Frenchlands tower house was probably built in the 1500s, and occupied until 1720. It sits on a slightly elevated position to the east of Moffat, in this photograph the hill beyond
Moffat is Queensberry This page takes us a step nearer Gallowhill. Like its fellows in this collection revolving around the hill, it hopes to offer interest to both familiar locals who might enjoy names and new angles, and to visiting strangers who are less acquainted, and who can hopefully gloss over such details. Below the photographs are from beside the south east corner of the hill, an area where the main feature... ...is Frenchlands tower, and the main farm, just to its south, is Hunterheck. The farm shares its name with the hill behind it. Walking north towards Birnock Water, Alton House shelters among trees, just beyond the house is its namesake cottage enjoying splendid views down the valley. This page has photographs of these human additions to the already very humane rural landscape.
Hunterheck Cottages
stand in front of the farm and its buildings. This was taken 11 years after...
...the above photo, which is the same view transformed by snow. Some trees are smaller, others have later disappeared
Hunterheck Farm Barn with Greygill Head behind it; sheep find slight pickings in the snow...
...but here converge on easier food. Some, however, have expectations that my approach may herald more food
Snow on Hunterheck Hill feeding a camera
Pristine snow on Hunterheck marred by the photographer's footsteps
Some
snow
The view from Hunterkeck Hill across Moffat towards a cloud capped Queensberry
Green broom - blue sky
Ewes' apprehensive exchanges - 'What does he want?'
Wind blown snow on Hunterheck with Queensberry providing the skyline
Dyked fields, by the wooded Hunterheck Hill, are adjacent to...
And standing out (from the south)
...Frenchlands Tower - peeping out from behind the trees
It is uncertain when Frenchlands was built, it is suggested that it started life as a simple tower in the 1500s, on land that had been given to the French family by Robert the Bruce in the 1200s - hence its name. It was extended to become an L-shaped building and heightened in the following century. Canmore has: ID 49725 and offers further details
Considering it has been unoccupied for 300 years it is doing OK!
Passing on from the tower and its woods, this is of the adjoining heather-clad hillside above Alton House - in later August
This photo relates the buildings shown on this page. At the bottom left is the Hunterheck Farm Barn; dead centre Archbank House; to its left Archbank Cottage; on the right, by the clump of trees is Blaeback Cottage; and, hiding in the trees at the right edge of the photo, is Alton House. Hindhill provides the immediate backdrop, and in the distance are the Beeftub hills. The photo was taken in the autumn from the side of Hunterheck Hill
Alton House in its clump of trees under Greygill Head
The same view of Alton House a few months previously
Alton House
The track up from Alton House to Alton Cottage passes this reminder of when the area was used by the army
Alton cottage is by the clump of trees that stand in the centre, Alton House is off to the right
Alton Cottage framed from the path at the bottom of the strip woods
The cottage from above Archbank House
Alton Cottage in snow - less easy of access
Archbank House with Hind Hill behind it. The white blob by the trees, is Blaeback Cottage, to appear again on future pages
Archbank, with a snow-clad Swattfell beyond
Archbank house in autumn. Swattfell, an extension of Hartfell, forms the high horizon
Trailers...
The next Picture Posting page is to take you up to the east side of Gallowhill and its parkland trees.
The next page
of the Mosaic Section is to be headed 'Consciousness'.
Or go to the contents Go to the contents of the Mosaic Section. of the Mosaic Section. Monitors can keep the layout, which phones may need to discombobulate.
The last page had photos from around Dumcrieff
To a castle at the other end of the scale - Hue Citadel
...guide to this site