Clarencefield

History

This typical estate village was built to service nearby Comlongon Castle and to provide accommodation for its employees and their families. The castle was once held by the Earls of Mansfield and is now a hotel.

A saw mill was located nearby at Hope Cottages, powered via a mill pond using water from the Brow or Raffles Burn. The McFarlan Memorial Hall provides various facilities for the local community.

Association with Robert Burns

In July 1796, probably suffering from subacute bacterial endocarditis the poet Robert Burns's medical friends Dr William Maxwell and Dr Alexander Brown suggested that he should go to Brow where was prescribed drinking the water of the mineral well, sea bathing, riding and the country air. He stayed for three weeks, lodging in the inn. John Burney of the inn at Clarencefield was the son-in-law of the landlord at Brow and Burns was advised to make his way to the village to get some port wine that had been prescribed as part of his treatment.

Burns arrived, placed the empty bottle on the counter and ordered the port wine, however he had no money and made to give Burney his personal seal that carried his 'armorial device' that he was so proud of as security until he could pay with coin. He had informed the landlord that "the muckle deil had got into his pouch and was its only occupant". The landlady encouraged her husband to give Burns the medicinal wine without money or pledge. The inn is said to have been located in the farm on the route from Brow.