Belston Loch

Belston Loch
Belston Loch
	A view from the centre of Belston Loch
	Belston Loch The location of Belston Loch, East Ayrshire
Location	Ochiltree, East Ayrshire, Scotland
Coordinates	55°25′10″N4°24′37″W / 55.41944°N 4.41028°W
Lake type	Freshwater loch
Primary inflows	Polquharn Burn, rainfall and runoff
Primary outflows	Taiglum Burn.
Basin countries	Scotland
Settlements	Ochiltree

Last updated September 09, 2024

Belston Loch (NS 34894 16186), also recorded as Dromsmodda Loch^[1] is a small freshwater loch in the East Ayrshire Council Area, near Sinclairston, 2 miles (3.2 km) south-east of Drongan, lying in a glacial Kettle Hole.^[2] Parish of Ochiltree, Scotland.

The loch

Belston Loch in the 1880 is recorded as being 400m x 300m, the largest of four small lochs, two of them artificial, within the Parish of Ochiltree.^[3] Otherwise surrounded by farmland, the south-west area has a few hectares of woodland adjoining the lochshore.

Etymology

Recorded as Drumsmodda Loch in circa 1654, a Drumsmodden Farm is still extant. The Celtic name may survive in the name Polquhairn or Quhairn Pool.^[4]

Cartographic evidence

Robert Gordon's map of circa 1636-52 marks the loch and Auchencloigh Castle nearby.,^[5] located on the Taiglum Burn. Blaeu map of circa 1654 taken from Timothy Pont's map of circa 1600 shows a Drumsmodda Loch (sic) and nearby Auchencloigh Castle (sic) with significant grounds and woodland. A location recorded as Belstain is nearby.^[6] Molls map of 1745 shows a single loch that may be Belston.^[7] Roy's map of 1747 records the loch position.^[8] Armstrong's map of 1775 shows a substantial loch with a Belstoun and a Drumsmiden nearby.^[9] In 1821 the loch is clearly shown.^[10] In 1832 Thomson's map shows 'Belton Loch' with an inflow burn from Polquhairn.^[11]

Uses

The loch is part of Mauchline & Ballochmyle Angling Club; it holds some large rainbow, brown trout, and has some pike.^[12]

Curling matches are recorded as having taken place at the loch and a Belston Curling Club existed in the early 20th century. Wattie Young of Polquhairn held the club's minutes book.^[1]

Auchencloigh Castle

Auchencloigh Castle or Auchincloigh Castle (NGR NS 4945 1666) is a ruined fortification in the vicinity of Belston Loch near the Burnton Burn, lying within the feudal lands of the Craufurd Clan, situated in the Parish of Ochiltree, East Ayrshire, Scotland.

Micro-history

The area has seen extensive coal mining activity with an open cast mine and collieries at Drumsmodden, Polquhairn, Old Polquhairn, Auchlin, etc.^[2]

George Douglas Brown's father lived at Drumsmodden Farm. George was the author of The House with the Green Shutters .^[2]

Early highways ran close to the loch, as indicated by names such as Glenconner, conaire being a Gaelic word for "path", and there is a farm called Rottenrow near to Glenconner, possibly derived from 'Route de Roi', or King's Highway.^[13]

Related Research Articles

Ochiltree is a conservation village in East Ayrshire, Scotland, near Auchinleck and Cumnock. It is one of the oldest villages in East Ayrshire, with archaeological remains indicating Stone Age and Bronze Age settlers. A cinerary urn was found in 1955 during excavation for a new housing estate.

Fail Loch or Faile Loch was situated in a low-lying area near the old monastery of Fail in the Parish of Tarbolton, South Ayrshire, Scotland. The old Lochlea Loch lies nearby and its waters still feed into Fail Loch via the Mill Burn.

Hessilhead Loch or Hazelhead Loch was situated in a low-lying area near the old Castle of Hessilhead in the Parish of Beith, North Ayrshire, Scotland. The old loch, used in the defence of the castle, was probably infilled when the castle ruins were landscaped in the 19th century.

Knockewart Loch or Loch Jargon was situated in a hollow lying area beneath Knockewart Hill in the Parish of Ardrossan, North Ayrshire, Scotland. The old loch has become largely drained and overgrown since the late 19th century.

The Blae Loch is a small freshwater loch situated in a hollow in a low-lying area beneath Blaelochhead Hill in the Parish of Beith, North Ayrshire, Scotland.

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Trabboch Castle is a ruined L-plan tower house in the old Barony of Trabboch, Parish of Stair, East Ayrshire, Scotland.

The Loch of Stair was a typical Ayrshire post-glacial 'Kettle Hole', situated in a low-lying area below the farm of Loch Hill, in the Parish of Stair, East Ayrshire, Scotland. This freshwater loch was drained in the 19th century, leaving a wetland area which still periodically floods.

Carcluie Loch is a small freshwater loch in the South Ayrshire Council Area, lying in a glacial Kettle Hole, Parish of Dalrymple, Scotland.

Kerse Loch, also recorded as Carse Loch (1841) is a small freshwater loch in the East Ayrshire Council Area, lying in a glacial Kettle Hole, Parish of Dalrymple, Scotland.

Auchenbathie, Auchinbathie Tower or rarely Barcraigs Tower is a ruined fortification, a tower house, once held by the Wallace Clan of Elderslie, situated in Renfrewshire, Parish of Lochwinnoch, Scotland. The spelling used varies greatly and "Auchenbathie" will be used here as the standard spelling. The pronunciation locally is "Auchenbothy", the same as a Victorian mansion in Kilmacolm; no connection is known.

Auchencloigh Castle or Auchincloigh Castle is a ruined fortification near the Burnton Burn, lying within the feudal lands of the Craufurd Clan, situated in the Parish of Ochiltree, East Ayrshire, Scotland.

Plaid Loch was a freshwater loch in East Ayrshire, now a remnant due to drainage, near Sinclairston and 2 miles (3 km) south-east of Drongan, lying in a glacial kettle hole,.

South Palmerston Loch or Flush, previously known as Loch of the Hill, lying to the east of the 500 ft Back hill Mount. It was one of several small lochs within the Parish of Ochiltree. The loch, lying in a glacial kettle hole, drained into the Lugar Water via the Burnock Water.

Loch Shield, originally Loch of Scheel was a freshwater loch in the East Ayrshire Council Area, now drained, near Drongan, lying in a glacial Kettle Hole, Parish of Ochiltree, Scotland.

Whitehill Loch, previously known as Hillhouse Loch was a freshwater loch in the East Ayrshire Council Area, now drained, near Galston, in the Parish of Riccarton, lying in a glacial Kettle Hole.

Bruntwood Loch was a freshwater loch, now drained, lying in a glacial kettle hole in Galston, East Ayrshire, Scotland.

Black Loch is a freshwater loch, named from its dark waters, situated in the East Ayrshire Council Area, between Cumnock and New Cumnock, lying in a glacial Kettle Hole mainly within the Parish of New Cumnock, with a small portion protruding into Old Cumnock Parish. It is said to be one of only two lochs or lakes in the world that have outflows running to two separate destinations. The 'Runner' is a deep and broad ditch that was dug many years ago to link the three lochs of Lowes, Black, and Creoch.

Creoch Loch, previously known as Little Creoch Loch, is a freshwater loch in the Parish of New Cumnock in the East Ayrshire Council Area between Cumnock and New Cumnock, Scotland. It is located in a glacial kettle hole and is one of three linked lochs.

The Lands of Borland or Boreland formed a castle and land holdings within the old Barony of Cumnock, East Ayrshire, Parish of Old Cumnock, Scotland. Lying two miles south of Cumnock the property was mainly held by a cadet branch of the Hamilton family from around 1400 before passing by marriage to the Montgomeries and others. For consistency the spelling 'Borland' will be used throughout.

References

Notes

1 2 Curling Pond Sites retrieved : 2011-11-11
1 2 3 Love, Page 197
↑ Vision of Britain Retrieved : 2011-11-11
↑ Ayrshire Roots Retrieved : 2011-11-11
↑ Gordon's Map Retrieved : 2011-11-11
↑ Blaeu's Map Retrieved : 2011-11-11
↑ Moll's Map Retrieved : 2011-11-11
↑ Roy's Map retrieved : 2011-11-11
↑ Armstrong's Map Retrieved : 2011-11-11
↑ Ainslie Retrieved : 2011-11-11
↑ Thomson's Map Retrieved : 2011-11-11
↑ Fly Fishing Forum Archived March 11, 2012, at the Wayback Machine Retrieved : 2011-11-11
↑ Old Roads of Scotland Retrieved : 2011-11-11

Sources

Love, Dane (2003). Ayrshire : Discovering a County. Ayr : Fort Publishing. ISBN 0-9544461-1-9.

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[Smith-1] 1 2 Curling Pond Sites retrieved : 2011-11-11

[L-2] 1 2 3 Love, Page 197

[3] Vision of Britain Retrieved : 2011-11-11

[4] Ayrshire Roots Retrieved : 2011-11-11

[5] Gordon's Map Retrieved : 2011-11-11

[6] Blaeu's Map Retrieved : 2011-11-11

[7] Moll's Map Retrieved : 2011-11-11

[8] Roy's Map retrieved : 2011-11-11

[9] Armstrong's Map Retrieved : 2011-11-11

[10] Ainslie Retrieved : 2011-11-11

[11] Thomson's Map Retrieved : 2011-11-11

[12] Fly Fishing Forum Archived March 11, 2012, at the Wayback Machine Retrieved : 2011-11-11

[13] Old Roads of Scotland Retrieved : 2011-11-11

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