Quothquan

Uploaded on the 8th June 2020. From the Charlie Todd Collection. Cormiston Towers - we still have Cormiston Towers Farm but the 'bighouse' was demolished in the late 1950s - although part of it lives on under Thankerton Bowling Green where it was used as bottoming and the stone Unicorn head at the door of the Club is said to come from this once fine house. Tom Brown in his book on Libberton & Quothquan tells us :- This fine house was the home of the Collyer family. It was enlarged in 1860 and was bought in 1911 by Mr Peter McLellan. In 1950 it became a Youth Hostel but sadly was demolished soon after. The Collyer family came from the south of England and were sheep farmers. One of their sons went to Australia where he became one of the largest flock masters in that country. It was he who enlarged the mansion when he returned to Scotland. The family were strong supporters of Biggar Farmers’ Club. Daniel Collyer was president in 1818-1819, D. W.Collyer in 1859-1860 and again in 1864-1865. The funeral scene described by Irving and Murray in Chapter Two was of a lady of this​popular family. 

Uploaded 10th June 2020. From the Charlie Todd collection. 

Numbers 2, 3 and 4 Huntfield Place are shewn above.

From Tom Brown's book on Libberton & Quothquan we have :-

Most certainly QUOTHQUAN existed in very ancient times. However, the signs of Roman occupation are a little vague. We are told the Roman camps were square or rectangular, and not round. Therefore the camps found around Quothquan are old camps, but not Roman.

In the 16th century there were two mansion houses belonging to the brothers Chancellor, - Shieldhill was the home of the elder brother William, while Robert owned Quothquan House. This fine mansion was near where Roadhead farm now stands, and was burnt down in 1568 and never rebuilt. Late in the 19th century, a fireplace which must have been part of the house was unearthed accidentally. 

Records show that a castle or tower existed at Shieldhill as early as 1199. Like most villages Quothquan would be a ferme-toun, or maybe several. The fertile farmland at Shieldhill, Easterton, Burnfoot and Roadhead would be capable of supporting a large number of people. 

In the 19th century the village was in two parts, - the present village and Uppertown, or Uppertown of Quothquan as it was called in the

census of 1901, now Loanhead farm. There was a row of weavers cottages opposite Lime Tree cottage and a similar row at Uppertown. It would appear that more weaving took place in Quothquan than at Libberton.

In 1898 the new landlord, Sir Nathaniel Dunlop had work done on the houses in the village. Huntfield Place was converted from six to four houses, at the same time the smiddy house had a storey added and the roof slated. Sir Nathaniel also had the ‘Blue Hall’ built to be used for political and religious meetings. What is now the village hall was a joiner’s shop, and before that it was the manse for Quothquan church. This means that at the start of the 20th century, the village consisted of Huntfield Place, the smiddy, smiddy house, Easterton farm, Lime Tree and Gean Tree cottages, Lilyvale, the school, and Roadhead farm and cottage.

Miss Ellen Smith Dunlop, the daughter of Sir Nathaniel, probably did more for the people of Quothquan than anyone else. In 1949 a row of prefabricated houses were built along Shieldhill Road. These were meant to house agricultural workers families. As can be seen from the photograph, many new houses have been added.

The late Mr Andrew Henderson of Lime Tree composed many poems about the district of which sadly there is no trace. He was a lover of ​nature and an expert bee keeper.