CARNBO

The article below was written in 1962 by a founder member of the WRI in Carnbo, the shop and the garage are no-longer there and the school has closed.

Our Village - - - - - - CARNBO

THE name Carnbo comes from the Gaelic - Carn-Bo, which means "cairn of the cows", and was where the cows were driven for safety in time of wars and plunder.

The village, in the county of Kinross, lies snugly at the foot of the Ochil hills, and comprises a mere thirteen houses. In it, however, there is a dairy, a joiner's shop, a grocery store, a petrol station and a post office, while a telephone kiosk finishes it off at the top end.

At the back of the village is Whorlawhill, another dairy farm, which in ancient times was known as Quhorlawhill, signifying the promontory overlooking the winding valley. This name is also from the Gaelic.

About a hundred yards to the east is a road leading to Dunning and Auchterarder. It is known as the Butter Road, as it was up this road and over the hill that the women of the village and district carried their butter and eggs, and brought back goods from neighbouring villages not available in Carnbo.

Near the Butter Road is another farm, Hallhill, and about a couple of hundred yards further east we come to the school which was built in 1846 by subscription of the villagers and inhabitants of the district. At that time between sixty and seventy children attended and the three R's were taught by a dominie. To-day the number has dropped to thirty, and it is a mistress who is in charge of the pupils.

Here, in the school, our W.R.I. meetings are held each month. Our Institute was formed in October, 1927, and for the past three years the membership has been around 50. Members come from a wide area, and it is a pleasure to meet after not having seen each other for some time.

Let us now take the road leading up by the side of the school - the Golland road, which leads to Perth. In the old records the name is given as the Go Lane. We pass the Golland Lynns, a series of picturesque waterfalls formed by the north Queich as it tumbles and rumbles through a rocky defile. Queich means the hill stream or river of upland course.

Higher up we come to a curious "knowe". One look at it tells us it is not a natural hillock, nor is it a "barrow" (an ancient burial place) as has been supposed; it goes much further back into ancient history, before the time of the Druids, about 250 B.C.

In those days a race of very big men inhabited this part and there at the knowe two streams meet - the Warroch burn and the Queich, where these ancient warriors drew their magic and brought their victims to be murdered and probably eaten. About two hundred yards east of here is a road called the "Hurlers". At that time it would be a green hillside, and there these big men held their contests and fights.

When, later, this race was succeeded by the Druids (they also, were big men, but not so fierce) who tried to cover up the evil committed at the meeting of the streams and built up earth and stones over the place and thus formed the Witches Knowe as it is known to the villagers.

Now, if we turn towards the west, we come to Broughty hill and here we find, over a stream, a Roman bridge which, until not so many years ago, was in wonderful condition. If we continue going westwards we come to one of the peaks of the Ochils called Lendrick, and on this hill is still the remains of a Roman Camp.

Other peaks of the Ochils above Carnbo are Cloon, the Third, the Mellock on which are peat diggings and here are to be found the rusty remains of rails and bogie which carried the peat to the rough cart-track and thence to a factory on the hillside called Carnbo Stewart. At the factory the peat was made into fire lighters and car polish and then carted to Kinross junction where it was sent as far south as Yorkshire.

The highest peak here, is Innerdouny, 1,630 feet, which is always a thrill to climb, each pace taking us further and further from the village. We look down on Loch Leven (to the east) shimmering in the evening sun, and are able to pick out the castle where the unfortunate Mary Queen of Scots was imprisoned. Now we see the smoke rising from the village fires and realise it is time we were returning. When we reach the public road we can look down on the ruins of the old tweed mill whose shuttles were still clacking away thirty years ago. Very good tweed was made there.

Founder Member.

Wester Dalqueich House Carnbo.

The pictures below are of the home of a prominent Carnbo family who open their garden to the public, by appointment during June, July and August (ring 840229) to arrange a group or individual visit admission is £2.00 for adults, tea and coffee £1.00 and all monies collected are donated to charity. This house is actually called "Wester Dalqueich House" and not Carnbo hall as stated on the picture.