Ferry Thorn: March 2013

Wednesday 27 March 2013

Week 2: Creetown Flags (part 2b)

Creetown Communications

' Creetoun is a wee seaport toun in th' Stewartry o' Kirkcudbright, which forms pairt o' th' Galloway in th' Dumfries 'n' Galloway cooncil area in south-west Scotlund.

It's situated near th' heid o' Wigtoun Bay, 18 mi. West o' Castle Douglas. Th' toun wis originally caud Ferrytoun o' Cree. Th' village dates frae 1785, 'n' it became a burgh o' barony in 1792'.

(‘Creetown’ c/o Wikipedia, translated into Scots)

Creetoun’s demographics ur changing as young fowk lea fur th' cities 'n' retirees flit tae th' area. It’s population is aboot 640 fowk.

Ah met a local man wi' a vested interest in Creetoun's history - he tellt me tae focus oan th' 'here 'n' noo, dinnae look backwurds. Whit mak's Creetoun unique noo? Whit's distinctive aboot Creetoun noo?

Mibbie it’s th' geography? – it’s overlooked by Cairnsmore 'n' ye cannae git intae Creetoun wi'oot crossing burns. Mibbie it’s th' social lee - thare ur loads o' clubs operatin` in th' village? Mibbie it’s th' pairt that th' kirk haes played in th' village fur generations?

Whit Scots is spoken in Creetoun noo? – he asked... ....ur thair wurds or phrases that ur unique tae th' parish? ur fowk usin` thair Scots?

Ah asked him aboot his hopes fur th' future o' Creetoun. He said, weel ye'v seen th' shops?!...... an a' hope fur a fully integrated community, yin that recognises th' best o' th' past 'n' th' best o' th' present. Something guid cuid come oot o' that.

N.B. I'm Scottish - from Dumfries & Galloway. Very sadly for me - the translation of the above text into ‘Scots’ (my mother tongue) is in part - courtesy of http://www.scotranslate.com – not the most reliable translation tool ?!– so, corrections welcome.

Tuesday 26 March 2013

Week 2: Creetown Flags (part 2)

Creetown Communications

As I walked the length of Harbour Street the other day, I noticed that the houses on both sides have very deep windowsills, which are being used to display ornaments and objects of personal significance to the houses occupants.

A local resident later told me that many of these houses used to be shops – and that the sills - must have been used to display products at one time.

Display - put (something) in a prominent place in order that it may readily be seen: a collection of objects arranged for public viewing....

I want to ask permission from residents before photographing these window sills – but as I walked along - I saw various animals and birds, a motor-car, vases of flowers, two bronze coloured hearts and two angels. In other windows around the village, I noticed ‘marine-life’ inspired net curtains, a hare........and a horse pulling a stage-coach.

Week 2: Creetown Flags

(Knit 1, Purl 1) CREETOWN

On my first day in Creetown, two of the ladies I spoke to.... descibed themselves as “blow-ins” and said that “local” people would be better qualified to tell me about Creetown. In subsequent conversations with other residents, I have noticed that people are quick to distinguish themselves as ‘local’ or ‘newcomer’.

Sitting with a group of Creetown ladies knitting the other day – four out of five of the group, described themselves as ‘new’ to the village. One has been living in the area for over 20 years.

As they knitted, I asked them to tell me about Creetown from their perspective and (similar to other recent conversations) ‘Granite’ was the first word on their lips. One of the ladies told me about a block of granite she had unearthed in her back garden – she described it as rounded and polished - she thought that maybe it had been part of a garden wall at some point - she wasn’t sure. Our conversation moved to Adamson Square and (as with other recent conversations) I was told that it isn’t made from local granite.

“Creetown granite is really beautiful, it has quartz in it.... and sparkles in the sunlight”

They talked about the salmon nets, farming, red squirrels, the Ferrythorn, the pre-cast factory, the fisheries, the wood-working group, Glenquicken lead mine, the bowling club; the Balloch wood project. That they do their food shopping in Newton Stewart – but that some do their food shopping online, with the delivery van travelling all the way from Carlisle in some cases. The 'local' lady amongst the group said that Creetown used to have a bakers, a bank, a post-office, a police station, a hairdressers, a cobblers and a hardware shop.

They described Creetown as a friendly place and when I asked them what had brought them to the village, some talked about arriving for the first time as tourists - how they loved the peace and quiet, the laid back life-style.... that Creetown is a crime-free place. One lady had moved to the area from a major city, and told me that she had grown tired of being surrounded by so many people and that recent return visits to the city had left her feeling drained. The ladies talked about community spirit, how people in the village are supportive of one another. That everyone very quickly knows your business (they all laughed at this point), but that they would do anything to help you if you needed it.

When I asked the group about their hopes for the future of Creetown, the ‘local’ lady (who had remained mostly silent throughout) – said “mare jobs”.

The conversation eventually moved back to knitting – one of the women talked about the local fleece she had sourced, which she is currently spinning into yarn to make socks. Opposite her (as we spoke) one of the other ladies worked on knitting herself a moss stitch, moss green jumper.

Monday 25 March 2013

Blondins, skylons and a lot of bell ringing

It's been a busy old day in Auchencairn - as the workshop was filled with bell ringing... and the first model tests began.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/thestove/sets/72157633091858814/show /with/8589947963/

Week 1: Creetown Flags (Part 2)

Family Tree - Creetown Heritage Museum

Museum - A building, place, or institution devoted to the acquisition, conservation, study, exhibition, and educational interpretation of objects having scientific, historical, or artistic value.

Value - The regard that something is held to deserve; the importance, worth, or usefulness of something: Principles or standards of behaviour; one’s judgement of what is important in life.

Generations of Creetonian families are represented on the walls of ‘Creetown Heritage Museum’. My tour through 150 years of village history - was courtesy of a guide (born and bred in Creetown) who was able to point out his parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins in the photographs covering the museum walls. Other Creetonians would be able to do the same.

Museums represent our collective history in the widest sense – so why do they often feel so impersonal?

By contrast, my visit to the Heritage Museum felt like being shown an extended family album. With the values of ‘kinship’ and ‘community’ placed centre stage – it celebrates generations of families and neighbours who have shaped and been shaped by Creetown.

Manned by volunteers, many of whom are self-confessed ‘newcomers’ to the village – they regularly assist people from all over the world in search of their Creetonian ancestors.

Family Tree – Creetown Primary School

The Ferrythorn. A Hawthorn tree, said to be as old as the village – an important Creetown landmark – former meeting place for local residents and waiting area for ferry travellers crossing the Cree.

Pupils at Creetown primary are growing their own 'Ferrythorn' trees at the moment. I've been hearing about their greenhouse – where they grow as well as sell their own vegetables. About their health food group and how they make food from the produce they grow. Their head-teacher, describes a school that is proud of its relationship with the local community – how Creetown residents regularly involve themselves in the life of the school and pupils are involved in activities that benefit their wider community.

“The pupils work hard and they enjoy helping others - TEAMWORK is at the heart of what we do here”.

Friday 22 March 2013

Week 1: Creetown Flags

Week 1 - An Introduction to Creetown

The following notes were made on my first day in Creetown - during a Local History Group meeting on the 13th March 2013. The speaker (a local resident) gave a fascinating talk exploring some of the overlooked 'nooks and crannies' around Creetown.

I have organised some of my notes under headings, with pictures below.

TRAVEL/THRESHOLDS

There is a bridge over Balloch Burn - named after the local man nick-named ‘Beardie’ who leapt from it to test the sheepskin wings he had made. He was attempting to cross the river Cree.

The Ferrythorn. A Hawthorn tree, said to be as old as the village - meeting place for local people and waiting area for ferry travellers crossing the Cree.

Along from the Ferrythorn Tree.....a 'sheepslat' – a wooden frame (without it’s shutter), which allowed the sheep to be moved between fields. Below you can see the view towards the village - and the view outwards.... towards the Cree.

Further along - is the "old packhorse bridge".

NO 38 St John Street – a former Coaching Inn & Temperance Hotel with stables at the rear. Today (see below) - a view of a window directly across the street.

Further down the street adjacent to the heritage museum, another former coaching inn. Also, a renovated coach house to the rear of Cherrytrees B&B on St John Street.

Creetown Caravan Park – a former gypsy camp/resting place for Galloway travellers.

'The Rambler', the last Creetown owned trading sail ship (owned by Adam Mac Donald).

No 2, Silver Street. ‘Hurcheon Cottage’ – Scots word ‘Hurcheon’ = hedgehog.

STONE

On Kirk Brae, is the former ‘School Of Industry For Girls’ – now known locally as the ‘Church Hall’ – its facade is pure Creetown granite. The local history group meet here on the second Wednesday of every month.

On Adamson Square – A granite sphere made in 4 parts (apparently not Creetown granite).

On ‘Harbour Street’ (Creetown's original ‘main’ street) - locals ensured that a section of the original (Ferrytown of Cree) pavement was preserved. Apparently, it was made using rounded stones carried up from the beach.

‘The Crusher’ – a granite crushing plant situated on a jetty on the river Cree. An important landmark for Creetonians - now gone.

“Brick Raw”.......there are 15 houses on Grimshawe Terrace – if you stand directly in front of the middle house on this street, you can see that the houses on either side are a mirror version of each other. Just above the ground floor windows there is a broken line of decorative bricks, which look like they once ran the full length of the street.

TIME

The clocktower – erected by John Rae in 1897. It’s wooden door fabricated by Archie McKie and carved by Jim Lupton.

The Ellangowan Hotel also erected by John Rae (one of it's windows pictured below) – a year after the clocktower in 1898.

LIGHT

There is a tin shed in one of the back gardens on Harbour Street, where the gas lamps were kept - you can see the wall mounted stands/frames (right) which supported these lamps around Creetown.

Creetonians remember the lamp-lighting as Johnny Clary’s job.

Above the doorway of the Ellangowan Hotel is a Victorian Lantern.

WATER

‘St John‘ Street – the current 'main' street (after ‘Saint John the Baptist'?)

The ‘main’ street in ‘Ferrytown of Cree’ days was ‘Harbour Street’

Directly opposite the church hall on Kirk Brae – is Kilmabreck church, which has an Ordnance Survey ‘benchmark’ on one of its walls – indicating the registered height above sea-level.

The ‘Bug Hole’ a deep pool where local children learned to swim.

'The Rambler', the last Creetown owned trading sail ship (owned by Adam Mac Donald).

The 1954 Flood that washed the Iron Bridge away.

There are ‘water pumps’ all over the village from the days before the houses had a mains water supply.

Across from the Butchers shop – the site of another pool – the Mill Lade, where local women washed their families clothes.

In one of the gardens along from the Mill Lade.....you can see two ornate iron poles – there are others around Creetown - were these used for washing lines?