Dura Kirk, also known as Moir Kirk or Moorkirk. The kirk was first built in 1740 and rebuilt in 1780. In 1818 the first Church at Bonkle was built to replace Dura Kirk.

One of the earliest pieces of information we were given was this extract from “History of the United Associate Congregation Of Cambusnethan”. Although it did not refer in detail to our branch of STEELs we have now proven that our families are linked through the marriage (more of this later)

U.A.C. OF CAMBUSNETHAN

Extracts from the “History of the United Associate Congregation Of Cambusnethan” — published 1843. The first Church of this congregation was the “Moirkirk or Muirkirk of Cambusnethan”. Today this Church is in ruins and is more commonly called DURAKIRK. The new Church at Bonkle was built in 1818.

P P.27-31 The names of the seven elders of the Parish Church who helped form the Secession Church at Daviesdykes are: -

John Bell

Resident proprietor of Auchterhead.

David Downie

(minutes lost and not much can be said of him) -

Three generation of that family have resided at Cathkers, near Allanton. A branch of the family resided at Redmyre in whose farmhouse met the assembly of the elders that granted David Downie his commission, (?)

Robert Keddar

Was proprietor of the larger portion of the lands of Daviesdykes.

On a spot of his property the Secession place of worship was built.

Alexander Cleland

Lived in Overtown, a village then of some considerable extent and

importance, on the south-west of this parish.

James Prentice

Portioner of Stane.

George Russell

Became an elder of the established Church on July 18, 1699. (Probably a tenant in Stane). (Footnote P.28). It will scarcely be doubted that his father, and the father of James Prentice, are the persons named in the following passage from Wodrow, 1684. “David Russell, tenant in Stane; Archibald Prentice and John Clelland portioners there; and John Smith, in the same. parish, were apprehended and carried prisoner into Edinburgh, imprisoned for three months and fined one hundred pounds, for …. not raising the hue and cry against these people (Covenanters) when they passed by their houses in coming from the conventicle at Blackloch. George Russell’s son David became an elder in 1765, his son George became a Secession minister at Dalry and later succeeded his father as portioner of Stane. Peter, another son, took over another farm in Stane.

John Steill

He was eldest son of James Steill of Liquo, who purchased a portion of the lands of Stane towards the end of the 17th Cent. On 12 May 1710 James Steill resigned Stane, Stanebent and Knowton, to John Steill younger of Liquo, his eldest son. The property of Liquo was left to his second son, William, whose descendants still possess it. J. Steill died January 7, 1745. He was succeeded in the property by his son, James, whose son John Steil possessed the same lands and died in February 1833.

(Traditional Account)

Regarding the origin of the family: — Early 1600, an anscestor, J. Steill, had fled from Ireland at the date of a rising of thePapists against the Protestants, towards the middle of the 17th Cent — probably on the occasion of the “horrid massacre” in1641 … He found employment as a ploughman at or near Allanton … (later) …. a woman travelling with seven children were accommodated in the barn and he learned that this was his wife. Margaret McMullen was the woman travelling with his seven children. Shortly after, he fled for his life, his wife and children with other Protestant families had been shut up in a barn for burning.

Because of the supposed leniency of the guard due to the crying children, she found a way to escape and travelled to Allanton.

On the lands of Allanton, about Redmyre, they spent the residue of their days in peace, and slept in the churchyard of Shotts.

Their descendants on the banks of the Calder have long become two bands, I may say three, for the Steels of Summerside, on the Auchter, are a collateral branch of the same family.

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