This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1881 edition. Excerpt: ...parish in 1831, 302; in 1881, 292. DUNSYRE. The small village of Dunsyre clusters around the kirk. The Abbey of Kelso obtained the church of Dunsyre towards the middle of the 12th century. The church appears always to have occupied the site of the present edifice, which is, however, itself constructed in the ...
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This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1881 edition. Excerpt: ...parish in 1831, 302; in 1881, 292. DUNSYRE. The small village of Dunsyre clusters around the kirk. The Abbey of Kelso obtained the church of Dunsyre towards the middle of the 12th century. The church appears always to have occupied the site of the present edifice, which is, however, itself constructed in the usual style of the post-Reformation period, with the materials of an earlier and more elegant building. It appears to have been thatched with heath until the year 1760, when a slate roof was put up. During the troubled times of Charles II. and his brother James, the wild district in the upper part of this parish was a favourite refuge of the Covenanters, and many conventicles were held in the moors belonging to it, several places in which go by the name of " preaching holes." It is averred that Donald Cargill in 1669 preached his last sermon on Dunsyre Common, the day before he was arrested at Covington Mill. William Veitch, another distinguished leader of this party, was tenant of the farm of Westhills of Dunsyre. It was through his instigation that Major LearmoKth of Newholm embarked in the outbreak which terminated so disastrously at Bullion Green. Mr. Veitch was arraigned on a charge of treason, and convicted on default of appearing; when he took refuge in England. In 1677, while returning from M ewcastle, he was arrested and carried prisoner to Edinburgh, where he was brought to trial for having been present at the battle of Pentland; and was committed prisoner to the Bass. On bis liberation he returned to Northumberland, and there materially assisted the escape of the Earl of Argyll in 1681. He was one of the persons accused of being concerned in the Rye House Plot, whereupon he took refuge in Holland. In 1685 he was...
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