OS1/21/18/2

Continued entries/extra info

Crawford Parish continued:-

these names are now obsolete, they were derived from the names of the proprietors of the ground, Viz., the family of Douglas and the Monks of Newbottle (Newbattle?). The parish is now broken up into small estates, the principal proprietors of which are the Earl of Hopetoun, and Sir E. Colbrooke Bart.
"Crawford is supposed by antiquarians to signify the road or passage of blood. This derivation seems natural from the circumstance of the old Roman road passing through the village and crossing the River Clyde below it, towards the old Castle of Crawford, which stands on the right bank of the river, where it is probable many bloody conflicts took place between the invaders and the native inhabitants. Part of the parish was formerly known by the name of Douglas Moor, and part of it by that of Friars Moor, but the district or parish is now designated Crawford Muir. There are two farms in the corner of Lanarkshire, attached to the parish of Moffat in Dumfriesshire Quoad Sacra. This parish abounds with springs of the purest water. Two of these send forth mineral waters resembling those of Moffat. Notwithstanding the extent of the parish the arable ground is very limited, being not more than 1200 acres. As the parish is chiefly pastoral, it is difficult to say to what extent improvements might be carries on with advantage to the tenants. Mining district of Leadhills - the mines are of considerable celebrity, and have in all probability been worked from a very remote period, although the written documents reach no farther back than the year 1600. Silver is contained in the lead, but in too small a quantity to repay its extraction. Gold is found in all our neighbouring streams disseminated in minute particles through the till or clay more immediately covering the rocks, and also occasionally interspersed with quartz." (New Stat. Act.)