Kilbucho Knowpia

Kilbucho (Scottish Gaelic: Cille Bheagha) is a small settlement in the parish of Broughton, Glenholm and Kilbucho in the Scottish Borders area of Scotland in Peeblesshire and near Biggar and Broughton.

The name derives from the church which was dedicated to St Bega an Irish abbess. Several monasteries were dedicated to St Bega, many in Cumbria including St Bees but also in Scotland at Kilbagie in Clackmannanshire and Kilbegie in Argyllshire. Near the church is St Bees well^[1]

The former parish of Kilbucho, now united in Broughton, Glenholm and Kilbucho, has an area of 6,710 acres.^[2] It forms a valley between Cardon Hill on the south and Hartree Hills on the north, however the land is mainly level with a very slight inclination towards Biggar Water.^[3] Kilbucho is "fenced" in by hills on three sides, including some of the highest in southern Scotland east of Galloway. Coulter Fell is near here.

The manors of Kilbucho and Thriepland are mentioned in writs of 13th century.^[3]

The area is strongly connected with John Buchan, the author of The Thirty Nine Steps and former governor general of Canada. It is thought that the inspiration for his 1927 novel Witch Wood comes from this particular area.

White Hill edit

West of Kilbucho stands White Hill (399m OD) where stands an important Ancient Monument: an Iron Age palisaded enclosure approximately 150 x 100m with an intact inner circle and substantially intact outer circle and with further concentric defences a further 50m beyond.^[4]

References edit

^ Andrew Baird Annals of Tweedale Parish John Smith & Son Glasgow 1924
^ Description of Tweeddale, by Alexander Pennecuik, publ A. Allardice, Leith, 1815; p.43
^ ^a ^b History of Peeblesshire, by William Chambers, publ. William And Robert Chambers, Edinburgh and London, Ι864; p.443
^ Peebleshire vol.1 p.206 by RCAHMS