Lawfield Cairn

Trip No.12  Date Added: 17th Jul 2019
Site Type: Cairn Country: Scotland (Renfrewshire)
Visited: Yes on 10th May 2019. My rating: Condition -1 Ambience 2 Access 2

Log Text: Lawfield Cairn :

Nothing at all to see of the old Cairn, nowadays it's just a walled off field next to a farmhouse. I went just to see the location, and get a feel for what the layout of the land is (And what it might have been like in the past)

Surrounded by pasture lands and low lying hills, if you removed the farmhouse out of the equation it would actually have been a quite nice setting for a Cairn.
Less than 1/2km away to the SW is a Cairn at Barlogan, was it possibly the same people who are responsible for the two of these Cairns? Or their descendants?

*Getting There ; From Kilmacolm it is approx 2.5km away (30 min walk)

There are no trains serving Kilmacolm, so get off the bus at the main village square, and walk up along Bridge of Weir Road (A761) for 825m, taking your 5th left up Houston Road. Walk up Houston Road for 600m where it turns into Kilallan Road, you should have Kilmacolm golf course on either side of you with the road running through the middle of it. Keep on following the road for another 1km and you'll arrive at Lawfield, you'll see the farmhouse to your left, the site of the Cist was on the other side of the drystone wall. I just quickly jumped the wall and took a few pictures then left again, the farmer drove past me but didn't seem to mind.

Barlogan Cairn

Trip No.12  Date Added: 29th May 2022
Site Type: Cairn Country: Scotland (Renfrewshire)
Visited: Yes on 10th May 2019. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 4 Access 2

Log Text: Barlogan Cairn :

A medium sized Stone Cairn on the slopes below North Barlogan Woods.

I first spotted the Cairn from the edge of the golf course as l made my way along it, and even from over 300m away l could see the Cairn stand out against the green hillside, a herd of Cows where sleeping in the next field.

As l got to the end of the golf course l tried to look for a way down the hillside, on the way in an adjacent field to the North of the Cairn, l spotted a large boulder to my left (Looking East) so before l went to the Cairn l went over to have a look, on the way l noticed another stone, a lot smaller, but it seemed to line up with the big one from the direction l was walking, so l took my compass out and while they didn't exactly align E~W, it wasn't far off it.
When l got to the large boulder l then seen another marker stone to the South, again when l checked this was off by roughly the same amount of degrees (Pole shift?)
The 3 rocks formed markers of an almost perfect right angle triangle.
So the large boulder aligns N~S with a smaller boulder to the South, AND aligns E~W with another small boulder to the West. Until this point l had never thought of only using 3 rocks to mark the Cardinal Points, having always used 4 before. Clever.

I left these boulders and headed to a small Burn at the Northern edge of the field, as l entered the field all the Cows stood up in an instant, even though l was about 175m away from them, l noticed the gate between the fields was open, so l slowly made my way up towards the Cairn.

As l made my way to the Cairn the Cows all came to the fence to look at me, and they all started heading for the gate, l picked up my pace. I was only halfway across the field, when they started charging towards me, and down to where l had just entered from, so l couldn't turn back. I ran and they chased me up to the top of the Cairn, l had nowhere else to go, the cows surrounded me, l counted 18 and then noticed they weren't cows at all, they were young Bullocks. I was trapped up the top of a Cairn surrounded by Bulls for about 15 minutes. Not knowing what to do, l couldn't do anything but wait it out. Eventually they seen l meant no harm, and after walking around the Cairn and sizing me up the largest Bull started slowly heading off in the opposite direction from which they had came, and the rest eventually followed.

Once l had time to look at the Cairn and measure and document it l was really impressed, l didn't know what to expect beforehand but what remains are quite impressive, and even though it started raining the placement of the Cairn in this surrounding landscape is really peaceful and has a tranquil feel to it. There no no sound apart from nature, the only civilisation you can see are the golf course and a few distant farmhouses, apart from that you are all alone, with cliffs behind you, and a wooded hill in front of you, to West and East is relatively flat land.

When it started raining l headed up to the small cliffs at the top Barlogan Woods, l saw a tree in a gap that would provide shelter, on my way l passed a large boulder. Once up at the gap in the cliff waiting out the rain, it looked like this part of the cliff had been quarried, possibly the source of the two large boulders in the two fields, and maybe even the stone used for the Cairn itself. On the way back down l stood in front of the large boulder (Which is 90m away) and like the triangle formation in the next field, this almost lined up N~S perfectly, only out by the same few degrees the other stones were) So if you were standing at the Cairn looking up at the large boulder you would be facing South.

The rocks used to build the Cairn look really weathered and ancient, on the SW part a large number of stones look to have been removed at some point in the last decade or so, it is very noticeable when looking North, but you wouldn't see it if you were facing South.
The Cairn itself is built at the bottom edge of a natural rocky ridge on the hillside, and from the Northern side of the Cairn it is about 1.5m or so high, but as you go around to the Southern side it only appears to be 1m high, due to the slope of the hill.

The site has a very old feeling to it, and l didn't really want to leave. While visiting Barlogan l was fortunate enough to watch a Buzzard fly overhead for 5 minutes or so as it scanned the land below. I spent just over an hour there, enchanted by the Cairn and my surroundings, only leaving because the rain started up again.

St Fillan's Seat (Kilallan)

Trip No.12  Date Added: 17th Jul 2019
Site Type: Natural Stone / Erratic / Other Natural Feature Country: Scotland (Renfrewshire)
Visited: Yes on 10th May 2019. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 4 Access 2

Log Text: St. Fillan's Seat :

A large Whinstone Boulder protruding from the Earth, has a natural hollow that is ideal for a seat, with another smaller hollow to the right.

It measures about 2.5m x 2.5m, although because it is sloping, some of it is still covered in soil. The overhang with the seat and hollow is about 50cm+ deep. The soil below this part has been greatly eroded since St. Fillan sat here. The seat is about 35cm across, and the smaller hollow is about 15cm x 9cm, and about 10cm deep.

The seat is on the West side of the Rock, facing St. Fillan's Kirk 123m away.
St. Fillan had his Cell in the area sometime around the 8th century, St Fillan's Kirk dates back to around the 10th or 11th century, 200~300 years later.
2.5km SE of Kilallan was a place called Kilpeter, now called Houston, or Hugh's Town, after Knight Templar Sir 'Hugh de Paduinan'.
When the Kirk fell into disuse in the 18th century, during later restoration work, the windows and doors were filled in - with Gravestones from the cemetery, and Two fragments of Templar Gravestones can be seen in the windows on the Southern wall. Could one of these be part of Hugh de Paduinan's gravestone?

In the corner of the field 75m away is a Natural Spring, probably used since Neolithic times, but later called St. Fillan's Well. It was this water he used to fill the small hollow when he performed his Religious activities. I went to the Spring and filled a bottle, took it back to the seat, and filled the small hollow until it was completely full. It held the water for about 5 minutes or so, slowly permeating through the rock.

A wall has been built on the Southern side of the Boulder, and from the road, you cant see over the wall, and you wouldn't even know there was anything on the other side.

I would say the site most definitely pre-dates St. Fillan, the seat possibly having been used by some other important person. As was standard at the time, Irish Monks would often set up their cells at the sites where those classed as pagan's held rituals or ceremonies.

*Getting There ; From Kilmacolm it is approx 3.4km away (50 min walk)

There are no trains serving Kilmacolm, so get off the bus at the main village square, and walk up along Bridge of Weir Road (A761) for 825m, taking your 5th left up Houston Road. Walk up Houston Road for 600m where it turns into Kilallan Road, you should have Kilmacolm golf course on either side of you with the road running through the middle of it.
Keep on walking along Kilallan Road and after 1km you'll see Lawfield Farm to your left, keep going another 610m and you'll see a road up to a farm, walk past this and take the left bend in the road, walk down and you'll come to Corsliehill Road on your left after a minute, you walk up here 180m and your at the Boulder.
-There is a gate in the corner of the field for those who wish to visit the Kirk.

Bogle Stane

Trip No.12  Date Added: 17th Jul 2019
Site Type: Natural Stone / Erratic / Other Natural Feature Country: Scotland (Inverclyde)
Visited: Yes on 10th May 2019. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 2 Access 5

Log Text: Bogle Stane :

Quite large remains of a Glacial Erratic perched at the top of the Clune Brae.

At some time in the distant past there was an minister who lived in the area, and jealous of the lore and superstitions surrounding the Monolith, he sneakily arranged to have to stone blown up and carted off to be used to build some local dykes, with enough left over to make some curling stones.
You can clearly see where the gunpowder shattered the rock in pieces.

Said to have been nearly 4m tall before it was destroyed, it would have been seen for miles around, and was said to have been a local beauty and picnic spot back then, with fantastic views across the River Clyde of Ben Lomond 29km away.
The trackway from Kilmacolm to Port Glasgow used to run on the other side of the Bogle Stane, which is why it is sometimes (Incorrectly) said to have been 'moved' across the road.

It is stuck right beside a path and a road, across from a school that used to be called Boglestone School (Now called Newark after the Castle at the bottom of the Clune Brae) it has houses and shops surrounding it and the place is just chaos. The peaceful serenity this place once had is now long gone.
Having been here 10,000+ years, this stone probably played an important role throughout history, and must have been significant to all who lived here. Even today the old stone lends it's name to the local area, with the whole place now called Boglestone.

There is an unusual stonemasons mark on the Eastern face of the Erratic, nothing is recorded about who made it. There was at one time a plaque with a poem attached to the Bogle Stane, but this is now long gone.

*Getting There ; From Port Glasgow bus or train station it is approx 2km away (45 min walk)

Get the '531' bus to Boglestone from the town centre (The Bogle Stane has it's very own bus stop) at the top the Clune Brae, which is a steep hill 1.4km long.
The bus journey takes 5 minutes.

St Fillan's Holy Well (Kilallan)

Trip No.12  Date Added: 17th Jul 2019
Site Type: Holy Well or Sacred Spring Country: Scotland (Renfrewshire)
Visited: Yes on 10th May 2019. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 4 Access 2

Log Text: St. Fillan's Well :

A Natural Spring emanating from under a huge boulder in front of a small Cliff Face, 5m behind it.

It is found tucked behind the trees at the edge of a wooded area, 75m North from St. Fillan's Seat. It measures about 2.5m x 3m roughly, and has an unusual shape to it depending on the viewing angle, at its thinnest part it is about 1m thick, and upto 1.5m at its thickest parts.

Fáelán was a Monk from Cluain Moescna in Co. Westmeath, who set up a Cell in the area in the 8th century. He was later canonized a Saint by the Pope of Rome. His mother was Caintigern, who is known as St. Kentigerna, and his uncle was St. Comgan.
Fáelán is said to have used the water from this well when he filled the hollow next to the seat in the boulder across the field. Later, the water would be used to perform baptisms in St. Fillan's Kirk - 150m away at the far end of the field to the SW.

The water of the well is said to have healing properties (Although l would advise against drinking it - it's covered in Duckweed) l believe the water was rubbed on affected body parts, and kids were bathed in it. Pieces of cloth and rags used to be hung on trees beside the well as votive offerings, reported to have ceased at the end of the 17th century when the radical Calvinist minister, James Hutcheson filled the well with stones, but l saw a red rag tied to the tree beside the well, so the tradition lives on.

The well was later cleared out as the water continued to flow, as it still does today. There have been several courses of brickwork surrounding the well over the centuries, nowadays it is an old stone wall that has been propped up and repaired with modern red bricks, forming a U-shape, but the ground in front of these bricks is sometimes wet indicating it flows beneath the current ground level.
Once surrounded by trees, they have now all been cleared, and the Horses in the field wander around the boulder when they please. Apparently they drink from the well. There is a small upright stone in front of the boulder, to the right of the well.

I took some of the water (And jagged myself on Nettle's in the process) up to St. Fillan's Seat and filled the hollow to the brim, it lasted about 5 minutes or so before it was empty again.

*Getting There ; From Kilmacolm it is approx 3.4km away (45 min walk)

There are no trains serving Kilmacolm, so get off the bus at the main village square, and walk up along Bridge of Weir Road (A761) for 825m, taking your 5th left up Houston Road. Walk up Houston Road for 600m where it turns into Kilallan Road, you should have Kilmacolm golf course on either side of you with the road running through the middle of it.
Keep on walking along Kilallan Road and after 1km you'll see Lawfield Farm to your left, keep going another 610m and you'll see a road up to a farm, walk past this and take the left bend in the road, walk down and you'll come to Corsliehill Road on your left after a minute. Walk up here for 225m (passing St. Fillans Seat after 180m) you will arrive at some trees next to a house, this is the easiest way into the field - climb through the trees and over the fence and walk along the treeline for 50m and you'll arrive at the Boulder with Spring underneath it.

Bunston Knowe

Trip No.12  Date Added: 17th Jul 2019
Site Type: Modern Stone Circle etc Country: Scotland (Inverclyde)
Visited: Yes on 10th May 2019. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 3 Access 4

Log Text: Bunston Knowe :

The site is a lot bigger than l expected, due to being in private grounds of a hospital access was always limited. And from the aerial photographs it looked more like some sort of Henge, but as you can see it is actually some form of Earthworks.

I got the impression it was dug out ditches with raised banks, but it is more like some sort of Motte, on top of another Motte. Or possibly some sort of viewing platform. It actually looks like there used to be more than the current 2 layers, this is especially noticeable on the South and West sides, where the remains of 4 layers can be seen building up. The area surrounding the site has a massive embankment on it's Western perimeter, with a shallow depression separating it from Bunston Knowe.

Modern steps were built into the Earthworks around 1876 when the land was sold to build the Smithston Asylum.
On the Eastern side there is a shallow cutting through the turf running to the summit, which is about 2m high. Around the perimeter base it looks like there may possibly have been a ring of large boulders, which have now been removed.

The hospital was bulldozed in 2018 and is now a pile of rubble and the future of Bunston Knowe is uncertain, as plans were in place to turn the area into a housing scheme. I then read there are contamination issues at the site. I didn't know this before l went but l seem to be ok, bear it in mind though if you decide to go and have a look before this wonderful creation is destroyed forever.

*Getting There ; From Branchton train station it is approx 650m away (5 min walk)

It is a short walk from the train station, walk East along Inverkip Road for 475m passing Gleninver Road and then Neil Street across the street on your left, you'll soon come to a metal bridge on your right hand side, it goes over the railway tracks. Cross this and head South for a minute and you'll see Earthworks beyond the trees.