Faskine

NS76SE 13 7601 6310.

(NS 7601 6310) Faskine (NR) (site of)

OS 6" map (1910)

Faskine is a house of very ancient appearance, mentioned in Wodrow's Church History as being a place remarkable in feudal times where witches were executed, and also during the period of the Reformation it was the family residence of Cap Cleland, whose name is much mentioned in Church History. A tree in the vicinity of this house was called the Witch Tree or Bell Tree, but no-one can now point out its site.

Name Book 1857

The Cleland family acquired Faskine towards the end of the 15th century, and the second laird of Faskine fell at Flodden in 1513. Sir James Cleland of Monkland bought Faskine in 1607, George of Gartness bought the house in 1658. About 1700 the estate was disposed to Dr W Wright.

H M Nisbett and S C Agnew 1949; W Hamilton 1710

Very little is known of the history of Faskine, although much is known of the Cleland Family, who owned it for centuries. The house was removed in 1900, the present farm buildings being erected in the following year. The old house was latterly used as a farmhouse prior to its removal. It was a two-storeyed building with "an appearance of considerable age (Mrs W Dobbie, Old Schoolhouse, Faskine).

The estate factors could give no information regarding the date of the old house as apparently no records exist; whether the old house dated from about the 15th or 16th century is not known.

The tradition that witches were executed at Faskine is still known (Mrs J Watson, Faskine House, Alexander St, Airdrie).

Visited by OS (JLD) 24 October 1952