In 1848 the Scottish Journal records that a number of years ago the foundation of a ruin of considerable extent was removed by the late proprietor.

[3] In 1853 Mr. Dobie recorded that There can still be traced the meiths (boundary line) of a building of considerable extent on the top of the Hill of Borland.

A local tradition is that the monks of Kilwinning Abbey had a hospice for their brethren at Borland where medicinal herbs were grown in a formal garden.

[9] A substantial and ornately carved table style gravestone in the Dunlop graveyard records a William Anderson who died aged 70 on 3 December 179(?

attached, in a sheltered situation on the side of Glazert Burn about ½ mile south-west of Dunlop, the property of Andrew Brown Esq.

The prominent cylindrical gate piers with conical caps to the south also date from 1916 and are placed slightly back from the line of the wall.

A culvert or cundy runs beneath the garden and exists as a stream on the north side that drains into the Glazert Water.

[13] Its relative inaccessibility due to the ford had been partly overcome by a hardcore access from Over Borland however the council required its demolition on safety grounds as it was deemed unsafe for the kids playing down there in the burn/ford.

The workers cottages, one occupied by Mrs Watt, were thatched up until demolition and an associated small ruined building, probably a pigsty, still exists partly built into the hillside.

[13] A family gravestone in Dunlop parish church graveyard records a John Watt, farmer in Boreland (sic) whose wife was Ann Craig.

Timothy Pont records that Over and Nether Borland were held by the Kennedys, Earls of Cassilis in the early 17th century, the lands having passed to them from Godfrey de Ross who "..hauing his refidence heir enioyed ample possefions abrode in ye countrey and ves for ye tyme Shriffe of Aire."

[16] The name 'Borland' is popularly thought to derive from the hunting of boar in the area however another authority points out that "Bordlands signifie the desmenes which lords keep in their hands for the maintenance of their board or table."

John Dunlop, fourth of Borland, married a Montgomerie of High Cross near Stewarton and had three children, one of whom died young.

[26] John Dunlop, fifth of Borland, married Mary Clark of Shitterflat (sic) who was the daughter of William Clerk, portioner of that property and his spouse Margaret Simpson.

[11] Thomas and Jane Reid built a fine new house at North Borland whilst Andrew and Mary Brown inherited "the original mansion, lately rebuilt, on the banks of the Glazert, in a remarkable pleasant situation.."[2] The Lands of Borland were apparently held for many years by what might be best described as 'Bonnet Lairds', named from petty landowners who wore a hat or bonnet like the humble working labourers.

On 4 November 1570, William and Alexander Cunninghame of Aiket were brought to trial for ambushing and together with others, killing John Mure of Caldwell on the Lands of Borland,[28] however they were acquitted.

An old tradition relates that 'shortly' after the murder of John Mure, the young Dunlop Laird of Hapland was persuaded against his mother's wishes to join the Cunninghames of Aiket in a raid on one of their neighbours that they were feuding with.

The laird's mother had a dream that predicted her son's death and it indeed came to pass that he fell, mortally wounded, on the banks of the Annick Water, near Stewarton and his horse foaming and spent returned riderless to Hapland, having escaped from the field of battle where his master had died.

[1] It is interesting that as detailed above Patrick Cunninghame shortly after excambied or exchanged his 'Lands of Borland' for those of David Dunlop's 'Lands of Hapland'.

The walled garden is shown with internal beds equally divided into four by paths with an entrance off Sandy Ford Lane.

A well is shown close to the old worker's cottages and another lies off the end of a well made path that extends towards the Glazert behind Borland House.

A footbridge stands at the ford and a second path links what is now marked as Laigh Borland with the lane out towards Dunlop via the Straitbow Bridge.

[32] The 1909 OS map shows a few changes in that the pond is not marked, only a single track runs up towards the Dunlop road via the Straitbow Bridge and the farm cottages have fenced or walled enclosures behind them.

[33] The name Boarland (sic) could refer to the presence of wild boar,[34] however a 'Boor' also meant a serf and Norman lords often apportioned lands near their castles for their servants.

[35] Another interpretation is that Borland or Bordland meant the land that was granted to the feudal superior, Godfrey de Ross, specifically to be used to furnish food for his castle or dwelling.

[16] in 1618 Gabriel Porterfield married Mariot Crawfurd and inherited the lands of Gills, Lothrihill, the Templeland and Maynes (Mains) of Hapland, including the mansion house and also acquired Dunlop Hill.