Carse Loch

Carse Loch
Carse Loch Carse Loch, Dumfries and Galloway
Location	Auldgirth, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland
Coordinates	Coordinates: 55°08′40.8″N 3°41′50.6″W / 55.144667°N 3.697389°W / 55.144667; -3.697389
Type	Freshwater loch
Primary inflows	Laggan Burn (previously), Allanton Burn, Rainfall and runoff
Primary outflows	Mains Burn
Basin countries	Scotland
Max. length	circa 150 m (490 ft)
Max. width	circa 90 m (300 ft)
Islands	One crannog
Settlements	Auldgirth

Carse Loch is situated (NX 926 849) in a low-lying area, surrounded by woodland, close to the A76 at Friar's Carse, in Dumfries and Galloway, Parish of Dunscore. It was once used as a monastic fish pond and the friars are said to have hidden their treasures on the crannog in times of danger. The loch is located about 7 miles from Dumfries and 2 miles from Auldgirth.

In 1465 a charter was granted by Cardinal Antonius of Rome for the Cistercian order of monks from Melrose to build a monastery on the site of the old British fort and druidical circle at Friar's Carse. Only a monastic farm or grange may have actually been established at the site of the present day hotel of Friars Carse rather than a friary as also witnessed by the names Grange Mill, Grange Loch, Grangeview, etc.

The place name 'Court Hill' close to the loch may recall the location of the Court Hill of the friars and later feudal lairds, suggesting that the loch may have served as the drowning pit for female criminals as part of the 'pit and gallows' powers of feudal law enforcement.

The place name 'Kerse or Carse' in the Scots language refers to 'Low and fertile land adjacent to a river or loch'. The loch was once used as a fish pond by the friars of the monastic grange.

William Crawford's map of 1804 shows a Grange Mill and Grange Loch with a single island. Roy's map of 1747 shows a 'Grange Loch' with a mill nearby and a single island.

The 1855 OS map shows a substantial loch with a single island and the nearby Carse Mill corn mill with a lade avoiding the loch and joining its Main Burn outflow. By 1899 Carse Loch has reduced considerably in size and the lade from Carse Mill enters it directly.

In 1909 the loch, recorded as Friars' Carse Loch, had a surface area of between two and three acres. The loch was fed by the diverted and dammed Laggan Burn as well a burn running down from Allanton, the outflow being the Mains Burn. Since the closure of the mill the Laggan Burn no longer runs into the loch, greatly reducing the water supply.