Nettlehirst

Nettlehirst or Nettlehurst was a small mansion house (NS365504) and estate in the Parish of Beith, near Barrmill in North Ayrshire, Scotland.

The 1856 OS map shows an L-shaped building at the site of the later 'castle' with a detached outbuilding nearby and a saw pit close to the house.

[2] In 1902 a footpath connected the burial ground directly to Giffen Station and the road to South Barr and Gatend.

The dramatic fire coincided with the return from South Beach by a special train of Barrmill Sunday School trip on the line from Ardrossan to Giffen Station.

The unusual entrance gatepiers, apple and pear orchard, boundary walls, mausoleum, farm and the stables, with its crow stepped gable ends and an 1811 marriage stone remain.

[7] The old drawing illustrated here shows that the area was heavily planted with trees, especially yews that were felled for their timber.

The OS Map shows a family burial ground located near woodland to the south of the old house site.

The fine red sandstone structure still survives (2010) although the crypt is said to have been broken into during WW2 by soldiers 'looking for treasure' and the frontage stones are much disturbed.

In 1804, Captain John Fulton of Grangehill married Catherine MacLellan, only daughter of the Rev.

[8] David Maclellan wrote articles under the name 'Urtica' (The scientific binomial for a stinging nettle is Urtica dioica).

William Patrick of Roughwood obtained Nettlehirst from the Fultons and it later became part of the Giffin House estate.

In 1915 it was sold to Mr Thomas Currie Kerr JP, at that time a well known ironmaster[11] and owner of the limeworks.

The faint remains of ruined cottages are still visible on the lane from Greenhills to Nettlehirst and these were once weavers shops and the steading on the corner was known as 'Nanny Pringle's o'the Haghead'.