Interview with Elliot and Isabel Jeffrey, Grangelea, Bielgrange, Stenton, 9 May 1992.
The Jeffreys farm at Bielgrange and are related to other Jeffreys, at Deuchrie (a cousin who lives in Kelso), and at Halls. Mr Jeffrey was born at Ruchlaw Mains which his family either rented or owned, and moved to Bielgrange when he was aged about six years, c. mid 1930s; their home of Grangelea was built for the couple when they married (date not given). They have several maps of their farm dating from early to mid nineteenth century, the earliest one with the names of fields being dated 1860.
Most of the fields which are now merged were amalgamated in the 1947-60 period (besides those otherwise mentioned below). One old map belonging to the couple, dating early nineteenth century, shows part of the land on the south side of the Crook Road, described as “long narrow piece of haugh rented by Wm Arnot Stenton”. Mr Jeffrey and his father knew the road by Ruchlaw House at Caimy Hill as the Back Hedges of Ruchlaw (the name of Back Braes of Ruchlaw is not familiar to him). The Jeffreys say that the name of Clawbare is still in use today for Ruchlaw West Mains by the locals of the area (but not by incomers). They know of Crook having been a hamlet, but cannot recall ever having seen buildings there.
They told the story of Spitemuir – also told by James Wylie of Ruchlaw Mains (who had not named the road). The Spitemuir ran fram Ruchlaw Muir (viz Guildie) to Scraymoor. Balfour of Whittingehame in the early nineteenth century wanted to build a road ex1tmg from Whittingehame House here, but Ruchlaw objected, saying that he planned to build a hamlet there – this was never done, and was probably said by Ruchlaw out of · spite, hence the name (the two were of opposite political sides then). Another story was that the Lady of Biel, in the early nineteenth century, wanted to renovate the Kirk of Stenton and appealed· to the other heritors for backing, but Ruchlaw (then being John Buchan Sydserff of Ruchlaw) objected on the grounds that the planned layout for the seating favoured Biel more than his family, with the former’s aisles being larger and grander and facing the altar. Ruchlaw felt that as his family had been in the area longer they should have these aisles, and refused to contribute to the renovation, so the Lady of Biel financed it all herself. These stories (apparently) are in correspondence held in Biel estate records.
| field_no | locality | farm_name | field_name | merged_fields | former_name | alt_name |
| 1 | Stenton | Bielgrange Farm | Ginglet Park | |||
| 2 | Stenton | Bielgrange Farm | Bank Park | |||
| 3 | Stenton | Bielgrange Farm | Bank Park | |||
| 4 | Stenton | Bielgrange Farm | Haugh | |||
| 5 | Stenton | Bielgrange Farm | Wester Mill Haugh | |||
| 6 | Stenton | Bielgrange Farm | Lint Mill East | |||
| 7 | Stenton | Bielgrange Farm | Lint Mill West | |||
| 8 | Stenton | Bielgrange Farm | East Braes | |||
| 9 | Stenton | Bielgrange Farm | South Grangemuir Park | |||
| 10 | Stenton | Bielgrange Farm | South Temprigg Park | |||
| 11 | Stenton | Bielgrange Farm | North Temprigg Park | |||
| 12 | Stenton | Bielgrange Farm | North Grangemuir | |||
| 13 | Stenton | Bielgrange Farm | Tumbull’s Park | merged 1980s, known as Prince Turnbull | ||
| 14 | Stenton | Bielgrange Farm | Princes Park | |||
| 15 | Stenton | Bielgrange Farm | West Newtown | Wester Newton | ||
| 16 | Stenton | Bielgrange Farm | Middle Newtown | now merged known as East Newton | ||
| 17 | Stenton | Bielgrange Farm | Easter Newtown | now merged known as East Newton | ||
| 18 | Stenton | Bielgrange Farm | Back Park | merged 1980s, now Horse Park | ||
| 19 | Stenton | Bielgrange Farm | Potato Park | merged 1980s, now Horse Park | ||
| 20 | Stenton | Bielgrange Farm | Horse Park | merged 1980s, now Horse Park | ||
| 21 | Stenton | Bielgrange Farm | North Horse Park | merged 1980s, now Horse Park | ||
| 22 | Stenton | Bielgrange Farm | Stackyard Park | Barnyard Park | ||
| 23 | Stenton | Bielgrange Farm | Garden Park | |||
| 24 | Stenton | Bielgrange Farm | North Garden Park | |||
| 25 | Stenton | Bielgrange Farm | Cottar’s Cleugh | merged 1980s, now Kerr’s Park | ||
| 26 | Stenton | Bielgrange Farm | Kerr’s Park | merged 1980s, now Kerr’s Park | ||
| 27 | Stenton | Bielgrange Farm | Harrower’s Park | merged 1980s, now Harrower’s Park | ||
| 28 | Stenton | Bielgrange Farm | Cowan’s Park | merged 1980s, now Harrower’s Park | ||
| 29 | Stenton | Bielgrange Farm | Biel Mill Park | |||
| 30 | Stenton | Bielgrange Farm | Pheasantry Wood | |||
| 31 | Stenton | Bielgrange Farm | Lint Mill Woodland |
