Kennox House

Kennox House is situated on Kilwinning Road between Stewarton to Torranyard in North Ayrshire, Parish of Dunlop, Scotland.

[1] The letters of Sir David Cunningham of Auchenharvie to his cousin the laird of Robertland preserved in the National Archives of Scotland detail his efforts to purchase some of these lands (NAS GD237/25/1-4) He sold some of them in turn to James Douglas of Chesters in 1642 (RGS, ix, (1634–1651), no.1189) In 1691 the Hearth Tax records show the Lands of Crivoch with twelve families and the largest dwelling, that of Mistress Miller, possessing four.

[1] John Somerville married Janet, eldest daughter and heiress of Alexander Montgomerie of Assloss House (previously Aslois, Sloss or Asloace) near Kilmarnock.

[5] Patterson records that the McAlester's were Jacobites and had lost their estates and money after 1745, however this marriage restored their fortunes and, as stated, 'Somerville' has been retained in the patronym and coat of arms.

[6] Captain Charles Somerville McAlester married Williamina P. Pollok - Morris of Craig House.

They bequeathed the part of the Barony of Bollingshaw named Chapelton to their younger son James, who never married and died in 1857.

The current chief of the clan is William St John Somerville McAlester of Loup and Kennox who lives in England.

[7] The old cottage beyond the site of the old mill was known as Crevoch and a building of that name is placed in this area in Timothy Pont's map of 1604.

Kennox possesses one of the few surviving, although long unused, Saw pits, clearly marked on the first edition of the OS map.