Duncow

Duncow
The ruined windmill above the village.
Duncow Location within Dumfries and Galloway
OS grid reference	NX965833
Council area	Dumfries and Galloway
Lieutenancy area	Dumfries
Country	Scotland
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	DUMFRIES
Postcode district	DG1
Police	Scotland
Fire	Scottish
Ambulance	Scottish
UK Parliament	Dumfries and Galloway
Scottish Parliament	Dumfriesshire
List of places UK Scotland 55°08′04″N3°37′20″W / 55.13444°N 3.62222°W / 55.13444; -3.62222

Duncow is a small settlement in the civil parish of Kirkmahoe, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. Located in the geographical centre of the parish, ^[1] Duncow was a village in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries ^[2] and was formerly its most populous settlement. At the time the First Statistical Account of Scotland was written the village had between 150 and 200 residents. ^[1] By the time of the Third Statistical Account there were only five houses in the village. ^[1] It has had a school since at least the time of the New Statistical Account. The current school was opened in 1878 and has a roll of 24. ^[3] The village post office closed in 1952. ^[1]

The name Duncow, recorded as Duncol in 1250, ^[4] is of Celtic origin, representing either Cumbric dīn + coll ^[5] or Gaelic dùn-choll, ^[5] both meaning 'fort of hazels'. ^[6]

References

1. Duncan, Walter (1962). "Chapter 12: The Parish of Kirkmahoe". In Houston, George (ed.). The County of Dumfries. The Third Statistical Account of Scotland. Glasgow: Collins. p. 142.
2. Gifford, John (2002) [1996]. Dumfries and Galloway. Pevsner Architectural Guides: The Buildings of Scotland. New Haven and London: Yale University Press. p. 284. ISBN   9780300096712.
3. "Duncow Primary School". Dumfries and Galloway Council. Archived from the original on 30 January 2016. Retrieved 15 May 2015.
4. Johnson-Ferguson, Edward (1935). The Place-Names of Dumfriesshire. Dumfries: Courier Press. p. 73.
5. James, Alan G. (2014). The Brittonic Language in the Old North: A Guide to the Place-Name Evidence (PDF). Vol. 2: Guide to the Elements. p. 108,144. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 September 2014.
6. Watson, William J. (1925). "The Celts (British and Gael) in Dumfriesshire and Galloway" (PDF). Transactions and Journal of Proceedings of the Dumfriesshire and Galloway Natural History and Antiquarian Society. Third Series. XI: 143. Archived from the original (PDF) on 31 August 2014.
   • Watson, W. J. (1926). The Celtic Place-Names of Scotland. Edinburgh and London. p. 183. Archived from the original on 21 August 2014.