212 FIELD MEETINGS. 
General and Mrs Dickson were cordially thanked for 
their kindness on the call of Provost Arnott, Maxwelltown. 
Atlan Cunningham’s Birthplace. 
Striking the main Glasgow Road again at Portrack the 
visitors journeyed to Blackwood House, where they were 
met by Mr R. G. D. Thomas, whose permission to view the 
grounds was much appreciated. Before doing so, however, 
Mr A. Cameron Smith, H.M. Inspector of Schools, Dalmuir, 
and a native of Kirkmahoe, gave a brief history of Allan 
Cunningham’s connection with the place. The site of the 
house in which Allan was born can not be fixed accurately, 
but from writings in his family it appears to have stood some- 
where on the drive leading to Blackwood and within view of 
Auldgirth Bridge. It is marked by a yew tree or trees, and 
is near a gate leading into the holm. As there are several 
yew trees, it is not certain where the site was. Here Allan 
Cunningham was born in 1784, and when he was about two or 
three years old his father removed to Dalswinton. His father 
was a rather superior worker on Patrick Miller’s estate. He 
lived at Sandbed, and at this fireside, it is reported, Burns 
first repeated ‘‘ Tam o’ Shanter.’’ From here his father went 
on to the roads, and lived near Dalswinton. The Cunning- 
ham family, of four sons, were all clever, and all of them were 
writers. Their mother was Elizabeth Harley, daughter of 
Deacon Harley, who had a son, Dr. Harley, of Castle Street, 
Dumfries, whose son, Alexander, married Elizabeth Max- 
well, and became Harley Maxwell. Continuing, Mr Cameron 
Smith gave a brief résumé of Allan Cunningham’s work and 
his association with Cromek. 
Blackwood. 
Mr G. W. Shirley gave some particulars of Blackwood 
House, and of the Coplands of Colliston, who until recently 
owned it. 
Sir John Copland, a Northumberland knight, took David 
II. prisoner at the battle of Nevill’s Cross in 1346. In conse- 
quence of this his family bore the motto, ‘‘ Regie Vici,’’ which 
was in 1731 reduced to “‘ Vici,’’ and later became ‘‘ Vici in 
Recto Acer.’’ The oldest stone in St. Michael’s Churchyard 
