The Lands of Lochridge

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File:Lochridgehouse.jpg
Lochridge House

The Lochridge estate was in the old feudal Baillerie of Cunninghame, near Stewarton in what is now East Ayrshire, Scotland.

The history of Lochridge

Nether Lochridge or Lochrig as it was originally known, belonged to the Arnots for nearly 400 years. Mathew Arnot Stewart, the last direct representative of the family, sold the estate to David Provan, a surgeon, in 1830.[1] Robertson (1820) shows an Upper Lochridge as well as Lochridge. This property seems to be at the site of what is now called Draffen House. Colonel Barns owned Upper Lochrig, part of Auchenharvie and Kirkland in 1820. A Hugh Wyllie who died on 22 December 1823, aged 51, is recorded on his tombstone in the Laigh Kirk churchyard in Stewarton as having lived at Over Lochridge.

In 1691 the Hearth Tax records show that the mansion house had seven hearths and that seven other dwellings were associated with the estate.[2]

Mr. J. Proven of Lochridge attended the famous 1839 Eglinton Tournament in what is now Eglinton Country Park and he was allotted a seat in the Grand Stand.[3]

It is stated locally that a Lochridge Halt existed on the railway at one time, but no evidence has yet been found to support this. The new junction on the doubled track from Stewarton to Lugton is officially known as 'Lochridge Junction'.[4]

Wardhead Park

Wardhead, next to Lochridge, was farmed by Alexander Cameron and his spouse Janet Ingrwm in the early 18th. century. Alexander died on 5 April 1761 and Janet died on 20 May 1736, aged 50. They were both buried at the Laigh Kirk in Stewarton.

This was a dower house or factor's residence on the Lochridge Estate and was built around 1860. The older farmhouse building may be incorporated at the back. An old walled garden was later used as a car park.[5] It is now the site of Provan Engineering that manufactures wind turbines.

Views in and around Lochridge

  • The coat of arms of the Arnot Stewarts of Lochridge.

  • Lochridgeentrance.JPG

    A view of the old entrance to the Lochridge driveway on the Stewarton to Cunninghamhead Road.

  • Peters brae stewarton.JPG

    Peter's Brae woodland from below Lainshaw castle.

  • Draffenstone.jpg

    The Draffen Stone outside Draffen House; previously Upper Lochridge in Stewarton.

The Micro history of Lochridge

The term 'Lochridge' or 'Lockridge' is used as a rare surname, appearing 319 in 88.7 million of the 1997 US population.[6]

After World War II a 9 hole course was laid out at Lochridge but it had been abandoned between the late 1940s or the early 1950s.[7]

The estate stands on a pronounced ridge where 'rig and furrow' would have been a prominent landscape feature and the 'Loch' may refer to Lambroughton Loch which may have reached as far as this site. Buiston Loch is situated some distance to the south-east.

Robert Burnes, the poet's uncle, lived at Titwood near Kilmaurs for several years and worked in the lime quarries at Lochridge until he was crippled with arthritis or rheumatism and moved to Stewarton.[8]

In 1820 only six people were qualified to vote as freeholders in Stewarton Parish, being proprietors of Lochridge (Stewart), Robertland (Hunter Blair), Kirkhill (Col.J.S.Barns), Kennox (McAlester), Lainshaw (Cunninghame), and Corsehill (Montgomery Cunninghame). Dunlop had only two people qualified to vote by right as freeholders.

The Draffen Stone used to be located in a field near the house of the same name. Due to a housing development it has been moved to a site in front of Draffen House. It is not known whether this stone is merely a 'rubbing stone' for cattle or a menhir. It is not recorded by Historic Scotland.

The Stewarton Cricket Club had its grounds located between Lochridge and Ward Park.

The road from Stewarton to Kilmaurs did not run via Lochridge until the 18th century when the Toll Road was built. The old driveway from Lochridge to Stewarton came out near Peter's Brae planting; the original entrance is still present today (2008). The course of the drive was altered when the railway was built in the 1840.

In February 2009 the Lochrig or Lochridge Burn was severely polluted with diesel oil spilled from a train derailed at the railway bridge near Peacockbank farm. Mitigation measures were put in place, however pollution eventually reached the River Irvine.[9]

The Lochridge Burn once contributed to the waters of Lambroughton Loch and nowadays has a confluence with the Garrier Burn near Wheatrig Farm.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Dobie, Page 319
  2. ↑ Urquhart, Page 105
  3. ↑ Aikman, J & Gordon, W. (1839) An Account of the Tournament at Eglinton. Pub. Hugh Paton, Carver & Gilder. Edinburgh. M.DCCC.XXXIX.
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ Davis, page 397
  6. ↑ American family names. Accessed : 2009/11/28
  7. ↑ Golf's Missing Links
  8. ↑ Boyle, Page 154
  9. ↑ METRO, Page 5.

Sources

  1. Boyle, Andrew M. (1996), The Ayrshire book of Burns-lore. Darvel : Alloway Publishing. ISBN 0-907526-71-3.
  2. Davis, Michael C. (1991). The Castles and Mansions of Ayrshire. Ardrishaig : Spindrift Press
  3. Dobie, James D. (ed Dobie, J.S.) (1876). Cunninghame, Topographized by Timothy Pont 1604–1608, with continuations and illustrative notices. Pub. John Tweed, Glasgow.
  4. METRO. January 28, 2009.
  5. Urquhart, Robert H. et al. (1998). The Hearth Tax for Ayrshire 1691. Ayrshire Records Series V.1. Ayr : Ayr Fed Hist Soc ISBN 0-9532055-0-9.

External links

  • [1] General Roy's Military map of Scotland.
  • [2] Details of the De Soulis, De Morville and other Cunninghame families.
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