Burial GroundsTHE OLD BURIAL GROUND, Barrhill Road (by George Scott)
Hundreds of years ago Cumnock people buried their dead in the Kirkyard, - the area round the Parish Church, which we now know as The Square. This practice came to an end around 1768, but interments were being carried out in the ground adjacent to the Gallows Hill, on the Barrhill from 1756. Several Covenanters had been buried there, in the shadow of the scaffold, in the 17th century, “out of contempt”. But such was the reputation of these martyrs, that the Cumnock people had no qualms about burying their dead in adjacent lairs.
A visit to this graveyard is of great interest. Even the limited wording on most of the headstones and memorials can give an impression of the way of life in those far-off days. Here are a few examples of the interesting information etched on the stones.
John JOHNSTONE, who was born in Sanquhar, and died in Cumnock in 1880, aged 99, had fought under Lord NELSON at Trafalgar in 1805. He had been in receipt of an Admiralty pension from 1871.
Sergeant John RANKEN, 7th son of George Ranken of Whitehill was killed while leading his company in an attack on the Wattygoon Stockade, near Prome in the Burmese Territory in 16th November, 1825, aged 23. This information is inscribed on a stone pillar which gives details of the other members of his family.
Another stone marks the grave of James TAYLOR, “the inventor of steam navigation”, who died in 1825. Claims may be made that other people invented steam navigation, but it is well recorded that Taylor, assisted Patrick MILLER and William SYMINGTON in the first successful effort to sail a boat powered by steam. Their boat travelled at 5 miles per hour on Dalswinton Loch in 1788. It is believed that Robert BURNS- our National Bard - witnessed this "voyage", - indeed it has been suggested that he may even have travelled on the boat. Taylor was a brilliant man, and he was afterwards brought to Cumnock by the Earl of Dumfries to develop coal-mining, industry, and transport.
A sad inscription reveals the dangers of a miner’s life. William HASTINGS “lost his life by bad air in the coalpit at Garralan”, in 1849.
Friends of Robert BURNS - our National Bard - also lie buried here. The “Epistle to Winsome Willie” by Burns refers to the great friendship between himself and William SIMSON, Schoolmaster in Cumnock, who died in 1815, age 57.
Fairly near the Simson stone is the grave of Annie MERRY, wife of John Merry, Vintner, in Cumnock. Annie, as a young girl, was the Annie RANKEN, who inspired BURNS to compose the famous “Corn Rigs”, which is still enthusiastically sung at many a Burns Supper.
Douglas WILLS, a surgeon in Cumnock, died on 30th September, 1848, - "a victim of his zeal in the cause of humanity".
The CRICHTON family stone reveals that two of their sons were marine engineers, who both died at sea. Robert, 3rd Engineer on SS Retriever left Salonika on 22nd December, 1871, and "was never heard of again". His brother James, 4th Engineer on SS Killarne also died at sea on 2nd January, 1880.
A square-sectioned pillar reveals a unique, lengthy, and glowing tribute to a wife, who appears to have been the paragon of all virtues. Ann MENZIES, daughter of Adam Menzies of Troloss, and spouse of Isaac JOHNSTON, merchant in Cumnock, is lauded as follows:-
"For goodness of heart, free of all guile. For sincere honesty. As a friend. For Faithful affection as a wife. For preferring domestic happiness and decent economy to dissipated profusion. Equalled by few. Surpassed by none in justice to her worthy character. From the constant experience of eleven years, this conclusive testimony is inscribed by her afflicted husband as the last pledge of his heartfelt duty and most tender regard. She died May 20, 1776, aged 36 years."
There are, no doubt, many other interesting epitaphs to be discovered on a visit to this ancient necropolis.
After 1877, following the laying-out of a new cemetery beyond the New Station on Glaisnock Road, fewer burials were carried out at the Barrhill site, and only citizens who owned lairs in the old graveyard were entitled to arrange burials there. Occasional burials have been carried out in such family lairs within living memory.
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