nisbet along with their 5 children, their youngest child Margaret born at Stonyknowes the year before. George was the coal master of Riggend Colliery, which like Stony Knowes was on the Waterhead Estate. Sadly, tragedy struck the family and Agnes died of cholera in 1867, when the family were living at Coalburn.

By the 1871 Census, Laurie’s son John and his wife were living at ‘Staney Knowe‘.

Remains of the cottage can still be seen. It appears to have been used as an enclosure after it fell into ruins, as the doors have been by stoned-up. The stones to build the cottage and the sheep rees may have come from the quarry adjacent to Craighouse cottage, less than 1/2 mile to the east. In which case the name Stonyknowes may have come into being at the time the cottage and rees were erected.

Although the cottage and sheep rees are shown in the Ordnance Map of 1908, the buildings are not named.

Stonyknowes on the left hand side with Dalleagles School and Corsencon in the distance
Cottage ruins and remains of sheep ree
Cottage ruins and remains of sheep ree
Second sheep ree
Cottage ruins