94-748: The Lands of Lainshaw lie in Strathannick and were part of the Lordship of Stewarton , in East Ayrshire , Scotland. Lainshaw House is a category B listed mansion, lying in a prominent position above the Annick Water and its holm in the Parish of Stewarton, Scotland. Part of the much older Lainshaw Castle is contained within the several later building phases of the present day Lainshaw House. The names 'Langshaw' or 'Langschaw' were used in historic times. Law Mount near
188-437: A "ha haw" and a "deer wall" . Before mechanical lawn mowers, a common way to keep large areas of grassland trimmed was to allow livestock, usually sheep, to graze the grass. A ha-ha prevented grazing animals on large estates from gaining access to the lawn and gardens adjoining the house, giving a continuous vista to create the illusion that the garden and landscape were one and undivided. The basic design of sunken ditches
282-550: A consequence of a long running feud between the Montgomeries, Earls of Eglinton and the Cunninghames, Earls of Glencairn , families who were competing for power and influence locally and nationally. The significant repercussions of this act were felt throughout the county of Ayrshire and beyond. The spelling 'Montgomerie' is used throughout for both the family and Montgomery for the clan and clan and district names 'Cunninghame' in
376-458: A disastrous fire, the fate of many an old mill. In the 1860 William Eaglesham was the miller, with his wife Helen Wilson. He died aged 70 and is buried in the Laigh Kirk graveyard. The Lainshaw viaduct was opened on August 3. 1868, but did not actually have track and trains running over it until March 1871. Colonel Mure of Caldwell performed the opening ceremony. The 1779 Lainshaw estate map shows
470-570: A fortune as result of the American War of Independence. William Cunninghame of Bridgehouse and (afterwards Lainshaw), the 'Tobacco Lord', had made a fortune in America between 1748 and 1762. In 1776 'Linshaw' is shown on road map as occupied by Bowman Esq. In 1779 William Cunninghame purchased Lainshaw from Sir Walter and proceeded to improve the Estate under an agreement whereby the Montgomeries could reclaim
564-456: A general dealer in the village. William Jack was born here in 1834. International women's footballer Rose Reilly grew up in Stewarton, before being forced to leave to pursue a career in professional football. but returned in later years and now resides in the area. The sports centre located in the town has since been renamed in honour of her. The ground of Stewarton's cricket club
658-467: A ha-ha is at the Washington Monument to minimise the visual impact of security measures. After 9/11 and another unrelated terror threat at the monument, authorities had put up jersey barriers to prevent large motor vehicles from approaching the monument. The temporary barriers were later replaced with a new ha-ha, a low 0.76 m (30-inch) granite stone wall that incorporated lighting and doubled as
752-402: A ha-hah, which leaves you the sight of the beautiful woody country, and makes you ignorant how far the high planted walks extend. In the 18th century, they were often called a sunken or sunk fence, at least in formal writing, as by Horace Walpole , George Mason , and Humphry Repton . Walpole also referred to them as Kent-fences, named after William Kent. Walpole surmised that the name
846-631: A large ha-ha that provides an uninterrupted view of Royal Victoria Park . In Australia, ha-has were also used at Victorian-era lunatic asylums such as Yarra Bend Asylum , Beechworth Asylum , and Kew Lunatic Asylum in Victoria, and the Parkside Lunatic Asylum in South Australia. From the inside, the walls presented a tall face to patients, preventing them from escaping, while from outside they looked low so as not to suggest imprisonment. For
940-400: A more ancient building belonging to the same family", he is also probably referring to "Reuincraig", the "small remains" being those of "Corsehill". (Grose 1791); (MacGibbon) and (Ross 1889). General Roy's Military Survey of Scotland (1745–55) marks 'Ravenscraig' as 'Old Corsehill' and also marks the 'new' Corsehill on the other side of the burn, thereby apparently confirming that they both had
1034-456: A pardon by King James upon his marriage to Anne of Denmark . Lady Montgomery, who was alleged to have signaled the murderers by placing a white 'napkin' on a window sill, is said to have escaped and lived with her retainer Robert Kerr at Pearce Bank (now High Peacockbank) for several years until the 'hue and cry' died down at which point she returned to the castle and was not molested on the understanding that she did not 'show her face' outside of
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#17328450772951128-508: A subtle entrance that makes the ice house a less intrusive structure, and the ground provides additional insulation. Most typically, ha-has are still found in the grounds of grand country houses and estates. They keep cattle and sheep out of the formal gardens, without the need for obtrusive fencing. They vary in depth from about 0.6 m (2 ft) ( Horton House ) to 2.7 m (9 ft) ( Petworth House ). Beningbrough Hall in Yorkshire
1222-696: Is a neo-classical building in Royal Exchange Square in the Glasgow city centre, which was built in 1778 as the townhouse of William Cunninghame of Lainshaw, a wealthy tobacco lord. The building has undergone a series of different uses; It was used by the Royal Bank of Scotland; it then became the Royal Exchange. Reconstruction for this use resulted in many additions to the building, namely the Corinthian pillars to
1316-439: Is a seriously destructive alien invader which should not be transplanted to other sites. Stewarton railway station was opened in 1871 by the Glasgow, Barrhead and Kilmarnock Joint Railway. The station closed in 1966, reopening in 1967. In 2009-2010 the line was partly re-doubled and the train frequency increased to two trains an hour in each direction. The station was rebuilt and a second platform brought into use. Thomas Oliver
1410-609: Is derived from 'Ruin Crag', i.e. ruined castle. Godfrey de Ross and his family of Corsehill Castle were Lords of Liddesdale in the Borders and later on the Cunninghames became the holders. Corsehill (also Crosshill) castle is said to have been on the east side of the Corsehill Burn. The 1860 OS map does record the site of Templehouse which had a small fortalice associated with it and its site
1504-500: Is derived from the response of ordinary folk on encountering them and that they were "then deemed so astonishing, that the common people called them Ha! Has! to express their surprise at finding a sudden and unperceived check to their walk." Thomas Jefferson , describing the garden at Stowe after his visit in April 1786, also uses the term with exclamation marks: "The inclosure is entirely by ha! ha! " George Washington called it both
1598-562: Is maintained in a good state of preservation by the Ministry of Defence . It is a Listed Building , and is accompanied by Ha-Ha Road that runs alongside its full length. There is a shorter ha-ha in the grounds of the nearby Jacobean Charlton House . The Royal Crescent row of 30 terraced houses in Bath, Somerset , which were built between 1767 and 1774 in the Georgian architecture style, also feature
1692-542: Is not the only well/spring in the area which is identified as being a mineral spring, for there is still a cottage named Saltwell in what was the hamlet of Bloak. This information is stated by the Topographical Dictionary of Scotland, however Mrs. Florence Miller of Saltwell recollects that this well was never known specifically as the Bloak Well. The present building was purchased from the Cunninghames of Lainshaw in
1786-531: Is of French origin, and was first used in print in Dezallier d'Argenville 's 1709 book The Theory and Practice of Gardening , in which he explains that the name derives from the exclamation of surprise that viewers would make on recognising the optical illusion. Grills of iron are very necessary ornaments in the lines of walks, to extend the view, and to show the country to advantage. At present we frequently make thoroughviews, called Ah, Ah , which are openings in
1880-546: Is of ancient origin, being a feature of deer parks first found in Anglo-Saxon England . The deer-leap or saltatorium consisted of a ditch with one steep side surmounted by a pale (picket-style fence made of wooden stakes) or hedge, which allowed deer to enter the park but not to leave. Since the time of the Norman conquest of England the right to construct a deer-leap was granted by the king, with reservations made as to
1974-522: Is separated from its extensive grounds by a ha-ha to prevent sheep and cattle from entering the Hall's gardens or the Hall itself. An unusually long example is the ha-ha that separates the Royal Artillery Barracks Field from Woolwich Common in southeast London . This deep ha-ha was installed around 1774 to prevent sheep and cattle, grazing at a stopover on Woolwich Common on their journey to
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#17328450772952068-700: Is so populous that, at the ringing of a bell in the night for a few hours, there have seen convene 3000 able men, well-horsed and armed." In the 1600s Stuartoune had fairs on the first Thursday of January, the first Monday of May, and the last Wednesday of October. A weekly market on Thursdays is recorded as being not well attended. In 1820 only six people were qualified to vote as freeholders in Stewarton Parish, being proprietors of Robertland (Hunter Blair), Kirkhill (Col. J. S. Barns), Kennox (McAlester), Lainshaw (Cunninghame), Lochridge (Stewart) and Corsehill (Montgomery-Cunninghame). The 'Stewarton Sickness' refers to
2162-711: Is that one Wernebald was given the Cunninghame lands by his superior, Hugh de Morville , the builder of Kilwinning Abbey who lived at this time in Tour near Kirkland in Kilmaurs. The family were originally from Morville in Normandy (Wernebald was from Flanders ) and had been established in Scotland for at least twenty years when one of the family was involved in the murder of Thomas Becket . Dervorguilla of Galloway , mother of John Balliol ,
2256-504: Is the site of the remnants of a Bronze Age burial cairn inside of which three urns or beakers were found in the 19th century containing bones and relicts. In 1847 the old Barony Court House still stood near the Avenue running up towards Corsehill. The War Memorial used to stand outside the front of the library in the avenue square and was moved to provide a more suitable setting near Standalane house above Lainshaw primary school. Dunlop cheese
2350-489: The Bloak Well . It was discovered through the observation that pigeons from Lainshaw House and the neighbouring parishes were found to flock here to drink. Mr. Cunningham of Lainshaw built a handsome house over the well in 1833 and appointed a keeper to take care of it as the mineral water was of some value owing to healing properties attributed to it. The well was located in the middle of the kitchen. The Chapel Burn rises near
2444-612: The Annick Water escaped major contamination. The Stewarton Flower, so named due to its local abundance and recorded as such by the Kilmarnock Glenfield Ramblers, is otherwise known as Pink Purslane ( Claytonia sibirica ) is found in damp areas. This plant was introduced from North America in Victorian times, quite possibly at the Robertland Estate. In 1915 it was stated to have been in the area for over 60 years and
2538-553: The Annick Water in the winter of 1943/44. The river in front of Lainshaw House was dammed to form a lake and this could have been the site. The dam has now burst and this happened by the end of the war, possibly due to the DUKWs. Lainshaw was known in the 19th century as the Lainshaw, Kirkwood and Bridgehouse Estate in the Register of Sasines. In 1920 William Henry Goff purchased Lainshaw from
2632-555: The Earl of Eglinton was laid after he was murdered by Cunninghame at the old brig or ford on the Annick Water near the entrance to the castle on the Stewarton road. Jane Montgomerie (nee Maxwell) was engaged to Alexander Montgomerie, 10th Earl of Eglinton. Jane was the widow of James Montgomerie of Lainshaw. The couple were never married owing to the earl's murder at Ardrossan. 536 GT Coy RASC carried out their first training on DUKWs on
2726-563: The Glebe meadows running down from the Laigh Church to the river and as far as the Old Stewarton Road at Kirkford. In 1797 Magbie Hill above Stewarton has a field called 'Stone Field' which may record a standing stone now long destroyed or possibly moved as the nearby farm has two large boulders in front of it. Coal pits are marked in the vicinity of Magbie (MacBeth) Hill, possibly explaining
2820-448: The "Laird of Langshaw" died suddenly from drinking bad wine. When the 9th Laird, James, died in 1767 his eldest sister, Elizabeth inherited. James daughter Margaret Montgomerie would marry the diarist James Boswell. Elizabeth had married Alexander Montgomerie-Cuninghame of Kirktonholme, son of Sir David Cuninghame of Corsehill. Her second husband was J. Beaumont Esq. The 10th Laird was their son, Sir Walter Montgomerie-Cuninghame, who lost
2914-588: The "Lands of Longshaw" had over sixty, including Peacockbank. The whale bone arch at the main lodges was constructed from the bones found at the confluence of the Annick Water and the Glazert Water at Water Meetings. The estate map of 1779 shows a band of woodland running around the estate curtilage. This strip had a carriage-way running through its middle and this links with the ha-ha at the chalybeate spring field. Wide wooden bridges with stone abutments close to
Lands of Lainshaw - Misplaced Pages Continue
3008-493: The 'action' took place in the Avenue Square. Ha-ha A ha-ha ( French : hâ-hâ or saut de loup ), also known as a sunk fence , blind fence , ditch and fence , deer wall , or foss , is a recessed landscape design element that creates a vertical barrier (particularly on one side) while preserving an uninterrupted view of the landscape beyond from the other side. The name comes from viewers' surprise when seeing
3102-601: The 12th century with various non-historical references to the town dating to the early 11th century. The most famous of these non-historical references concerns the legend of Máel Coluim III the son of Donnchad I of Scotland who appears as a character in William Shakespeare 's play Macbeth . As the legend goes, Mac Bethad had slain Donnchad to enable himself to become king of Scotland and immediately turned his attention towards Donnchad's son Máel Coluim (the next in line to
3196-418: The 1920s, having been built between 1800 and 1850. It is thought that the salt well now lies beneath the floor of the building and various physical features of the building suggest that it is the structure built by the Cunninghames. The well was first discovered by the fact that migrating birds, especially swifts and swallows, flocked to it. It is of unknown composition and is not listed as chalybeate. The cottage
3290-413: The 2nd Life Guards and married in 1867 to Emily, eldest daughter of Major George Graham. The house remained with the family until it was bought by the local authority in 1947 and became a care home for the elderly. Following a period as a ruin it was restored and converted into a number of apartments. In 1691 the "place of Longshaw [sic] and office houses" had eleven hearths, and the associated dwellings of
3384-468: The Anderson Plantation in the fields below Lainshaw Mains and it is marked as a chalybeate or mineral spring on the 1911 6" OS map. Bore holes nearby suggest that the water was put to a more formal use at one time, supplying cattle troughs or possibly even for a stand pipe as mineral water was popular for its supposed curative properties. According to the opinion of the day, it could cure the colic,
3478-525: The Annick Bridge in Stewarton and close to the walled gardens allowed a complete circuit of the estate curtilage to be made. Only the abutments of these bridges remain. The old driveway to Lainshaw House off the Stewarton to Torranyard road also has a ' ha-ha ' on the side facing the home farm before it reaches the woods. The name ha-ha may be derived from the response of ordinary folk on encountering them and that they were, "...then deemed so astonishing, that
3572-399: The Cunninghame clan and shot dead by John Cunninghame of Clonbeith. Hugh is said to have been on his way to attend the court of King James VI at Stirling when he decided to stop off at Langshaw House (now Lainshaw house which was for a long time a home for the elderly) to dine with his associates. The lady of the house Lady Montgomery - told several of her Cunninghame associates who lived in
3666-658: The Cunninghame family. The church at Stewarton was at one time held by the Cuninghames of Lainshaw. The name Stewarton is said to derive from Walter, High Steward of Scotland to David I who lived here in the 12th. century. Robert the Steward, a direct descendant, became King Robert II . The town had 1800 inhabitants in 1820. Walter was the son of Alain who had been invited by Henry I to live in England. He returned to Scotland with King David I in 1141. The Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA)
3760-557: The Cunninghame family. In the 16th century Ayrshire was divided into three regions or bailiaries - Kyle , Carrick and Cunninghame. The two powerful families residing in Cunninghame - the Cunninghame's and the Montgomeries - had been involved in a dispute over landholdings which came to a head in 1586 when Hugh, the 4th Earl of Eglinton was attacked at the ford on the Annick Water (which flows through Stewarton) by 30 or so members of
3854-620: The Dancer and Marie the Lusty". The Montgomeries obtained the lands shortly after. One of the earliest references to Lainshaw is the grant of land to Alexander Home of Holme by King James II in 1450. Castleton, Gallowberry, Whitelee, Crennachbrare, Robertland and Magbiehill (Magby Hill in 1775) were also included in the grant. Thomas Home inherited, but he died without issue and it passed to the Eglinton family, namely Sir Neil or Nigel Montgomerie of Langshaw who
Lands of Lainshaw - Misplaced Pages Continue
3948-507: The East of Irvine . In the past, Stewarton served as a crossroads between the traditional routes from Kilmarnock, Irvine and Ayr to the city of Glasgow . However, in recent times, the M77 motorway has bypassed the town. The old road is known as the "Auld Glesga Road" (Or the "Old Glasgow Road") and the former name is still used by locals. Historical records show that Stewarton has existed since at least
4042-668: The French pronounced the name correctly. James, High Steward of Scotland , inherited Stewarton in 1283. Robert III granted it to Archibald the Grim , Earl of Douglas then took it back to bestow as a dowry on Elizabeth, the Earl's daughter, when she married John Stewart, Earl of Buchan . The lands reverted to the crown many times. Queen Mary presented the lands to Mary Livingstone, one of the famous 'four Marys', upon her marriage to John Sempill, son of Lord Sempill in 1565. John Knox referred to them as "John
4136-611: The High and Laigh Castleton farms has been suggested as the site of the original castle, granted in the 12th century to Godfrey de Ross by Hugo de Morville. As the original seat of the Stuarts or Stewarts it was considered of much value and was bestowed by the Scottish Kings only as a special mark of favour. Mary Queen of Scots changed the spelling to 'Stuart' during her time in France to ensure that
4230-507: The Irvine populated for a space of 3 or 4 miles (5 or 6 kilometres) " that well traveled men in divers parts of Europe (affirm) that they have seen walled cities not so well or near planted with houses so near each other as they are here, wherethrough it is so populous that, at the ringing of a bell in the night for a few hours, there have seen convene 3000 able men, well-horsed and armed." Another significant event from Stewarton's history involves
4324-582: The Lesser Wintergreen plants as growing in the estate woodlands in the 1930s. Locally the woodlands, marked as Anderson's Plantation on some maps, are known as the 'Wendy woods' for some forgotten reason. Dobie states that two pre-reformation chapels existed locally, one at Lainshaw and one at Chapeltoun . In 1616 the Earl of Eglinton transferred the patronage of Lainshaw Chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary, to Sir Neil Montgomerie of Lainshaw, but by 1661 it
4418-610: The London meat markets, from wandering onto the Royal Artillery gunnery range. A rare feature of this east-west ha-ha is that the normally hidden brick wall emerges above ground for its final 75 yards (70 metres) or so as the land falls away to the west, revealing a fine batter to the brickwork face of the wall, thus exposed. This final west section of the ha-ha forms the boundary of the Gatehouse by James Wyatt RA. The Royal Artillery ha-ha
4512-512: The Queen Street facade, the cupola above and the large hall to the rear of the old house. Timothy Pont in 1604 - 08 records that so thickly was the district about Stewarton and along the banks of the Irvine populated for a space of three or four miles (6 km) "that well travelled men in divers parts of Europe (affirm) that they have seen walled cities not so well or near planted with houses so near each other as they are here, wherethrough it
4606-500: The W bank of the burn. Macgibbon and Ross, describing "Corsehill Castle" at the end of the 19th century as a very ruinous mansion, evidently of late date and apparently of the L-plan, and ascribe it to the period 1542-1700, must be referring to "Reuincraig". Grose, in 1791, published an illustration of "Corshill House", but does not give it a close siting. As, however, he mentions that "at a small distance from this ruin are some small remains of
4700-521: The area of the Earl's planned visit. As a response to the killing the Montgomery family declared they would kill every Cunninghame who had been at the river that day and a series of 'tit for tat' killings were carried out between the two families. John Cunninghame of Clonbeith was eventually slain in Hamilton, Scotland , but several of those responsible for the murder fled to Denmark and were eventually granted
4794-586: The bars of a grill do. The name ha-ha is attested in toponyms in New France from 1686 (as seen today in Saint-Louis-du-Ha! Ha! ), and is a feature of the gardens of the Château de Meudon , circa 1700. In a letter to Daniel Dering in 1724, John Perceval (grandfather to the prime minister Spencer Perceval ), observed of Stowe : What adds to the beauty of this garden is, that it is not bounded by walls, but by
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#17328450772954888-451: The common people called them Ha! Ha's! to express their surprise at finding a sudden and unperceived check to their walk." An alternative theory is that it describes the laughter of those who see a walker fall down the unexpected hole. A seat may have been situated by the ha-ha and the woodland view would have been, and indeed still is, very attractive as this area is clearly an ancient woodland remnant. The stone boundary wall stops in line with
4982-411: The construction. The design can include a turfed incline that slopes downward to a sharply vertical face (typically a masonry retaining wall ). Ha-has are used in landscape design to prevent access to a garden by, for example, grazing livestock, without obstructing views. In security design, the element is used to deter vehicular access to a site while minimising visual obstruction. The name ha-ha
5076-401: The depth of the foss or ditch and the height of the pale or hedge. On Dartmoor, the deer-leap was known as a "leapyeat". In Britain, the ha-ha is a feature of the landscape gardens laid out by Charles Bridgeman and William Kent and was an essential component of the "swept" views of Capability Brown . Horace Walpole credits Bridgeman with the invention of the ha-ha but was unaware of
5170-477: The earlier French origins. The contiguous ground of the park without the sunk fence was to be harmonized with the lawn within; and the garden in its turn was to be set free from its prim regularity, that it might assort with the wilder country without. During his excavations at Iona in the period 1964–1984, Richard Reece discovered an 18th-century ha-ha designed to protect the abbey from cattle. Ice houses were sometimes built into ha-ha walls because they provide
5264-403: The estate only if they could reimburse William for the cost of his improvements. They were never able to do so. William married three times and had fourteen children. He disinherited his eldest sons Thomas and Alexander and it was his third son, William Cunninghame who inherited the estate in 1799, but did not take up residence until 1804. During his time the house was remodelled extensively. He
5358-476: The estate was £1628 per year, a considerable sum (Lainshaw 1779). James Kerr was the 'Baron Officer' at Lainshaw until his death on 4 July 1880. His wife was Barbara Barclay and they were buried at the Laigh Kirk. The estate wall running from near Freezeland to near the Law Mount was built by unemployed labourers in the early 19th century. James Forrest of Mid Lambroughton recorded the rare Bird's Nest Orchids and
5452-426: The existence of the castle or fortalice here (Hewitt 2006). Archibald Adamson in his 'Rambles Round Kilmarnock' of 1875 only records three castles, these being Robertland, Auchenharvie and Corsehill. He makes no mention of the name Ravenscraig, calling the site he visited Corsehill. Aitken only marks Crosshill Castle in 1829 on the west side of the Corsehill Burn. The first OS maps show only the existing castle site, so
5546-490: The family moved in 1779. The date of construction may have been 1672, when Sir Alexander was created Baronet or in 1673, when he became a freemason. The Stewarton Woodland Action Trust have created a network of public access paths, some of which run through the old Lainshaw Estate lands. The Murder of Hugh Montgomerie , 4th Earl of Eglinton at the Annick Ford in Stewarton , East Ayrshire , Scotland , took place in 1586 as
5640-460: The famous biographer and friend of Dr. Samuel Johnson was married in 1769 to his cousin, the youngest daughter of David, Margaret Montgomerie in Lainshaw Castle. He had gone to Ireland with Margaret, with the intention of courting another wealthy cousin, however he fell in love with the penniless Margaret and married her instead. The room they were married in was one floor above the room in which
5734-404: The farmer who had saved his life 17 years earlier. The Cunninghame family logo now features a Y-shaped fork with the words "over fork over" underneath - a logo which appears in various places in Stewarton, notably as the logo of the two primary schools in the area - Lainshaw primary school and Nether Robertland primary school. Another reference to Stewarton, this time a historical recorded version,
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#17328450772955828-485: The grounds. A path known as the 'Weeping or Mourning Path' runs upstream from the Annick (previously Annack or Annock Water) Ford and this is where the Earl's widow is said to have wept as she later followed the trail of blood left behind as his panicked horse took him away from Bridgend. The Earl's body was placed in Lainshaw Castle until arrangements were made to remove it to Eglintoun Castle. The name Ravenscraig or Reuincraig
5922-413: The ha-ha. Near the main entrance is marked a building or buildings called 'Castle-salt', the reason for the name is not known, however salt houses were associated with baronial dwellings and these were used for the storage of salted and preserved foods. It could be that the name 'salt' is a corruption of another word, such as 'soiled' or 'soil', as in the ' night soil ', i.e, the midden where the night soil
6016-576: The high road; they knocked down and wounded those who complained; they stole, and wantonly destroyed, cattle; they subjected people to the torture of fire to discover to them where their money was hidden; they threatened to burn down houses if their demands were not at once complied with; besides free quarters they demanded money every day; they compelled even poor families to buy brandy and tobacco for them; they cut and wounded people from sheer devilment. " The cost of all this amounted to £6062 12s 8d in Stewarton parish. Cairnduff Hill overlooks Stewarton and
6110-553: The lack of suitable materials locally. Buses run regularly to Kilmarnock from the Robertland Bus Terminus. Stewarton, like many other Scottish towns, holds an annual gala festival at the beginning of summer. Dating back to the days when Stewarton had a prosperous trade in bonnet-making, the 'Bonnet Guild' organises activities for the local residents and proclaims a 'Corsehill Queen', the most academically successful girl in 2nd year at Stewarton Academy . The Cadgers’ Fair
6204-404: The melancholy, and the vapours; it made the lean fat, the fat lean; it killed flat worms in the belly, loosened the clammy humours of the body, and dried the over-moist brain . The main spring here has been covered over and the water piped out to the burn. The chalybeate spring (otherwise known as siderite , a mineral consisting of iron(II) carbonate, FeCO 3 - 48 per cent iron) described here
6298-452: The name, as 'mag' was a term used for poor quality coal. The nearby 'Water Plantation' was known as 'Magbie-hill Plantation'. Stewarton stands on the old turnpike, completed from Glasgow by Lugton , to Kilmarnock, Irvine and Ayr in 1820 at the cost of £18,000. Notes; Sources; Stewarton Stewarton ( Scots : Stewartoun , Scottish Gaelic : Baile nan Stiùbhartach ) is a town in East Ayrshire , Scotland . In comparison to
6392-441: The neighbouring towns of Kilmaurs , Fenwick , Dunlop and Lugton , it is a relatively large town, with a population estimated at over 7,400. It is 300 feet (90 metres) above sea level. The town is served by Stewarton railway station . Stewarton lies within Strathannick, with the Annick Water flowing through the town. The community is in a rural part of East Ayrshire, about 6 miles (10 kilometres) north of Kilmarnock and to
6486-469: The new survey has not perpetuate the error. To sum up, the map in Pont's 'Cuninghame' of 1604-8 shows two buildings, "Reuincraige" and "Corshill", at approximately NS 417 467 and NS 422 465 respectively, and Dobie (1876) comments that the two have often been confused, but that "Reuincraig" stood on the W of the Corsehill Burn and "Corsehill Mansion" on its E. "Reuincraig", he says, was so modernised about 1840 that it
6580-595: The patients themselves, standing before the trench, it also enabled them to see the wider landscape. Kew Asylum has been redeveloped as apartments; however some of the ha-has remain, albeit partially filled in. Ha-has were also used in North America. Only two historic installations remain in Canada, one of which is on the grounds of Nova Scotia's Uniacke House (1813), a rural estate built by Richard John Uniacke , an Irish-born Attorney-General of Nova Scotia. Mount Vernon ,
6674-433: The plantation of George Washington , incorporates ha-haws on its grounds as part of the landscaping for the mansion built by George Washington’s father, Augustine Washington. A later American president, Thomas Jefferson , "built a ha-ha at the southern end of the South Lawn [of the White House], which was an eight-foot wall with a sunken ditch meant to keep the livestock from grazing in his garden." A 21st-century use of
6768-412: The powerful religious revival that started in 1625 and continued to involve Stewartonians in strong religious attitudes until comparatively recent times. Lainshaw Mill, previously Peacockbank Mill, below the railway viaduct, was famous for the large Rowan Tree growing out of its chimney. The mill ceased grinding corn in the 1930s and was completely demolished in the second half of the 20th. Century after
6862-459: The same fashion. To prevent the Covenanters holding 'Conventicles', King Charles II moved highland troops, the 'Highland Host' into the west-land of Ayrshire. " They took free quarters; they robbed people on the high road; they knocked down and wounded those who complained; they stole, and wantonly destroyed, cattle; they subjected people to the torture of fire to discover to them where their money
6956-435: The same name and one replaced the other, although only 'Old Corsehill' is still in any way visible, just the foundations of 'new' Coresehill being apparent in 2007. The same map shows buildings named 'Temple' in the area of 'Templehouse'. To prevent the Covenanters holding 'Conventicles', King Charles II moved highland troops, the 'Highland Host' into the west-land of Ayrshire. " They took free quarters; they robbed people on
7050-447: The throne). When Máel Coluim learned of his father's death and Mac Bethad's intentions to murder him, he fled for the relative safety of England . Unfortunately for Máel Coluim, Mac Bethad and his associates had tracked him down and were gaining on him as he entered the estate of Corsehill on the edge of Stewarton. In panic Máel Coluim pleaded for the assistance of a nearby farmer named either Friskine or Máel Coluim (accounts differ) who
7144-506: The trees being taken to Bickethall Farm for sawing, etc. Picken was a common local name at the time. Robertson records in 1820 that fields had been drained at considerable expense by filling ditches with stones. In 1779 the estate farms included Gilmill, Kirkmuir, Righead, Parkside, Irvinehill, the Kilbryde Farms, Gouknest, Magbie-hill, Gaimes-hill, Bankend of Bollingshaw, Sandyland of Bollingshaw, Canaan and Clerkland. The rental income from
7238-401: The walls, without grills, to the very level of the walks, with a large and deep ditch at the foot of them, lined on both sides to sustain the earth, and prevent the getting over; which surprises the eye upon coming near it, and makes one laugh, Ha! Ha! from where it takes its name. This sort of opening is, on some occasions, to be preferred, for that it does not at all interrupt the prospect, as
7332-447: Was a 'but and ben' and it is a 'handsome' building as described by Paterson. A Redwells Farm is located nearby at Auchentiber, the etymology of tiber itself refers to a well. David Laing was the closest relative and therefore heir to Lord Lyle of Lainshaw, a judge of the court session. Laing took the surname Montgomerie and married Veronica Boswell, sister of Alexander Boswell, Lord Auchinleck . James Boswell of Auchinleck House ,
7426-505: Was a daughter of the Morvilles on her mother's side, and when Robert the Bruce won the crown the family of Balliol lost their lands in Cunninghame. The Red Comyn , whom Bruce murdered, was a nephew of Balliol. William Cunninghame de Lamberton was Archbishop of St. Andrews and a supporter of Bruce. Pont in 1604 - 08 records that so thickly was the district about Stewarton and along the banks of
7520-411: Was a religious eccentric, which led to various court actions and his publishing a wide range of eccentric books, including one against swearing. He never married, having heard his childhood sweetheart utter unacceptably bad language. On his death in 1849, the estate passed to his younger half brother, John Cuninghame of Duchrae, who in turn was succeeded in 1864 by his son John William Herbert, a Captain in
7614-465: Was abundant on the Corsehill Burn below Robertland in 1915. As far away as Dalgarven Mill the white flowered variety still dominates. The plant is very adept at reproducing by asexual plantlets and this maintains the white gene pool around Stewarton. The pink variety has not been able to predominate here, unlike almost everywhere else in the lowlands of Scotland, England and Wales. Claytonia sibirica
7708-399: Was an annual event unique to Stewarton in the 18th Century. "Our annual fair took place on Monday last. In the morning there was a large turnout of cattle. . . . Our Cadgers’ procession was a slight improvement on some former occasions, and headed by a brass band they marched through the town, thence to a field on the farm of Robertland where the races took place". Horses were traded and much of
7802-579: Was at Darlington, the village which lay just beyond Stewarton on the Kingsford road before the East Burn. Corsehill castle is shown in one old print of 1691 by Gross as Corsehill House and substantial remains existed until the railway was constructed and most of the ruins were used to build the embankment. It is recorded that an avenue of trees ran down from the well planted Corsehill into Stewarton. The single tower that remains today (2006) of Ravenscraig / Corsehill
7896-453: Was back with the Earl. After the Reformation the chapel's endowment was appropriated by the patron and the chapel allowed to fall into ruins. No remains of the chapel now exist. Paterson suggests that only one chapel existed and this was at Chapeltoun or Chapel. Sanderson states the chapel of the Virgin Mary at Lainshaw was under the patronage of the earls of Eglinton. A lectern style sundial
7990-536: Was difficult to realise that it had been ruined in 1608, while the ruins of "Corsehill" were removed about the beginning of the 19th century and only foundations could be traced when he wrote. He also thought that "Reuincraig" (i.e. Ruin Craig) was not an original name. If Dobie is correct, the ruins published as "Corsehill Castle" on the OS 6", must be those of "Reuincraig", both because they are standing remains, and because they are on
8084-548: Was forking hay on the estate. Friskine/Máel Coluim covered Máel Coluim in hay, allowing him to escape Mac Bethad and his associates. He later found refuge with King Harthacanute , who reigned as Canute II, King of England and Norway and in 1057, after returning to Scotland and defeating Mac Bethad in the Battle of Lumphanan in 1057 to become King of Scots , he rewarded Friskine's family with the Baillie of Cunninghame to show his gratitude to
8178-416: Was hidden; they threatened to burn down houses if their demands were not at once complied with; besides free quarters they demanded money every day; they compelled even poor families to buy brandy and tobacco for them; they cut and wounded people from sheer devilment. " The cost of all this amounted to £6062 12s 8d in Stewarton parish alone. Paterson states that there is a mineral spring near Stewarton, called
8272-523: Was located at Lainshaw, similar to the lectern at Ladyland but with two steps and hemi-cylinders towards the South rather than one; it is now at Hensol House near Castle Douglas . The sundial plinth has the Cuninghame coat of arms and the initials SAC DMS, for Sir Alexander Cuninghame (d. 1685) and his wife, Dame Margaret Stewart (m. 1665) who lived at Corsehill Castle; the dial may have been taken to Lainshaw when
8366-426: Was located between Lochridge and Ward Park house. Stewarton Golf Club (now defunct) was founded in 1912. The club disappeared following WW2. On 27 January 2009, a BP tanker train carrying liquid fuels (diesel and heating oil) from Mossend to Riccarton was derailed at the bridge over the Stewarton to Kilmaurs road at Peacockbank Farm. Several wagons subsequently caught fire. The Lochrig Burn was badly polluted, however
8460-531: Was made in Stewarton as well as many other Ayrshire localities, such as Beith . Robert Burns 's uncle, Robert Burnes , is known to have helped guard the Stewarton Laigh Church graveyard against the activities of body snatchers. David Dale , industrialist, merchant, philanthropist and founder of the world famous cotton mills in New Lanark , was born in Stewarton in 1739. He was the son of William Dale,
8554-537: Was placed before being taken away for use as fertilizer. A document held in the Scottish National Archive mentions a 'Cattle salt' in Stewarton. In the Laigh Kirk graveyard there is a memorial to Robert Cunningham, erected by James Cunningham of Castle-Salt in 1827. A Mrs. Bracket lived at Castle-salt in 1820, the valued rent being £16. The land around Lainshaw Primary school was known as 'Picken's Park' (originally 'Padzean') and its trees were felled circa 1950,
8648-511: Was repaired to stabilise it. It seems that Ravenscraig and Corsehill Castles were separate entities, and that a vague memory of Templehouse and its fortalice at Darlington on the lands of Corsehill farm, may have caused some extra confusion as in the King’s Kitchen tale of the location of the Baronial residence. An area opposite the site of Templehouses was known as 'The Castle' and this may reflect
8742-670: Was the third son of the first Earl of Eglinton. He was killed at Irvine in 1547 through the feud with the Mowats of Busbie and Lord Boyd. His son, John, married Margaret, daughter of Lord Boyd. John Montgomerie died without issue and his brother Neil became the third laird. Neil Montgomerie married the heiress of Lord Lyle and had a son, Neil, who died before 1621. The son, Neil, had married Elizabeth, daughter of John Cunningham and had four children, Neil of Lainshaw, William of Bridgend, James of Dunlop, and John of Cockilbie . Neil and his son John sold their estates in 1654 to John of Cockilbie. In 1745
8836-625: Was titled "roadmaker in Stewarton", being employed by the Kilmarnock to Irvine road committee. He worked with the specifications of a road 24 feet (7.3 metres) wide, 14 inches (36 centimetres) thick in the middle to 10 in (25 cm) in the sides, the understratum to be made of stones not exceeding 6 lb (2.5 kg) tron weight and 6 in (15 cm) thick, etc. Very precise requirements which would cost seven shilling per fall from Annick Bridge to Gareer Burn, but ten shillings per fall from Gareer Burn to Corsehouse bridge (Crosshouse) because of
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