The Skelmorlie Aisle of Largs Old Kirk is the remains of a church in the town of Largs , Ayrshire , Scotland .
50-617: Montgreenan is an estate in North Ayrshire , Parish of Kilwinning , Scotland. The Lugton Water runs through the policies and farmland of Montgreenan. Nearby are the hamlets of Torranyard and Auchentiber . The name 'Grenane' is recorded in 1480, however the first detailed reference to Montgreenan is contained in the description of the ancient county of Cuninghame by Timothy Pont in the period 1604–1608. In it he describes 'Mongrynen Castle' as "… ane old strong Dunijon veil and pleasantly planted ye inheritance of Cuninghame Laird thereof sone to
100-460: A bridge which has an embankment leading up to it. The area near the old Mosside farm has been the site of several limestone quarries and limekilns in 1858 ( OS ), but by 1897 these had closed. Mosside bridge is of a very high quality of workmanship and ornamentation. It has false windows, diamond / lozenge -shaped embellishments, a thistle on the keystones and raised random patterns and other designs which represent leaves. The Ness Papers state that
150-450: A daughter, Rachel, of John Dunlop of that Ilk, but they had no offspring; he died in 1827. The funeral was famous for the generosity shown to 616 poor people of the parish. Mrs. Rachel Glasgow was an artist and an author with great literary taste and she died at Pau , in the Pyrenees , on 19 July 1828. She is mentioned by Robert Burns in relation to a painting or sketch she made of Coila ,
200-490: A fine stable block, offices, a mains farm and a walled garden. The buildings still survive as private dwellings (2008). Caven Mill is likely to have been the barony mill to which the tenants were thirled ; this building is now a ruin. An unusual memorial is located next to the ruins of the Bishop's Palace or Castle of Montgreenan. The memorial is formed from glazed fireclay much like that used for wall coping stones and pipes and has
250-656: A hobby of collecting milestones and other stones. Many Ayrshire milestones were buried during the Second World War as an invasion precaution. Two are near the West Lodge and three of these milestones are near the East Lodge at Montgreenan Mains. The 1858 OS map shows a carriage or driveway running from close to the surviving Auchentiber schoolhouse on the Lochlibo road, passed the old Murchland farm site (Murghland in 1747; Murchen
300-777: A hole in the peat. She was around 18 to 20 years of age, had rosy cheeks, a sweet smile playing around her lips and blonde hair. Her identity was unknown, but a rumour linked her to the family of the Montgreenan estate. The Old Wood in particular has a high biodiversity, some of the species noted in 2007 being Woodruff, Bird cherry, Primrose, Common violet, Oak, Stitchwort, Opposite-leaved Golden saxifrage, Bluebell, Greater Woodrush, Dog's mercury, Broad buckler fern, Lord and Ladies, Lady fern, Male shield fern, Easter ledges, Wood-rush, Wood-sedge, blackthorn, hawthorn, elm, alder, Wood anemone, Wood sorrel, Wood avens, Herb Robert, Red campion, and many liverworts. A number of badger setts are present. It
350-777: A rapid increase in the construction of new housing in recent years. Kelburn Castle , Fairlie, is the home of the 10th Earl of Glasgow , Patrick Robin Archibald Boyle. The grounds have belonged to the Boyle family since the 1100s. In 2007, the castle was transformed by the Graffiti Project . North Ayrshire has a slightly higher level of unemployment compared to the Scottish average. North Ayrshire launched an Economic Recovery and Renewal Strategy in September 2020 focusing on economic recovery and
400-546: A renewal approach which aims to sets out a comprehensive plan for an inclusive and green economic recovery for North Ayrshire. An £8.8 million Investment Fund will be used as a key element of a Green New Deal by: In May 2020, North Ayrshire Council became the first council in Scotland to become a Community Wealth Building (CWB) Council, setting out a new economic model focused on wellbeing and inclusion. North Ayrshire Council seeks to use Community Wealth Building objectives to support
450-638: Is Irvine , a new town on the coast of the Firth of Clyde . The second biggest settlement is Kilwinning , followed by Saltcoats which is part of the ' Three Towns ' - Ardrossan , Saltcoats and Stevenston . On the Isle of Arran , the largest village is Lamlash and there are numerous smaller villages. On Great Cumbrae , the only town on the island is Millport . Largest settlements by population: 34,130 16,100 12,250 11,030 10,500 9,050 7,170 5,940 5,250 4,860 Skelmorlie Aisle The majority of
500-462: Is a wall running along the edge of the Lugton Water. Such a building design with a central courtyard was called a 'Place' or 'Palace' due to its construction, not its size. All the walls were merely heaps of rubble, and the drystone "courtyard" wall seemed to be of later construction than the internal remains, acting as a revetment to the mass of rubble inside. This wall was 1.4m high. No clear evidence
550-572: Is based at Cunnninghame House on Friars Croft in Irvine, which was built in 1975 as the headquarters for the Cunninghame District Council, forming part of the new town centre for Irvine following its designation as a New Town. As of 2022, the council area is divided into nine multi-member wards returning 33 members, composed as follows: At the House of Commons , North Ayrshire is covered by
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#1732869115333600-478: Is one of 32 council areas in Scotland . The council area borders Inverclyde to the north, Renfrewshire and East Renfrewshire to the northeast, and East Ayrshire and South Ayrshire to the east and south respectively. The local authority is North Ayrshire Council, formed in 1996 with the same boundaries as the district of Cunninghame which existed from 1975 to 1996. Located in the west central Lowlands with
650-772: Is provided by North Ayrshire Council, the local authority responsible for the area. Education is provided to children in the area through early years centres, primary schools, secondary schools, home schooling and additional support need facilities. There are currently ten secondary schools in North Ayrshire, all under the responsibility of North Ayrshire Council – Ardrossan Academy , Arran High School , Auchenharvie Academy , Garnock Community Campus, Greenwood Academy , Irvine Royal Academy , Kilwinning Academy , Largs Academy , Lockhart Campus and St Matthew's Academy . The council has been under no overall control since 2007, with various minority administrations led by both Labour and
700-414: Is said that a large part of the monks treasure from Kilwinning Abbey was found at Montgreenan circa 1740 by the laird, consisting of seven crocks of coins, rings, brooches, candlesticks, crosses, necklasses, pomanders, beads, etc. A local legend was that Alexander Cunninghame, the commendator of the abbey and living at Montgreenan had buried the abbey treasure , knowing that his life was in danger following
750-459: Is the Scots for a hare ) through the Montgreenan plantations, crossing the road near Cavan Mill and finally running on down to Montgreenan house. A track and later a road ran from Auchenharvie Castle across the Lochlibo toll road and up to Megswells (Meggs Walls in 1747), crossing the Lugton Water by stepping stones and later by a ford. This route ran under the aforementioned Montgreenan carriageway via
800-500: The Ayrshire and Arran lieutenancy area . The council headquarters are located in Irvine , which is North Ayrshire's largest town. The area also contains the towns of Ardrossan , Beith , Dalry , Kilbirnie , Kilwinning , Largs , Saltcoats , Skelmorlie , Stevenston , West Kilbride , as well as the Isle of Arran and Great and Little Cumbrae . The Isle of Arran covers nearly half of
850-742: The Battle of Bothwell Bridge and was sentenced to death for his actions. His life was spared, however his lands were forfeited and given to Lieutenant-General Douglas who sold it on to High Stevenson, clerk to the Privy Council . In 1691 the Hearth Tax records show the mansion house with seven and five other dwellings associated with the 'Lands of Montgreenan'. The estate remained with the Stevensons until 1778, when they sold it to John Bowman of Ashinyards , who in turn sold it to Dr. Robert Glasgow. The doctor married
900-771: The Central Ayrshire and North Ayrshire and Arran Parliamentary constituencies, both of which are represented by MPs belonging to the Scottish Labour Party . In the Scottish Parliament , the council area is divided into Cunninghame North and Cunninghame South , both represented by MSPs from the Scottish National Party. The council has been a member of the Islands Forum since 2022. The main administration centre and largest settlement in North Ayrshire
950-676: The Firth of Clyde to its west, the council area covers the northern portion of the historic county of Ayrshire , in addition to the islands of Arran and The Cumbraes from the historic county of Buteshire . North Ayrshire has a population of roughly 133,490 people. Its largest towns are Irvine and Kilwinning . North Ayrshire was created in 1996 under the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994 , which replaced Scotland's previous local government structure of upper-tier regions and lower-tier districts with unitary council areas providing all local government services. North Ayrshire covered
1000-727: The Ohio Volunteers he was on the Union side and not a Confederate soldier. It can be surmised that John Smith had a close link with the Montgreenan estate. Beside the driveways running to the Montgreenan mansion house from the Lodges are a number of red sandstone pillars, these are milestones. They look like gatepost-like and were 'rescued' after they became redundant or 'in the way' as a result of road widening works, etc. They have been brought from various places in Ayrshire. Sir James Bell of Montgreenan had
1050-490: The Scottish National Party (SNP) operating since then. Following the 2022 election the council is under no overall control , being led by an SNP minority administration. The next election is due in 2027. The first election to North Ayrshire Council was held in 1995, initially operating as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing authorities until the new system came into force on 1 April 1996. Political control of
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#17328691153331100-516: The Skelmorlie Aisle as his burial place) on 1 August 1586, as a direct result of the assassination of Hugh Montgomerie, 4th Earl of Eglinton at Stewarton in April of that year. Lady Jean Cunninghame died in 1621, leaving the lands to her son William, and by 1632 Alexander Cunninghame, a grandson of Lady Jean was the owner, succeeded by his son Thomas in 1656. Thomas's son, of the same name, fought at
1150-531: The Skelmorlie Aisle as his burial place) on 1 August 1586, as a direct result of the assassination of the Fourth Earl of Eglinton at Stewarton in April of that year. John Smith in 1895 recorded that in the Montgreenan Woods are the remains of a Bishop's Palace, sometimes called a castle, of which little appears to be known. Not far away is part of an ancient gateway, and just South of the house there are
1200-419: The kirk (church) was demolished in 1802 when the new parish church came into use, but the aisle , a division of the once larger building containing the mausoleum, was retained. The Skelmorlie Aisle contains a notable monument built by a local landowner, Sir Robert Montgomerie of Skelmorlie Castle , seventh Laird of Skelmorlie , as a burial site for himself and his wife, Dame Margaret Douglas. The aisle
1250-513: The Cunninghames, Earls of Glencairn at Kilmaurs in East Ayrshire. Sir Robert's coffin is especially long and much of the lead on the bottom of the coffin is missing, supposedly taken by local fishermen who believed that lead weights made from it would result in a large catch of fish. The painted timber ceiling is signed and dated 1638 by J. Stalker and is in vernacular contrast, albeit
1300-458: The Kincaid family who alienated the lands to Neil Macvicar and his wife Elizabeth Montgomerie in 1728. The Macvicars retained the lands until 1802 when they were acquired by Robert Glasgow of Montgreenan . Archibald Stevenson acquired Montgreenan in 1755 and sold it to Mr. Bowman in 1778, a Provost of Glasgow and builder of Ashgrove House at Ashinyards near Kilwinning. The estate had a curling pond,
1350-533: The abott of Kilwinin quho wes brother to James Earle of Glencairne" . The 10 merk land of Montgreenan was held in the 15th century by the Ross family, who had many lands in Ayrshire, such as those of Dunlop and its castle. The Rosses held their lands as vassals of the De Morvilles . Following the murder of James III of Scotland , Sir John Ross de Montgreenan lost all his lands, only to rapidly return to royal favour under
1400-467: The appearance of a corbel laid horizontally. The oblong structure has crossed canons at one end and bunches of olive or laurel leaves at the other end. The scroll on the upper surface reads " 3219 – John Smith – Corporal – Co. B. 10th Ohio Vol – Died 25th Novr – 1863 – Chattanooga – Tenn ". It appears therefore that John died whilst fighting in the Chattanooga Campaign of November 1863 and being in
1450-437: The council area's territory, but is home to less than 4% of the population. North Ayrshire is known for its rural countryside, coastlines, beaches and landmarks. The towns in the north of the area, Skelmorlie, Largs, Fairlie and West Kilbride are affluent commuting towns and with them being on the coast, are very popular with tourists during the summer months. Towns in the south include Ardrossan, Saltcoats and Stevenston. Towards
1500-595: The council since 1996 has been as follows: The leaders of the council since 1996 have been: Following the 2022 election and a subsequent by-elections in May 2024 & September 2024, the composition of the council was: The next election is due in 2027. Since 2007 elections have been held every five years under the single transferable vote system, introduced by the Local Governance (Scotland) Act 2004 . Election results since 1995 have been as follows: The council
1550-554: The designs are derived from the work of a goldsmith at the French royal court, Etienne Delaune . Lively scenes illustrate the seasons as well as the Montgomerie and Douglas conjoined coat of arms , oddly with the quarters of the Montgomerie arms incorrectly placed as in the Polnoon example. The arms in the panel above the entrance door also have this 'mirror image' arrangement. James Stalker
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1600-406: The false windows were for the insertion of a coat of arms and that the old coach road ran across this bridge on its way to Cavan Mill and beyond. The Glasgow and South Western Railway built a station at Montgreenan which opened on 1 February 1878 and closed permanently to passengers on 7 March 1955. The station building is now a private residence. The house near the old entrance was the manse for
1650-503: The murder of the 4th Earl of Eglinton. He was murdered at the entrance to his home in 1586 and his ghost was said to protect the treasure. John Smith in 1895 recorded that a pot of silver coins was found in the Chapel Park, on Montgreenan lands (NS 343 445). The existence of a pre-reformation chapel is not recorded other than this field name record. The OS maps show that Benslie village was named 'Montgreenan' up until at least 1938, with
1700-512: The name Benslie given to the wood, the old farmhouse on the 'island' created by the three roads and the term Benslie Square. The postal address may have been the direct cause of the name change, preventing confusion with the Montgreenan estate. Opposite Janburrow in Benslie is Burnbrae cottage, built as the Montgreenan Estate factor's house in 1846. Adjacent to Burnbrae is Burnbank Cottage which
1750-409: The old Fergushill church at Benslie at one point and was previously used by the railway as a dwelling for their agent. Dr. Duguid in around the 1840s records that near Clumbeith (Clonbeith) on the way to 'Meg'swa's' he met Pate Glunch cutting peats. Pate was normally a still, dour man, but on this occasion he was highly animated and took the doctor to see the long dead corpse of a 'bonnie lady' lying in
1800-537: The old Montgreenan Castle or Bishop's Palace lie in a loop of the Lugton Water at its confluence with the Cowlinn Burn. The name Dunach Brae for the strip of woodlands nearby, suggests that a hill fort or 'Dun' may have been in the vicinity at a much earlier date. Alexander Cunninghame, the Commendator of Kilwinning Abbey, was shot at his gate at Montgreenan by Sir Robert Montgomerie of Skelmorlie (better known for building
1850-470: The poet's muse. Mrs Glasgow was commemorated by the erection of a well in Kilwinning's Howgate; she had given £200 to the poor of the town. Robert Robertson of Prenderguest, a son-in-law, inherited the estate, changing his surname to 'Glasgow'. Robert Robertson Glasgow, his son, inherited in 1845 and in 1860 his son, Robert Bruce Robertson Glasgow inherited Montgreenan in his turn. In 1873 R. B. Robertson-Glasgow
1900-420: The recovery and renewal of North Ayrshire by creating an economy that works for people, place and planet. The North Ayrshire approach will see the creation of a new £660,000 Community Wealth Building Business Fund to provide assistance to local business and facilitating the development of co-operatives, employee ownership and social enterprises, supporting local supply chains, fair employment, digital adoption and
1950-461: The remains of a mound which once contained an ice-house. All that remains at this site is a small piece of wall at the side of the stream, and a slight hollow, partly surrounded by a bank formed by the rubbish of the old walls. Mr R. Glasgow, the proprietor, stated in the 1856 Name Book of the Ordnance Survey that the dwelling probably became disused in 1680, when the last Cunninghame of Montgreenan
2000-573: The rule of James IV and regain the Manor or Barony of Montgreenan. The manor or barony is said to have passed to the Monastery of Kilwinning and then to Alexander Cunninghame and his wife Jean Blair in 1582 – 83 following the reformation, of which, Alexander had been a prominent supporter. Alexander Cunninghame, the Commendator of Kilwinning Abbey , was shot and killed at his gate at Montgreenan by Sir Robert Montgomerie of Skelmorlie (better known for building
2050-535: The same area as the abolished Cunninghame district, and also took over the functions of the abolished Strathclyde Regional Council within the area. The area's name references its location within the historic county of Ayrshire, which had been abolished for local government purposes in 1975 when Cunninghame district and Strathclyde region had been created, although the islands of Arran and The Cumbraes had been in Buteshire prior to 1975. North Ayrshire forms part of
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2100-470: The south of the area is Kilwinning and Irvine, the main settlement and largest town in the area. The inland towns of Dalry, Kilbirnie and Beith were steel towns with large steel mills, but these are long gone. Tourism is the main industry on Arran and Cumbrae; however, the number of holiday homes on the latter has begun to squeeze locals out of the housing market. Regeneration is currently taking place at Ardrossan Harbour and Irvine town centre, and there has been
2150-538: The transition to a green economy . North Ayrshire is to benefit from the Ayrshire Growth Deal, an economic plan created by both the Scottish Government and UK Government . The £250 million Ayrshire Growth Deal is also central to the plans to support economic recovery through a bold and ambitious investment programme to create and secure jobs within the area of North Ayrshire. Education in North Ayrshire
2200-460: Was Lieutenant-Colonel commanding the 1st Volunteer Battalion, Royal Scots Fusiliers and in 1896, R. P. Robertson-Glasgow was likewise Lieutenant-Colonel commanding the 2nd Volunteer Battalion, Royal Scots Fusiliers. Sir James Bell , shipowner and former Lord Provost of Glasgow bought the estate in 1895. He was Chairman of the G&;SWR from 1915 to 1920. He died at Montgreenan in 1929. The ruins of
2250-512: Was added to the old kirk (church) of Largs in 1636, and comprises a Renaissance canopied tomb above the burial-vault entrance. The barrel vaulted ceiling of the aisle was painted 1638 in panels, with heraldic emblems and signs of the Zodiac, etc. by a Mr. Stalker. A third coffin within the tomb is said to be that of Sir Hugh Montgomerie of Eaglesham , a hero of the Battle of Otterburn . It can be compared with other significant tombs, such as that of
2300-763: Was built by Sir Robert Glasgow in 1817. Sir Robert, in common with other entrepreneurs from the Glasgow area, made his fortune through a shipping company based in St Vincent in the West Indies, undoubtedly trading between Britain, Africa and the sugar plantations of the West Indies. Montgreenan was the home of the Viscounts Weir until 1982, when it was sold and became a hotel. The building is Category A listed by Historic Scotland. Alexander Craufurd of Fergushill inherited Fergushill from his father and it next passed by inheritance to
2350-529: Was built in 1882 for Mathew Kirkland, a former gamekeeper on the Eglinton estate. Burnbrae appears on General Roy's 18th century map and Aitkens map of 1828. The ruin of Auchenharvie Castle is a prominent feature of this flat landscape in the Torranyard area. Bloak Moss has been scientifically investigated to ascertain its vegetational history through the analysis of core samples. South Fergushill church in Benslie
2400-424: Was built to serve Montgreenan, Fergushill , Doura and Benslie . It was consecrated on Sunday, 3 November 1879 and the first minister was then Rev. William McAlpine. The Montgreenan coal mine was served by the railway that ran up via Sevenacres. It was abandoned prior to 1875. North Ayrshire North Ayrshire ( Scottish Gaelic : Siorrachd Àir a Tuath , pronounced [ˈʃirˠəxk aːɾʲ ə ˈt̪ʰuə] )
2450-469: Was encountered for this being a "Bishop's Palace". About 65.0m to the South was a mound, 1.5m high, which had been cut through by a track, and may be the ice-house referred to by Smith, although no stone-work exists. No trace of a gateway was found, although the possible entrance shown on OS plan may be the gateway referred to. The present Georgian mansion with architectural features by Alexander 'Greek' Thompson
2500-509: Was forfeited. Much of its remains were removed about 1765 by the previous proprietor, Mr Stevenson, to build a house at Kilwinning. A visit in 1956 recorded that in the thick vegetation were traces of buildings, enclosed by a wall on the West and South sides. The details were unclear, but the castle plan seemed to be that of a courtyard with internal buildings on all sides except perhaps the East, where there
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