Bruntwood Loch

Bruntwood Loch
Bruntwood Loch
	Site of Bruntwood Loch
	Bruntwood Loch The location of Bruntwood Loch, East Ayrshire
Location	East Ayrshire, Scotland
Coordinates	55°33′41.5″N4°22′32.2″W / 55.561528°N 4.375611°W
Type	Freshwater loch
Primary inflows	The Middleyard and Blacks Burns, rainfall and runoff
Primary outflows	Little Sorn Burn
Basin countries	Scotland
Settlements	Mauchline

Last updated September 06, 2024

Bruntwood Loch (NS 50265 32454) was a freshwater loch, now drained, lying in a glacial kettle hole in Galston, East Ayrshire, Scotland.

The loch

Bruntwood Loch, in the south-western extremity of Galston Parish, had been completely drained by 1882-1885.^[1]

Wildlife

In the 'Birds of Ayrshire and Wigton' of 1869, the Eurasian bittern (Botaurus stellaris) is recorded to have once bred at Bruntwood Loch.^[2] The 1861 OS Gazetteer refers to it as a quondam loch, meaning former loch, having once been much frequented by waterfowl, but now completely under the plough.^[3]

The Lairds

In 1406 Dame Joanna de Keith grants 'Bryntwood' (sic) to her son Andree de Hamylton. The Lords of Council in 1491 decreed that Alexander Hamilton of Bruntwood should pay Alan Lord Cathcart ten Scot pound, owed to said Alan. The King consented in 1485 to a charter granting 'Birnwood' to Alexander Hamilton, armiger, and to Marjorie Lindsay his wife.^[4]

It is recorded in 1565 that James Hamilton of Fynnart, Knt., was the father of James Hamilton of Crawfordjohn (whose wife was Dame Helen Cunningham); land had reverted to Henry Lord Methven and to Margaret, Queen of Scotland; then from the Queen to James V; Crawfordjohn then redeems them. The lands included the "2 marcat. land of Bruntwood, with mills, tennements, and fishing".^[4]

The King consented in 1608 to a charter granting to George Campbell of Cesnock and Agnes Cunningham his wife, the "2 mercatarum of Bruntwode in the parish of Riccardton (sic)". James Hamilton of Evendaill was the grantor. The King in 1611 granted James, Duke of Hamilton, "2 mercat. de Bruntwode, cum molendinis, tenentibus:..etc.." in the Bailliary of Kyle Stewart. In 1618 the King grants George and Hugh Campbell "...2 mercatas land of Bruntwood in parish of Ricartoun..." belonging to James, son and heir apparent of James Hamilton of Evendaill; Margaret Cunningham was his future wife.^[4]

In 1620, Margaret Campbell, oldest daughter of deceased George Campbell, Master of Lowdown, and spouse of Lord John Campbell, oldest son of James Campbell of Laweris, Knt. was granted "land of Bruntwood with tenements, 40 sol. land of Auchinruglen, 20 sol. of Sorne, 10 sol. of Sornehill with mill.." These lands were resigned by Hugh, Lord of Loudoun, and the King granted anew, incorporating these lands in the free Barony of Wester Loudoun, the manor place of Wester Loudoun being the principal place or caput, these arrangements to go into effect after the death of Hugh Lowdown.^[4]

William Muir of Bruntwood was the uncle of Robert Montgomerie of Bogston near Beith. William's eldest daughter, Elizabeth, married Robert and had eighteen children, of whom only three reached adulthood.^[5]

Cartographic evidence

Blaeu's map of 1654 from the original by Timothy Pont of circa 1604, shows the loch clearly, the dwelling of Lochend and Bruntwood, with a single inflow.^[6] Roys map of 1747 shows ploughed fields, records Lochend and shows the toll road that ran from Mauchline to Galston at the western boundary of the loch.^[7] Armstrongs 1775 map shows the loch, with two inflows, and the estate policies of Bruntwood on the lochshore, showing that the loch was an integral part of the designed landscape.^[8] Ainslie's map of 1821 shows the loch, a single inflow and the dwelling of Lochend.^[9] Thomson's map of 1832 does not show the loch.^[10] The 1908 OS map no longer shows Lochend and indicates a deep drainage ditch at the site of the loch itself.^[11] The loch was overlooked by Bruntwoodhill Farm, Bruntwood Mains Farm, and Bruntwood House, with Little Sorn on the route of the outflow. The 1895 6" OS map shows a deep drainage ditch below Bruntwood Mains, draining the waters of the old loch.^[12]

Archaeology

A stone whorl was found in the earth above the rock of Cowgrove Quarry. Two other whorls and two polished stone axes were found in the locality.^[13]

Micro-history

The National Archives of Scotland hold records show that coal mines ran beneath the farm and lands of Bruntwood.^[14]

Marl, a lime rich material was often present in the bottom of lochs and was a valuable fertilizer.^[15]

Bruntwood House was a lairds dwelling and until the late eighteenth century the family of Moor or Muir were the owners. The family coat of arms is still to be seen above the front doorway of the 'B' Listed house.^[16]

Related Research Articles

Galston is a town in East Ayrshire, Scotland, which has a population of 5,001 (2001) and is at the heart of the civil parish of the same name.

Kerelaw Castle is a castle ruin. It is situated on the coast of North Ayrshire, Scotland in the town of Stevenston.

Lambroughton Loch or Wheatrig Loch was situated in a low-lying area between the farms and dwellings of Hillhead, Lambroughton, Wheatrig, Titwood and Lochridge mainly in the Parish of Dreghorn, North Ayrshire. The loch was mainly fed by the Lochridge Burn, the Garrier Burn and surface runoff, such as from the old rig and furrows indicated by Roy's maps of the mid-18th century. The loch outflow was via the Lochridge Burn that runs into the Garrier Burn, passes the site of the old Lochend habitation and into the Bracken Burn near Little Alton. The rivulet or watercourse is known as the Garrier Burn beyond this point.

Littlestane Loch, was situated in the mid-Ayrshire clayland near Stanecastle, Irvine, North Ayrshire, Scotland. It is nowadays (2011) only visible as an area of permanent water in the Scottish Wildlife Trust Sourlie Nature Reserve. The loch was natural, sitting in a hollow created by glaciation. The loch waters outflow was via the Red Burn that flows into the River Garnock. The site of Littlestane Loch site is partly built over and much of the site is now public open space lying within the Parish of Girdle Toll.

Helenton Loch was situated in a low lying area between the farms and dwellings of Helentongate, Mains, and Burnbank in the Parish of Symington, South Ayrshire, Scotland. The loch was natural, sitting in a hollow, a kettle hole, created by glaciation. The loch waters ultimately drained via the Pow Burn. Helenton Hill is a prominent landmark to the west of the old loch site. The nearby lands of Rosemount were in 1549 known as 'Goldring' and were the property of the Schaws of Sornbeg.

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.

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.

The Galrigs Loch was a substantial freshwater loch situated in low lying area between Newfield and Dundonald in South Ayrshire, Scotland. It was drained in the early 18th century.

The Loch of Trabboch or Dalrympleston Loch (NS440211) was situated in a low-lying area below the old Castle of Trabboch, once held by the Boyd family in the 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.

Lochend Loch, which once had nearly three acres in surface area is now only a small freshwater loch remnant. It lies in the South Ayrshire Council Area, lying on the hill above Joppa, between Gallowhill and Lochend Farm.

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.

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.

Loch Gate, previously known as Loch Gait, was a freshwater loch, partly in the East Ayrshire Council Area and partly in South Lanarkshire, now mainly drained, near Darvel, lying in a glacial kettle hole, Parish of Galston, 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.

Haining Place or The Haining in the Parish of Kilmarnock lies near an old fording place across the Cessnock Water in East Ayrshire, Parish of Riccarton, Scotland. Hanyng (sic) was the caput or laird's dwelling of the Barony of Haining-Ross with a tower house or keep located in a defensive position on a high promontory of land, half encircled by the river. Later Haining Place may have been a dower house, then a tenanted farm, finally being used as farm workers accommodation. Haining Place is now a ruin following a fire. The old farm of Haining Mains is still located nearby.

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.

The Lands of Dallars or Auchenskeith (NS463337) form a small estate in East Ayrshire, Hurlford, Kilmarnock, Parish of Riccarton, Scotland. The present mansion house is mainly late 18th-century, located within a bend of the Cessnock Water on the site of older building/s. "Dullers or Dillers" was changed to "Auchenskeith" or "Auchinskeigh" (sic) as well as other variants and then the name reverted nearer to the original form as "Dollars" and then finally "Dallars". Dallars lies 3.25 km south of Hurlford.

The Castle and Lands of Auchruglen (NS5365436797) was a peel tower in the old district of Kyle held at different times by the Nesbitt and Campbell Clans and located near Newmilns, Parish of Galston, East Ayrshire, Scotland.

References

Notes

↑ Gazetteer for Scotland Retrieved : 2011-11-29
↑ Birds of Ayrshire & Wigton Retrieved : 2011-12-10
↑ OS Gazetteer Retrieved : 2011-12-10
1 2 3 4 Rootsweb Retrieved : 2012-01-16
↑ Paterson, Page 82
↑ Blaeu's Map Retrieved : 2011-12-10
↑ Roy's Map Retrieved : 2011-12-10
↑ Armstrong's Map retrieved : 2011-12-10
↑ Ainslie's Map. Retrieved : 2011-12-10
↑ Thomson's Map Retrieved : 2011-12-10
↑ OS Map Retrieved : 2011-12-10
↑ OS Map Retrieved : 2011-11-30
↑ Canmore Retrieved : 2011-12-12
↑ National Archives Retrieved : 2011-12-10
↑ Watson, Fiona and Dixon, Piers (2024). A History of Scotland's Landscapes. Edinburgh : Historic Environment Scotland. ISBN 978-1-849173-33-9. P. 117
↑ Love, Page 133

Sources

Love, Dane (2003). Ayrshire : Discovering a County. Ayr : Fort Publishing. ISBN 0-9544461-1-9.
Paterson, James (1866). History of the Counties of Ayrs and Wigton. Vol. IV. Cuninghame. Part 1. Edinburgh : James Stillie.

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[1] Gazetteer for Scotland Retrieved : 2011-11-29

[2] Birds of Ayrshire & Wigton Retrieved : 2011-12-10

[3] OS Gazetteer Retrieved : 2011-12-10

[R-4] 1 2 3 4 Rootsweb Retrieved : 2012-01-16

[5] Paterson, Page 82

[6] Blaeu's Map Retrieved : 2011-12-10

[7] Roy's Map Retrieved : 2011-12-10

[8] Armstrong's Map retrieved : 2011-12-10

[9] Ainslie's Map. Retrieved : 2011-12-10

[10] Thomson's Map Retrieved : 2011-12-10

[11] OS Map Retrieved : 2011-12-10

[12] OS Map Retrieved : 2011-11-30

[13] Canmore Retrieved : 2011-12-12

[14] National Archives Retrieved : 2011-12-10

[oos-15] Watson, Fiona and Dixon, Piers (2024). A History of Scotland's Landscapes. Edinburgh : Historic Environment Scotland. ISBN 978-1-849173-33-9. P. 117

[16] Love, Page 133

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