Hessilhead
An article in the Kilmarnock Standard of August 1949 titled Ancient Ayrshire Castles is accompanied by a photograph that shows substantial ivy-clad ruins set in a garden landscape with lawns, shrubs, trees and a well maintained paths.
[5] William Roy's map of 1747 - 55[6] shows a farm town of Hazlehead and nearby, set amongst fairly extensive ornamental rides and plantations, the castle of Heeselhead (sic).
[7] Hessilhead in its later days was occupied by the family of Lord Glasgow, and after they left, the proprietor, a Mr. Macmichael, about the year 1776, took off the roof and allowed the place to go to ruin.
[2] Dobie records the despoiler of Hessilhead as a Mr. Carmichael, who sold the materials from the castle and also removed parts of the walls, as well as cutting down and selling an impressive old Yew tree.
[10] Dobie also records that a little to the south of the ruined castle there was a singular echo, which slowly and plaintively repeated the voice once, throwing a melancholy charm over this scene of departed grandeur.
Elizabeth's mother was Giles, daughter of Walter, lord high steward of Scotland, and sister of King Robert II.
A song of 1706 on the Union reads:- "There's Roseberry, Glasgow, and Dupplin, And Lord Archibald Campbell and Ross, The President, Francis Montgomery, Wha ambles liked any paced horse."
James Dunlop died in Australia, having become a Fellow of the Royal Society, London and Edinburgh and the recipient of many medals recognising his achievements.
Jenny Kerr was probably the last person born at Trearne Lodge; her mother was living there with her parents when her father was a Lieutenant in the Glasgow Highlanders, and was fighting in France during the first World War.
[20] The Knights Templar had owned considerable lands and properties in the bailiary of Cunninghame, regality of Kilwinning and in the early 17th century, Robert Montgomerie acquired the rights to these Templelands from the Sandilands family of Calder, the Lords Torphichen and thus became the feudal superior.
It was first mentioned in 1728, but it may have been built circa 1673, as part of the general improvements, carried out by the Right Honourable Francis Montgomerie, who as previously stated, extended the castle so that it was for a long time reckoned to be the best house in the district.
[28] After being enlarged, Coldstream Mill was used for preparing animal feed or meal, grinding linseed cake, beans, maize and barley.
The 1858 OS map shows a small settlement with a school, a dwelling called Damback, a sawmill and a mill dam nearby.
A small Hessilhead 'Farm Town' hamlet still exists (co-ordinates 55°44′34.2″N 04°34′31.9″W / 55.742833°N 4.575528°W / 55.742833; -4.575528), dating from at least the 1740s judging by William Roy's map as previously noted.
This arrangement led to small farm towns like Hessilhead being established with accommodation for at least four men in six to eight houses, taking practical considerations into account.
A fine example of an old well survives, thirty feet deep with a sandstone slab cover, pierced with a hole that once held the hand pump.
[32] The small wing to the 1767 cottage could have been used as storage or for cattle; the surviving doocot shows that pigeons were kept in the loft above as an additional source of food.
John advised him to seek revenge and the next morning Gabriel and Robert gained entry into Hessilhead Castle where they found the lady alone, upon which they grabbed her by the hair, pulled her onto the floor, kicked her in the bowels, and bruised her shamefully.
Gabriel intended to shoot the Laird, however the whole household was now awake and the two only just managed to escape by stealing a horse and locking the castle gate from the outside.
They were to marry upon his return from the crusades, however Allan Lockhart, son of a neighbouring Baron began to pay frequent visits to the inmates of Aiket Castle.
After many more months had passed Allan decided to use trickery and eventually persuaded a foot soldier recently returned from the Crusades to tell the false tale of the death of Henry Montgomerie.
On the very day of the wedding, Henry returned to Hessilhead castle and discovered the treacherous act, but he fell from his horse on his way to claim his bride and died.
At midnight the wedding feast was halted abruptly by the figure of the fully armour clad Neil Montgomerie striding into Aiket Castle hall, lifting up the Lady Anna and then vanishing into the night.
Nothing is known about his life before about 1580, but contemporary or near-contemporary accounts suggest that he was brought up as a Protestant, spent some time in Argyll before leaving for the Continent, and was converted to Catholicism in Spain.
The range of his work is extensive, from elegant court songs to the bitter, sometimes contorted word-play of the sonnets associated with the dispute over his pension, from witty pieces addressed to the king to the profound religious sensibility of 'A godly prayer'.
[42] The Cherrie and the Slae, which he probably revised and completed shortly before his death, is an ambitious religious allegory, employing a demanding, lyrical form which suggests that it was intended for singing, despite its considerable length.
[42] His poetry reaches back to the earlier Makars, Robert Henryson, William Dunbar and Gavin Douglas, and some of his work invites comparison with Baroque writers.
The reformer Andrew Melville prosecuted Robert Montgomery and for this he was summoned before the Privy Council in 1584, and had to escape to England to avoid being charged with treason.
[46] The Cuff Hill rocking stone (NS 3827 5542) is a large glacial erratic boulder of basaltic greenstone lying on porphyrite that some associate with the Druids, part of the old Hessilhead Barony.
A live railway emergency exercise at Lugton on the DM Beith branch line in 2000 played a vital part in the ongoing process of protecting Scotland’s rail passengers.
