Thank you everybody for getting back to me on Whitestanes. Sandy's map was particularly helpful. I know there is one dwelling place called Whitestanes near Ae today but the baptisms in the 18th.century suggested a bigger place, maybe even a church. It sounds as if it was pretty remote and more like a hamlet. I read somewhere that the Ae area was on the main road to Lanarkshire and that most of its inhabitants were involved in moving goods north and south. That may be how my ancestors came into the area as I don't think the name Brisbane is indigenous to Dumfriesshire. They subsequently became weavers and moved on to Caerlaverock. Thanks again. Kate.