Monklands Memories - Airdrie & Coatbridge areas

In the year 1162  King Malcolm IV gifted, by Royal Charter, to the Cistercian Abbey of Newbattle, all the land that was later to became known as Munkland or Monklands.   The area was primarily forests, meadows, and streams. 
The Monks of Newbattle farmed most of the area and used the western part of the area for the cultivation of grain while the eastern part was largely used for pasture.  They set up a sheep grange at (Drumpeleder) Drumpellier.  They built corn mills at Kippsbyre, Gartlea, East Gartmillan, on Rosehall Estate near Carnbroe. They distributed their products along roads they created from Dumpelier to Newbattle Abbey in the east.

In the 16th century the Monks leased the land to farmers in the district. However after the reformation the estate was sold to the Hamiltons by the last abbot of Newbattle.   In time the estate was bought by Colquhoun family of Langloan. 
The estate of Drumpellier is in the parish of Old Monkland, about eight miles from Glasgow and was purchased in 1735 by Andrew Buchanan, merchant there,  from the Colquhoun family. 
Andrew was one of the celebrated Virginia Dons, and Provost of Glasgow in 1740. He was also one of the original partners of the Ship Bank in 1750; and it was through his instrumentality that the well-known Mr. Robert Carrick was admitted a junior clerk into that monetary establishment, in which he rose gradually to be one of the chief partners. Mr. Buchanan opened, through his grounds, Virginia Street, which he named after the then British-American province, wherein his extensive plantations were situated.

He and his three brothers, George, Neil, and Archibald, were founders of the Buchanan Society in 1725, the oldest charitable institution in Glasgow except Hutchesons' Hospital. They belonged to the Leny branch of the Clan Buchanan, in whose ancient territory Ben Lomond towers in all its grandeur.

Provost Andrew Buchanan built the oldest portion of Drumpellier House in 1736, but additions were made to it in 1840 and 1850. He died 20th December 1759. His portrait was preserved at Drumpellier. The provost left two sons, James of Drumpellier, and George of Mount Vernon.  

In 1777 the tobacco business failed at the American Revolution and Drumpellier was sold to their cousin, Andrew Stirling, of the famous Glasgow firm of William Stirling & Sons.

It was bought back in 1808 by David, eldest son of George Buchanan, the younger son of the Provost. The Stirlings, however, retained the superiority and title of Drumpellier. Mr. David Buchanan took the additional surname of Carrick on succeeding to Mr. Robert Carrick, the banker.

The most recent proprietor was Colonel David Carrick Robert Carrick-Buchanan, great-great-grandson of Provost Andrew Buchanan, and the largest proprietor in the parish of Old Monkland.

Carrick Buchanan gifted the estate to the town of Coatbridge in 1919.  It has since become an excellent Country Park complete with a golf course.

This is a plaque erected to the memory of David Carrick-Buchanan in the Old Monkland church