| Gartocharn | |
Looking north east to Duncryne Hill |
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Gartocharn
Gartocharn shown within West Dunbartonshire |
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| OS grid reference | NS4286 |
|---|---|
| Parish | Kilmaronock |
| Council area | West Dunbartonshire |
| Lieutenancy area | Dunbartonshire |
| Country | Scotland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | ALEXANDRIA |
| Postcode district | G83 |
| Dialling code | 01389 |
| Police | Strathclyde |
| Fire | Strathclyde |
| Ambulance | Scottish |
| EU Parliament | Scotland |
| UK Parliament | West Dunbartonshire |
| Scottish Parliament | Dumbarton |
| List of places: UK • Scotland • | |
Gartocharn is a village in West Dunbartonshire in Scotland. It is the only village in the parish of Kilmaronock ( not to be confused with the town of Kilmarnock in East Ayrshire). The parish has a population of 1,051.[1]
It lies on the A811, the main road from Balloch to Stirling. It is close to the Aber Shore, a beauty spot on the shore of Loch Lomond, and to Ross Priory. It is dominated by a nearby hill, Duncryne, also known as the Kilmaronock Dumpling.
It was the home of Tom Weir.
Each year, the village is the home of a Convention of the Two by Twos (also known as "Cooneyites", though they claim no name). Hundreds of evangelical "Truthers" make their way there, staying in nearby homes or on site. Followers come from around the UK, Ireland and further afield to attend. The four day long Convention is the last remaining in Scotland for this sect. The two Conventions held here consist of three, 2 – 2.5 hour meetings per day, interspersed with breaks for meals and socialising. The Conventions last from Saturday morning until Tuesday evening. In order to accommodate the numbers desiring to attend, one Convention is held in beginning of May, with a second being held usually the following week. The main worker or minister responsible at the site is Martin Sykes.
In August 2010 Gartocharn hit the newspaper headlines[2] when it was reported that a property developer was marketing plots of land in the village to gullible foreigners, under the brand "Little America". The plots of land lacked planning permission, and are zoned for farming, meaning that anyone paying the asking price of £30,000 would not be allowed to build a house.