Halket Loch

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Halket Loch
Halket Loch site.JPG
The site of Halket Loch
East Ayrshire UK relief location map.jpg
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Halket Loch
Location Lugton, East Ayrshire, Scotland
Coordinates Coordinates: 55°44′15.9″N4°31′21.3″W / 55.737750°N 4.522583°W / 55.737750; -4.522583
Type Drained freshwater loch
Primary inflows Rainfall and runoff
Primary outflows Glazert Water
Basin  countriesScotland
Surface area40,000 square metres (9.9 acres)
Settlements Lugton

Halket Loch' also known as Halkhead or Halketh, [1] was situated in the mid-Ayrshire clayland near Lugton. It is visible as a surface depression in pastureland, sometimes partially flooded, situated in a low-lying area close to farms and dwellings of East, North and Middle Halket and Craighead in the Parish of Dunlop, East Ayrshire, Scotland. The loch was natural, sitting in a hollow created by glaciation. The loch waters drained via the Glazert Water that joins the Annick Water.

Contents

History

East Halket House East Halket House.JPG
East Halket House

Gabriel Porterfield and his wife Jean Maxwell had a conjunct liferent of 'Halketh' and its loch on a charter of Robert Montgomerie of Hessilhead, dated 24 May 1634. [2] In 1648 the loch was held by John Porterfield of Hapland, as heir to his father Gabriel. [1] The loch was later inherited by his brother Alexander on 5 October 1653. The lands and Loch of Halket later lay within the Barony of Robertland as recorded by a charter under the Great Seal of 8 July 1676. [3] Blaeu's map of 1654, based on Timothy Pont's work of the late 16th century, shows a 'Halkhead Loch', with a single property, Halkhead, nearby.

Halket was a post-glacial loch and lies beneath the prominent hill known as Craighead Law. Thomson's map of 1832 refers to the loch as 'Hawkhead'. [4] Lochridgehills Farm, with its descriptive and indicative placename, lies near to shoreline at the site of the old Halket Loch. [5] [6]

Drainage

Crops in the area were greatly prone to mildew and this was one of the reasons for the demise of the loch. [7] The loch was substantially drained in 1815 [3] or 1830 [8] The Glazert Water and the loch are marked on Thomson's map of 1828, however the outflow had been canalised by the time of the first Ordnance Survey of the mid 19th century, presumably as part of the loch drainage works. Paterson records that the cost of the loch drainage was shared between the surrounding proprietors and the creation of an excellent meadow was the outcome. [7] Further drainage work may have taken place as part of the improvements undertaken to provide employment for Irish estate workers during the Irish potato famines of the mid 19th centuries. Many drainage schemes also date to the end of World War I when many soldiers returned en masse to civilian life. [9]

Craighead Law

Craighead Law above Halket Loch's site Craighead Law & Halket Loch.JPG
Craighead Law above Halket Loch's site

Craighead Lea or Law hill, 687 ft (209 m) high, is said to be a Moot hill, a justice or court hill controlled in feudal times by the local baron. Stones on its summit appear to be deliberately positioned and a grass covered cairn is very noticeable. A farmer from East Halket removed one of these to facilitate his ploughing. One stone on the summit has a vertical hole drilled to the depth of four feet or so, presumably to be used for ‘slot’ for a flagpole for flying a standard, a similar arrangement to that which existed at the Borestone at Greenhills near Beith. Near Aiket Castle is another Court Hill. [10] Smith sees the law as a moot hill and as also a fort. [11]

Scotland relief location map.jpg
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Halket Loch
Previous location of Halket Loch, East Ayrshire

Micro-history

Upon the murder of the 4th Earl of Eglinton at Stewarton in April 1586 the loch is mentioned in one version of the events - Their horsemen rode by the waters of Corsehill and Lugton and Glazert: they skirted the Halket Loch and the base of the rocky knolls of Dunlop. This indicates that the loch was of some significant size in the 1580s. [12]

On the lands of East Halket stood a highland grit standing stone, standing 4 ft 6in high, [11] removed circa 1905. [10]

This surname Halket was derived from the lands of Halkhead, Renfrewshire, although a family bearing the name de Ross have long been in record as possessors of the property. The place name may have originally been Hawkwood. Sir Henry Hakette witnessed a charter in 1230, and appears to be the first of the name on record. Halkit, Halkhet, Halkette, Haket, Hacet, Hacat, Hakkett, Holkat, Halkhead, Halkhaide, Halkheid, and Halkheide are all variations of the name Halkhead. [13]

In 1896 a new road, the Halket Road, 7 furlongs long, was built between the Duniflat and the Bradlie Roads. [14]

Related Research Articles

Barony and Castle of Corsehill Barony in East Ayrshire, Scotland

The old Barony and castle of Corsehill lay within the feudal Baillerie of Cunninghame, near Stewarton, now East Ayrshire, Scotland.

Dunlop, East Ayrshire Human settlement in Scotland

Dunlop is a village and parish in East Ayrshire, Scotland. It lies on the A735, north-east of Stewarton, seven miles from Kilmarnock. The road runs on to Lugton and the B706 enters the village from Beith and Burnhouse.

Lugton Human settlement in Scotland

Lugton is a small village or hamlet in East Ayrshire, Scotland with a population of 80 people. The A736 road runs through on its way from Glasgow, 15 miles (24.1 km) to the north, to Irvine in North Ayrshire. Uplawmoor is the first settlement on this 'Lochlibo Road' to the north and Burnhouse is to the south. The settlement lies on the Lugton Water which forms the boundary between East Ayrshire and East Renfrewshire as well as that of the parishes of Dunlop and Beith.

Hessilhead

Hessilhead is in Beith, North Ayrshire, Scotland. Hessilhead used to be called Hazlehead or Hasslehead. The lands were part of the Lordship of Giffen, and the Barony of Hessilhead, within the Baillerie of Cunninghame and the Parish of Beith. The castle was situated at grid reference NS380532.

Kilwinning Abbey Monastery in North Ayrshire, Scotland, UK

Kilwinning Abbey is a ruined abbey located in the centre of the town of Kilwinning, North Ayrshire.

Auchentiber Human settlement in Scotland

The hamlet of Auchentiber is in North Ayrshire, Parish of Kilwinning, Scotland. Auchentiber is 4 miles (6.4 km) NE of Kilwinning on the Lochlibo Road, 2.2 miles (3.5 km) from the hamlet of Burnhouse and 2.6 miles (4.2 km) from the village of Barrmill. Grid Ref. NS3647. Some new housing has been built, but the settlement is still very much a hamlet. The settlement is on the Lugton Water, which runs into the River Garnock after running through Montgreenan and Eglinton Country Park in Irvine.

Barony and Castle of Giffen Barony in the former District of Cunninghame, now North Ayrshire

The Barony of Giffen and its associated 15th-century castle were in the parish of Beith in the former District of Cunninghame, now North Ayrshire. The site may be spelled Giffen or Giffin and lay within the Lordship of Giffin, which included the Baronies of Giffen, Trearne, Hessilhead, Broadstone, Roughwood and Ramshead; valued at £3788 9s 10d. The Barony of Giffen comprised a number of properties, including Greenhills, Thirdpart, Drumbuie, Nettlehirst and Balgray, covering about half of the parish of Beith. Giffen was a hundred merk land, separated from the Barony of Beith, a forty-pound land, by the Powgree Burn which rises on Cuff hill. The Lugton Water or the Bungle Burn running through Burnhouse may have been the Giffen barony boundary with that of the adjacent barony and lands of Aiket castle.

Lugton Water

The Lugton Water, the largest tributary of the River Garnock, runs 14 miles (23 km) from Loch Libo in Uplawmoor, through Lugton and the parishes of Neilston, Beith, Dunlop, Stewarton and Kilwinning. The Lugton joins the Garnock below the tidal limit, shortly after passing through Eglinton Country Park, developed around the ancient estate of the Earl of Eglinton.

Fergushill

Fergushill is a small community in North Ayrshire, Parish of Kilwinning, Scotland. The Barony of Fergushill was held by the Fergushill family of that Ilk and the area has a complex history.

Barony of Aiket Barony in Scotland

The Barony of Aiket with its castle, lay within the old feudal bailiary of Cunninghame. The barony lands equate to the extant Parish of Dunlop, East Ayrshire, Scotland.

Caldwell, East Renfrewshire

Caldwell is a mansion and old estate with the remains of a castle nearby. These lands lie close to the Lugton Water and the villages of Uplawmoor in East Renfrewshire and Lugton in East Ayrshire.

Kennox House

Kennox House is situated on Kilwinning Road between Stewarton to Torranyard in North Ayrshire, Parish of Dunlop, Scotland. The house overlooks the Glazert Burn, which runs into the Annick Water at Watermeetings.

Lands of Lainshaw

The Lands of Lainshaw lie in Strathannick and were part of the Lordship of Stewarton, in East Ayrshire, Scotland. Lainshaw House is a category B listed mansion, lying in a prominent position above the Annick Water and its holm in the Parish of Stewarton, Scotland. Part of the much older Lainshaw Castle is contained within the several later building phases of the present day Lainshaw House. The names 'Langshaw' or 'Langschaw' were used in historic times. Law Mount near the High and Laigh Castleton farms has been suggested as the site of the original castle, granted in the 12th century to Godfrey de Ross by Hugo de Morville.

Hill of Beith Castle

The old Barony and castle, fortalice, or tower house of Hill of Beith lay in the feudal Regality of Kilwinning, within the Baillerie of Cunninghame, and the Sherrifdom of Ayr, now the Parish of Beith, North Ayrshire, Scotland.

Loch Brand

Loch Brand or Loch of Boghall was a loch situated in a depression between the Grange Estate, Crummock, Hill of Beith Castle site and Boghall in the Parish of Beith, North Ayrshire, Scotland. The loch was fed by the Grange Burn and surface runoff, such as from the old rig and furrows indicated by Roy's Maps of the mid 17th century. The loch was drained by the Boghall Burn that runs passed the 'Court Hill' and into Powgree Burn at Gateside.

Hessilhead Loch

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

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.

Lands of Doura

The Lands of Doura, Dawra, Dawray, DowreyDowray, Dourey or Douray formed a small estate, at one time part of the Barony of Corsehill and Doura, situated near the Eglinton Estate in the Parish of Kilwinning, North Ayrshire, Scotland.

Lands of Borland Human settlement in Scotland

The Lands of Borland formed an estate lying between Aiket Castle and the town of Dunlop, East Ayrshire, Parish of Dunlop, Scotland. The laird's house at Borland stood near the Sandy Ford over the Glazert Water. The names Bordland, Boreland, Borland, Laigh Borland, Low Borland and Nether Borland have all been applied to the site of the laird's house.

Lands of Templehouse Human settlement in Scotland

The Lands of Templehouse formed a small estate lying between Aiket Castle and the town of Dunlop, East Ayrshire, Parish of Dunlop, Scotland. The laird's house at Templeland of Dunlop Hill, to give it its formal name, stood near to the ancient road leading from Dunlop to Kirkwood and on to Kennox. The lands were held by the Knights Templar until a date prior to 1570 when the Gemmells of Templehouse were granted the property and remained there until 1962, a period of around 500 years. The spelling 'Gemmell' is used for consistency except where otherwise denoted.

References

Notes;

  1. 1 2 Paterson, Page 237
  2. ↑ Paterson, Page 236
  3. 1 2 Dobie, Page 205
  4. ↑ Thomson's Map Retrieved : 2011-01-08
  5. ↑ Lochridgehills Farm Retrieved ; 2011-01-08
  6. ↑ Love, Page 94
  7. 1 2 Paterson, Page 215
  8. ↑ Vision of Britain Retrieved : 2011-01-08
  9. ↑ MacIntosh, Pages 37 & 39
  10. 1 2 Bayne, Page 14
  11. 1 2 Smith, Page 84
  12. ↑ The Feud of Glencairn and Eglinton. Archived 12 December 2007 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved : 2011-01-09
  13. ↑ Halket Coat of Arms Retrieved : 2011-01-08
  14. ↑ Old Roads of Scotland. Retrieved : 2011-01-08

Sources;

  1. Bayne, John F. (1935). Dunlop Parish - A History of Church, Parish, and Nobility. Edinburgh : T. & A. Constable.
  2. Dobie, James D. (ed Dobie, J.S.) (1876). Cunninghame, Topographized by Timothy Pont 1604–1608, with continuations and illustrative notices. Glasgow : John Tweed.
  3. Love, Dane (2003). Ayrshire : Discovering a County. Ayr : Fort Publishing. ISBN   0-9544461-1-9.
  4. MacIntosh, Donald (2006). Travels in Galloway. Glasgow : Neil Wilson. ISBN   1-897784-92-9.
  5. Paterson, James (1863–66). History of the Counties of Ayr and Wigton. V. - IV - Cunninghame. Part 1. Edinburgh : J. Stillie.
  6. Smith, John (1895). Prehistoric Man in Ayrshire. London : Elliot Stock.
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