Anyone familiar with Bonhill Parish placenames?

[JenClark]

Hi jmgrgr,

I think you are right about the spelling for Lumbrane being Linnbrane, as I got the following response from the Dunbarton Local History society:

Dear Jenny,

Thanks for your e-mail. Of the three place names you mention, only Lumbrane would be recognised by someone today. If you look at the attached map I'll go through the names, starting in the north with Lumbrance/Linnbrane. This is on the west bank of the River Leven, next to the railway line. There is a deep hole gouged out by Ice Age boulders at the sharp bend in the river. In the medieval period there was a small monastery here, under Paisley Abbey, and the monks had the salmon fishing rights.

The Kirkburn was the burn that came down off the moors on the east bank of the river and followed the course of Burn Street into the river Leven, maybe 100 yards to the north of the parish church of Bonhill. The burn has now been covered over, but the quarry with waterfall above it is quite an impressive sight. Houses round the church in the 18th century and earlier were described as being at the Kirkton, and those to the north at the Kirkburn.

Gastyford is another name that died out in the 18th century. As far as I can work out it was somewhere near the Poachy Glen on the Millburn Burn on the west bank. It has always sounded spectral and spooky to me. Whether it was once a ford I do not know. The Poachy Glen as you can see from the map is quite steep-sided, maybe a 100 foot in height, I think. Please tell me if I am wrong.

Hope this enhances your day.

Graham Hopner

All I can say is Graham certainly did brighten my day 

Thanks so much to everyone else too, as I never would have found these places without your help!

I am looking forward to visiting Bonhill this weekend, hope the weather holds as it was gorgeous today 

Jenny

[patriciae]

I think that the place names you are looking for might be the names of farms or houses they either lived or work at, have you looked at the old-map.co.uk site, quiet often they give the names of houses and farms.
Just a thought, as I have found that to be the case when I have looked.
good luck.