Kirkwood Estate, East Ayrshire
[2][3] John Niving (sic), a notary public held the property in the early 17th century and died in December 1616.
John elder and Cristine Boyd his wife kept the free tenement of one half of the lands with the dwelling house.
[2] The fifth laird of Kirk wood was also named John Nevin, and his wife was Katherine Fairnellie, Hew and Christine Nevings being their children.
James married Margaret Montgomery, but left no children and the property passes to Hugh Nevin, seventh laird of Kirkwood.
[2] On 25 July 1666, a summons was issued of Hew Neving of Kirkwood against John Richie in Byres of Kilwinning, for non-payment of £67 being the silver maill and duty of the lands of Darnboig, which belong to the pursuer.
A charter reads:Charter, granting to Hugh, Earl of Eglinton, Lord Montgomery and Kilwinning his heirs &c the 2½ merk lands of the same called Kirkwood Neivine with building etc, the 2½ merk lands of Craiglie with the commomty of Large &c .
The Corsehill Baron-Court records show that Hughe Niven of Kirkwood was one of the baillies from at least January 1673 as he participates as the honouris balizee of Sir Alexander Cunynghame of Corshil (sic) from that date[4] Another baillie at this time was one John Deanes, a merchant of the Kirkton of Stewarton.
[8] The position of baillie was a powerful one and they had many ways of making money for themselves, such as the bailie's 'darak', as it was called, or a day's labour in the year from every tenant on the estate; confiscations, as they generally seized on all the goods and effects of such as suffered capitally; all fines for killing game, blackfish, or cutting green wood were laid on by themselves, and sometimes went into their own pockets.
[14] In 1922 Richard John Cunninghame of Lainshaw sold Townhead of Kirkwood to James and Thomas Paterson, Farmers.
[15] In 1779 a mansion still stood at Kirkwood near the middle of a small enclosure, with an apparently raised area in front, delineated by trees.
[14] The field or 'Park' names of Kirkwood and Gunshill are of interest, including Whin, Johnshill, Stone, Byrestead, Gooseward, Ward, Wood, Long Crooks, Hillock Holm and the Chapel-lands across the road.
[20] A field going by the curious name of 'Kilwinning Butts' was located on the Lands of Kirkwood on the road leading to Dunlop Church in the 19th century.
[22] The plethora of apparently religious names in this area – Kirkwood, Chapel-lands Park, Kirkmuirs, Kirkhill, Lady Moss, High Cross, Canaan and the Kilbride farms, suggest that in the past pre-Christian and/or Christian site or sites were located here.
Bride, Brigit or St. Brigid was originally a Celtic Goddess linked with the festival of Imbolc, held on the eve of the first of February.
John Niven set up as a blacksmith and was well known for designing a building a cart, with wheels that rotated on a fixed axle, at a time when most farmers still used sleds.
[24] Stories of ghosts at North Kilbride include an old man often seen in a rocking chair and horses cantering by onto the abandoned road to Irvinehill Farm.
