A chapel, a farm and a folly - Colinsburgh and Balcarres - 17th September 2019

Today's walk was a shorter one, focusing on Covenanting interest. When I plan a walk I like to include either a trigpoint or somewhere associated with the Covenanters. I also like to have a few items in Old English font included: a river, a hill or anything else on the map which looks interesting. I'm rarely disappointed. Even the most mundane walks turn up trumps with something of interest; in fact I usually come back with a little bit of research to do and end up the wiser for my efforts.

So, today I parked in the little known village of Colinsburgh.

Colinsburgh, Main Street. NO4703

I headed north on a track past a field of harvested wheat and joined a narrow footpath through broad-leaved woodland.

Harvest time at Colinsburgh. NO4703

Foothpath north of Colinsburgh. NO4703

Before reaching Miggie's Acres, I happened upon another doocot. Really, if I hadn't got so many other projects underway, I think I could write a book on the doocots of Fife, or at least start plotting them all on my well used digital map!

Balcarres Doocot. NO4704

I was now within the grounds of Balcarres House and entering Miggie's Acres, which, despite its name, does not refer to a person but to being boggy ground.

Miggie's Acres. NO4604

Up until 1839 a small chapel stood between Migge's Acres and Rires. The Chapel was founded in the time of Robert III (1390 - 1406) and is mentioned in a number of charters up till 1645. An aumbry (small cupboard) of late 16th/early 17th Century  is said to have been removed from the chapel and built into the entrance hall of East Newton Lodge south of Miggie's Acres. That would be worth seeing. There is now nothing to be seen of the chapel, although I did not know of its existence at the time of the walk and had not ventured out to explore for myself.

I turned north-eastwards towards the delightfully named Sprattyhall.

Sprattyhall. NO4704

Then it was northwards onto Lathalan Mill.

Lathallan Mill. NO4605

 An old milestone caught my eye. The information was missing from it, but it used to read 9½ miles to Cupar, 6¾ miles to Ceres and 8 miles to St Andrews. The NW side would have indicated the distances of 3 mile to Kilconquhar, 4 and five-eighths miles to Elie and 4 and five-eighths miles to Earlsferry. I love all these five-eighths!

19th Century milestone near Lathallan Mill. NO4605

I joined the B941 just west of Kilbrackmont, which was one of the Covenanting sites I was keen to visit. 

Sign and track to Kilbrackmont farm. NO4606

After the assassination of Archbishop Sharp in May 1679, in which the two brothers Andrew and Alexander Henderson were implicated, they returned to their father's farm at Kilbrackmont for several days and hid from the authorities. The two brothers were corporals at the Battle of Bothwell Bridge. They then escaped to Holland and remained in safety there until after the Revolution. Their father, however, was imprisoned for having harboured his sons following the archbishop's murder. He and his wife were also both fined heavily. (Information from The Annals of Colinsburgh by Robert Dick)

Today, Kilbrackmont is nestled by woodland and no-one would ever know its secret past.

Kilbrackmont. NO4706

Kilbrackmont Craig Wood. NO4706

Thinking about the Henderson brothers and their alleged part in the murder of the infamous Archbishop Sharp I walked past the farm. For more information about this story, see this post.

I followed the track eastwards till it turned south and then disappeared, at which point I continued walking round the perimeter of the field till I reached the B941 again at Balniel.

Balniel. NO4705

I followed the road for 800 feet and turned right at North Lodge and re-entered Balcarres Estate. The Saw Mill Bridge over Den Burn is rather attractive, as is the adjacent pond.

Saw Mill Bridge, Balcarres Estate. NO4704

Pond, Balcarres Estate. NO4704

I felt a little self-conscious as I approached the house itself and wondered if I was supposed to be there. I drew the line at actually entering the garden, even though the house itself features in the Covenanting history. The first Earl of Balcarres, Alexander Lindsay signed the National Covenant in April 1649.

Balcarres House. NO4704

Away from the house, I explored the ruined chapel a bit. The chapel was built in 1635, but I don't know of any significant graves there or whether Alexander Lindsay and his wife are buried there.

Balcarres Chapel. NO4704

Balcarres crest on Balcarres Chapel, NO4704

NO4704 was certainly turning out to be one of Fife's most fascinating gridsquares thus far in my travels. I shall have to keep a list of my top 20! And there was more. To the east of this grand house stands Balcarres Craig, with its ornate folly, where Rev John Blackadder preached during the times of persecution, knowing the Lindsay family supported the Covenamnting cause and he was therefore safe to do so.

Balcarres Craig and folly. NO4704

Sadly, my path did not quite make it into the next gridsquare east, but a more circuitous walk could take it in.

So I entered my final gridsquare of the day and took a photograph of an attractive benchmark on a gatepost to mark the occasion.

Benchmark on Balcarres gateposts. NO4803

Balcarres gateposts. NO4803.

It had been a splendid wee excursion with lots of history again and more to explore on another occasion.

Number of new gridsquares: 8

Number of miles walked: 5.5

Walk worth repeating: yes, perhaps to explore chapel site at Rires and Balcarres Craig and Balcarres Den to gain an extra gridsquare.

Highlights: Balcarres Estate