Crossburn

NS87SE 21.01 8680 7279

The 1st edition of the OS 6-inch map (Stirlingshire 1864, sheet xxxv) depicts three rows of cottages at Crossburn on the Slamannan Railway (NS87SE 13), two of them named Slopside (NS 8680 7279, CSW 4231; NS 8674 7278, CSW 4230) the third, 150m to the ENE, named Arnloss Row (NS 8694 7280, CSW 4446). A fourth row was added by the date of the 2nd edition of the OS 6-inch map (Stirlingshire 1899, sheet xxxv), parallel to and immediately to the SSW of Arnloss Row. These rows stood close to the N ends of two railway sidings which serviced a number of pits to the S, and presumably they housed some of the colliers.

The site of Arnloss Rows was completely overgrown when visited, and no remains could be seen. The ruins of the two rows at Slopside, however, do survive. They are situated on the S side of the railway and parallel to it, so that the W corner of the E row (CSW 4231) almost touches the E corner of the W row (CSW 4230). The W row measures 68.5m in length and 5m in breadth within mortared rubble walls 0.55m thick and up to 1.7m high. It has been badly robbed, but the 1st edition of the 25-inch map (Stirlingshire 1864, sheet xxxv.7) shows that it was divided into eight compartments. The E row, which comprises two rows, set back-to-back, each with four two-roomed houses and an additional single compartment at the WSW end, measures 42.7m in length and 10.1m in breadth within walls 0.55m thick and now up to 1m in height.

(CSW 4230-1, 4446)

Visited by RCAHMS (SDB, PJD) 29 July 1992