Kilmaurs 1846
KILMAURS, a burgh of barony and a parish, in the district of Cunninghame,
county of Ayr; containing, with the villages of Knockentiber, Kirkton,
Milton, and Crosshouse, 2617 inhabitants, of whom 1035 are in the burgh, 2
miles (N. N. W.) from Kilmarnock. This place, of which the name is obviously
derived from the dedication of its church, was granted in the twelfth
century to the ancestor of the Glencairn family, who came from England in
the reign of Malcolm IV., and assumed the surname of Cunninghame from the
name of the manor. The family obtained additional lands from Robert Bruce;
and about the beginning of the fifteenth century, Sir William Cunninghame
having enlarged his possessions by marriage, his descendant, Alexander, was
created Earl of Glencairn by James II. William, the ninth earl, for his
zealous attachment to the royal cause during the usurpation of Cromwell, was
made chancellor of Scotland, and died in 1664. After the death of John, the
twentyfifth earl, without issue, in 1796, the title became extinct; and the
lands are now divided among several proprietors.
The town is pleasantly situated on the north bank of the rivulet Kilmaurs,
and consists of one main street of considerable length, and of another
intersecting it nearly at right angles. At a distant period, this place was
celebrated for the manufacture of cutlery; and the clasp knives, or
whittles, made here were in great repute; but the only manufactures at
present carried on are those of cotton goods and shoes, in which most of the
inhabitants are employed. The weekly market has fallen into disuse; but
fairs, chiefly for cattle, are held in June and at Martinmas. A branch
office, under the post-office at Kilmarnock, has been established; and
facility of communication is maintained by the turnpikeroad from Stewarton
to Kilmarnock, and by good statute roads which intersect the parish. The
town was erected into a burgh of barony by charter of James V., granted to
the Earl of Glencairn in 1527; and the government is vested in two bailies,
and a council of burgesses, who derive their qualification from the tenure
of certain lands leased to them in free burgage by charter of Cuthbert, Earl
of Glencairn, and his son, Lord Kilmaurs. The magistrates have all the
jurisdiction of royal burghs, both in civil and criminal cases, but hold no
regular courts, the number of causes in both not exceeding two or three in a
year. There are no exclusive privileges enjoyed by the burgesses; and the
only patronage is that of a vote in the appointment of the parochial
schoolmaster. The town-hall, situated in the centre of the main street, is a
neat but small structure, ornamented with a steeple; it contains the
necessary arrangements for transacting the public business of the burgh.
The parish, which is situated on the confines of the district of Kyle, is
partly bounded on the south by the river Irvine, which separates it from the
parish of Dundonald, and on the west by the Garrier burn, which divides it
from the parish of Dreghorn. It is nearly six miles in length, and two miles
and three-quarters in extreme breadth, comprising an area of almost 6000
acres, of which not far from the whole is arable and pasture in about equal
portions. The surface is generally undulated, rising in some places into
hills of moderate elevation, of which the summits are richly wooded, and
command interesting views over the surrounding country, which is in a high
state of cultivation. The river Kilmaurs, which has its source in the
adjoining parish of Fenwick, divides this parish into two nearly equal
parts: at some distance to the south of the town, it assumes the name of
Carmel; and in its course westward, after receiving the waters of the
Garrier burn, it flows into the Irvine. The soil is exuberantly fertile,
producing abundant crops of wheat, beans, barley, oats, and potatoes; and
the system of husbandry has been brought to great perfection. The lands have
been drained and inclosed; the farm-buildings are substantial and
commodious, and all the more recent improvements in agricultural implements
have been extensively adopted. The pastures are luxuriantly rich; the cattle
reared in the parish are of the best possible breeds, with cows of the
Ayrshire on the dairy-farms, which are under excellent management. Large
quantities of butter and cheese of good quality are produced, the latter of
the Dunlop kind; and both obtain a ready sale in the markets. The rateable
annual value of the parish is returned at £12,970.
The plantations, though not extensive, are in a very flourishing state, and,
from their situation generally upon the hills and rising grounds, add much
to the beauty of the scenery. The main substratum is coal, of which there
are several mines in operation in the parish and in the immediate vicinity;
the principal of these is at Gatehead, where a considerable number of
persons are regularly employed. The chief seats in the parish are, Kilmaurs
House, an ancient mansion, formerly the seat of the Cunninghame family;
Thornton House; Carmel-Bank; and Craig; all modern mansions beautifully
situated. There are some small hamlets, of which the principal are,
Crosshouse, containing a population of 255 inhabitants, and Gatehead, in
which are about 167, chiefly employed in the collieries. The ecclesiastical
affairs are under the superintendence of the presbytery of Irvine and synod
of Glasgow and Ayr. The minister's stipend is £261, with a manse, and a
glebe valued at £10 per annum; patroness, Lady Mary Montgomerie. The church,
a very ancient structure, was originally founded in 1403, by Sir William
Cunninghame, who endowed it with lands for the support of a provost, seven
prebendaries, and two choristers, which establishment was dissolved at the
Reformation. The structure was repaired in 1804, and contains 550 sittings.
In the aisle, which was the sepulchral chapel of the Glencairn family, is a
beautiful monument to the memory of William, the ninth earl, chancellor of
Scotland; but it has been much defaced. There are places of worship for
members of the Free Church and the United Secession; and a missionary, who
was supported by subscription, till lately officiated at Gatehead and
Crosshouse. The parochial school is well attended; the master has a salary
of £25. 13., with a house and garden, and the fees average £33 per annum.
Among the monuments of antiquity are the remains of some tumuli, whereof
one, near Carmel-Bank, of which the fosse may still be traced, is supposed
to have been a place for distributing justice. The ruins of Busby Castle, an
ancient seat of the Barclay family, are now the property of the Duke of
Portland.
Crosshouse
CROSSHOUSE, a village, in the parish of Kilmaurs, district of Cunninghame,
county of Ayr, 2½ miles (W. by N.) from Kilmarnock; containing 255
inhabitants. This place is situated on the western side of the Carmel water,
and on the roads between Irvine and Kilmarnock, and Dundonald and Kilmaurs,
which here form a junction. In the village is a small school, of which the
master is allowed £6 per annum and a dwelling by the heritors.
From: A
Topographical Dictionary of Scotland (1846)
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