Monquill or Carcow, New Cumnock

Location. also known as Carcow as can be seen on the maps!

pronounced Monwhull 

OS 1 inch 1885-1900

OS 6" second edition 1888-1913

Lying at the head of Carcow Burn up Glenafton, it was the last remote, working 'hirsel'* in the parish of New Cumnock and was still a working hill farm till the late 1970s or early 1980s - as I remember visiting it while walking the Afton Hills with my Cairn Terrier and my son Colin (about 12 at the time). Its owner Mr Dalziel - who was still there with his elderly wife - was a remarkable man, with whom I used to chat when, as a student, I met him in the village. Dr Jimmy Begg

*hirsel: An allotted area of pasturage to be grazed by a flock of sheep under the care of one shepherd (Ayr.4 1928; m. and s.Sc. 1957)  dsl.ac.uk

James Blackwood  1823 - 1906 born in Kirkconnel, was the tenant shepherd there in 1851,1861 and 1871. In 1881 he was at Carcow. This was the same place with an alternative name. Carcow seems to be the older name. It is recorded on the Blaeu Atlas of 1654 as Karkurn.

A building still stands there surrounded by trees.

Rab Wilson Sep  2021