The Red Burn is one of two main streams which flow out of Cumbernauld. The Scottish New Town’s name derives from the Gaelic for "the meeting of the waters" and there is broad agreement that one of these waters is the Red Burn.
Competing Theories for Cumbernauld's Name
Cumbernauld is the largest town in North Lanarkshire. Some people think the name Cumbernauld's Gaelic nameComar nan Allt meaning "the confluence of the waters" refers to the meeting of the Red Burn with the Bog Stank stream. This occurs in the Vault Glen down the hill but very close to the site of the Comyn’s Castle. In support of this argument the oldest maps of Cumbernauld still in existence show the “Rid Burn” joining three other streams. On the map they all seem to come together at one point although this bears little relation to the current watercourses. Probably the earliest map which shows the river is the 1596 Pont's Map but is much easier to pick out on Blaeu's coloured map which was derived from it. Another stream named as the Horseward Burn is mentioned and is shown to join with the Red Burn. What this refers to is not at all clear. These older maps are reminiscent of the modern Friends of the Glen map which is also a stylised representation of the Park. Pont's map does mention the Luggie but doesn't seem to associate this with Cumbernauld or its castle. In fact the Luggie is a considerable distance from Cumbernauld Village. The name Condorrat, formerly a separate village but now part of the town, has a Gaelic origin too: "Comh Dobhair Alt" - The joint river place. This name may be close in meaning to Cumbernauld's. The other competing theory is that the etymology of the name is to do with Cumbernauld being a Scottish watershed. In that case the waters referred to are the Red Burn and the Luggie Water even though they do not in fact meet. In other words from its high point in the Central Belt, The Luggie Water and the Red Burn flow either west to the River Clyde or east to the Firth of Forth so Cumbernauld is a watershed. Jim Carruth, poet laureate of Glasgow, has a poem called Watershed which is inscribed on the base of Andy Scott's Arria, The Angel of the 'Naud, statue which overlooks the A80 in Cumbernauld. This presupposes the etymology of the name is about Cumbernauld being a watershed. Hugo Millar, the respected local historian and author of two books about the town, espoused this view. Peter Drummond gives an analysis of both viewpoints from historical and geographical perspectives. What can be said with confidence is that Cumbernauld is named after the Red Burn.
Influence on Local Placenames
Three streets in Cumbernauld are named after the Red Burn and also use the older form of the name where Redburn is just one word. These are in the Abronhill part of the town. Similarly Redburn School takes its name from the stream.
Roman History
The Antonine Wall named after the Roman EmperorAntoninus Pius, crosses the Red Burn at Castlecary and Roman remains have been found on both sides of the river. The wall, built by Urbicus's men is named on the Unesco World Heritage list as a Frontier for the Roman Empire. However the land has been considerably worked for the Forth and Clyde Canal, the Glasgow to Edinburgh railway and the A80 now M80 road system. Older maps show how the fort of Castle Cary was to the east of the river, as was the later Castle Cary Castle. There is also the site of a Roman camp to the west of the river near the modern Castlecary Hotel. There is a gruesome story about how the Red Burn was named. It involves the killing of Agricola's Roman soldiers whose bodies were dumped in the river at Castlecary making it run red.
Other Cumbernauldian Watercourses
Contrary to Jon Ronson's insulting comments endorsed by Craig Ferguson on C.B.S.'s Late, Late Show, Cumbernauld does have at least two rivers: the Red Burn and the Luggie Water. There is also the Moss Water which was dammed to form Broadwood Loch.
