Arthurlie is an area of the town of
Barrhead
Barrhead ( sco, Baurheid, gd, Ceann a' Bharra) is a town in East Renfrewshire, Scotland, southwest of Glasgow city centre on the edge of the Gleniffer Braes. At the 2011 census its population was 17,268.
History
Barrhead was formed when ...
,
East Renfrewshire
East Renfrewshire ( sco, Aest Renfrewshire; gd, Siorrachd Rinn Friù an Ear) is one of 32 council areas of Scotland. Until 1975, it formed part of the county of Renfrewshire for local government purposes along with the modern council areas of ...
, Scotland.
History of Arthurlie
The lands of Arthurlie were held in medieval times by the Stewart family, a branch of the noble Stewarts of
Darnley
Darnley is an area in south-west Glasgow, Scotland, on the A727 just west of Arden (the areas are separated by the M77 motorway although a footbridge connects them). Other nearby neighbourhoods are Priesthill to the north, Southpark Village to ...
. Later the lands became the property of Allan Pollock, Esq. and remained in his family for several generations before being inherited by Gavin Ralston of Woodside in
Beith
Beith is a small town in the Garnock Valley, North Ayrshire, Scotland approximately south-west of Glasgow. The town is situated on the crest of a hill and was known originally as the "''Hill o' Beith''" (hill of the birches) after its ''Court ...
.
[Pride, David (1910). ''A History of the Parish of Neilston''. Pub. Alexander Gardner, Paisley. Facing p 137.] The area has long been associated with the legends of King Arthur.
[Pride, David (1910). ''A History of the Parish of Neilston''. Pub. Alexander Gardner, Paisley. p 138.] The name means 'Arthur's meadow.'
[Johnston, James B. (1903), ''Place-Names of Scotland.'' Pub. David Douglas, Edinburgh. P. 19.] Arthurlie was a barony of considerable extent, however it eventually came to be purchased by Henry Dunlop Esq. in 1818 from Gavin Ralston, a distant relative.
The Dunlop family ran Gateside Cotton Mill under the name of James Dunlop & Son. The old house was torn down and Arthurlie House was erected with the old gardens extended and remodelled in 1818.
The estate remained in the hands of the Dunlop family until about 1938. It was a Mr. Charles Taylor who discovered the ancient Arthurlee Cross being used as a gatepost on the estate and persuaded Henry Dunlop to rescue it.
Scran - Squire Dunlop. Accessed : 2009/11/19
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Arthurlie House 2008
Image:Arthurlie House front.JPG, Arthurlie House from the front.
Image:Arthurlie House side.JPG, Arthulie House from the main driveway.
Image:Arthurlie coat of arms.jpg, The Dunlop family Coat of Arms on the wall of the house.
The Arthurlie Cross
This stone is a 10th - 11th century cross-shaft[Allen and Anderson, J R and J (1903)
''The early Christian monuments of Scotland: a classified illustrated descriptive list of the monuments with an analysis of their symbolism and ornamentation'', Edinburgh, p 454.] made from a very hard and compact sandstone, and it now stands at NS 4997 5854, by the roadside, set in a modern rectangular base and protected by railings.
The cross measures high, wide, and thick and is in good condition except that one face is badly worn. One side had an iron ring indented into it, almost flush with the surface, this being done during its time when it was being used as a gate post after it was no longer used as a bridge.[Ordnance Survey (Name Book) ( )
Object Name Books of the Ordnance Survey
Book No.18, p 79.] it was believed that its original site had been at NS 4968 5813 in a field called ''Cross-stane-park''.[Pride, David (1910). ''A History of the Parish of Neilston''. Pub. Alexander Gardner, Paisley. p 166.] In 1795 it was acting as a footbridge over a stream in the Colinbar Glen area at the bottom of the ''Cross-stane-park'' (NS 497 580).[The statistical account of Scotland, drawn up from the communications of the ministers of the different parishes,
Sinclair, J (Sir), Edinburgh, Vol.2, p 148.] It stayed there long enough to be worn smooth on one face; it was seen by the OS surveyor in 1857
In approximately 1870 it was erected in the grounds of Arthurlee House at NS 4979 5814 as shown in the photograph. Sometime prior to 1942 it was moved yet again by Barrhead Council to its present position.
The stone is said to be associated with Arthur
Arthur is a common male given name of Brittonic languages, Brythonic origin. Its popularity derives from it being the name of the legendary hero King Arthur. The etymology is disputed. It may derive from the Celtic ''Artos'' meaning “Bear”. An ...
, King of the Britons. Locally it was said to mark Arthur's grave or a conspicuous leader of that name.
Views of Arthulie Cross 2008
Image:Arthurlie cross 1.JPG, A view of the cross and Celtic interlace carving.
Image:Arthurlie Cross 2.JPG, A view of the Celtic interlace carved panels on the side of the cross.
Image:Arthurlie Cross 3.JPG, The worn side of the cross.
Image:Arthurlie cross 4.JPG, The other edge panels of the cross.
References
External links
Video footage of the Arthurlie Cross
{{coord, 55.796290, N, 4.396691, W, type:landmark_region:GB, display=title
Suburbs in East Renfrewshire