Corsock Church was built as a free church 1851-52 to a design by William McCandlish. It was extended in 1912 by a Gothic stone arch and chancel by J.A McGregor, to a design adapted from the work of James Kennedy Hunter . In the church, there is a bust of Alexander Murray-Dunlop. It was with his generosity that this church was built. A gifted lawyer and member of parliament, he was prominent in shaping the movement that resulted in the “Act of Secession”. (The withdrawal of membership of the Free Church from the Church of Scotland in 1843). There is also a memorial plaque and window to James Clerk Maxwell, who was the first director of the Cavendish Laboratory in Cambridge. He was undoubtedly the greatest genius Scotland has ever yet produced. The plaque and the window both came from the old parish church which was built in 1839 largely through the generosity, enthusiasm and support of John Clerk Maxwell, the scientist’s father. Such was the strength of feeling at that time between the Free Church and the Church of Scotland, that there was considerable resistance from some members of the Free Kirk session to the enlargement of the window space to incorporate the James Clerk Maxwell memorial window. Some of the session threatened to “throw a hammer through it”, however the Minister, Dr. G.B. Burnet (1946-1957) a strong character prevailed.
Corsock has quite an interesting and Church history. In the 17th century there was a strong Covenanting movement in response to the 1662 Act of Parliament. This deprived all Church ministers staunch to their Presbyterian beliefs, of their living that had not been “presented” by Royal Patronage. This was the end of Presbyterian dominance and Episcopal curates were forced on congregations. Corsock was then in the parish of Parton but the minister of Kirkpatrick-Durham the Rev.Gabriel Semple who was “outed”from the Kirk, fled to Corsock castle the home of his friend John Neilson.He held the first Conventicle or field preaching at Corsock to ever increasing congregations. Because of his beliefs and for “appearing for the Covenanters at Pentland”, John Neilson was soon after “driven from his home, spoiled of his goods tortured by the boot and hanged at the Cross in Edinburgh on the 14th December 1666”.He is commemorated on the gravestone of his wife Mary McLellan who died in 1697. Semple fled first to Ireland and then to the north of England. In 1839 the Parish church (often referred to as the Maxwell church) was built about half a mile from the village on a beautiful site close to the Drumhumphry burn and the river Urr. Initially it was only a preaching station and Corsock folk had still to travel to Kirkpatrick-Durham, Parton or Balmaclellan for communion.
This is a multi cache, in order to find the final co-ords you will need to have a look around the graves.
The cache location is at : N 55 02 ABC W 003 56 032.
James Hyslop died 10th May 185A.
His daughter died in 18B7.
Pte William Henderson, Airborne KOSB was killed at Arnhem on the 2C Sept 1944.
The cache is a short drive away, then a short walk.
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