Lochspouts

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Lochspouts Loch
Lochspouts from Craigfin Hill - geograph.org.uk - 226554.jpg
Lochspouts from Craigfin Hill
South Ayrshire UK relief location map.jpg
Red pog.svg
Lochspouts Loch
Location Maybole, South Ayrshire, Scotland
Coordinates Coordinates: 55°18′58.3″N4°41′55.0″W / 55.316194°N 4.698611°W / 55.316194; -4.698611
Type Drained freshwater loch
Primary inflows Pisga and Greentop Burns
Primary outflows overflow into the Ghaist Glen Burn
Basin  countriesScotland
Max. length400 m (1,300 ft)
Max. width100 m (330 ft)
Surface area8 acres (3.2 ha)
Average depthShallow
Islands One crannog
Settlements Maybole

Lochspouts Loch (NS 2885 0586) or Lochspouts was situated in a hollow, surrounded by hilly ground on three sides and bounded by a narrow trap dyke to the north. The land was once held by the Ferguson family of Kilkerran and lies in the Parish of Kirkoswald, South Ayrshire, Scotland. The loch became a reservoir in the 19th century.

Contents

History

This roughly oval-shaped loch was about three miles (five kilometres) southwest of Maybole. The natural trap dike dam that held back its waters was the only possible outflow, and several crevices in this barrier allowed excess water to escape so that during times of heavy rainfall several of these "spouts" carried water at the same time, hence "Lochspouts". [1] The main exit was deepened to provide a water supply for a waulkmill, and this significantly lowered the level of the water, exposing the remnants of a crannog. [2]

The Crannog

The site of the loch and crannog in 1882 Lochspouts Loch site - west.jpg
The site of the loch and crannog in 1882

As stated, sometime prior to 1879 the water level was lowered and a crannog was exposed within the loch that was now reduced to around 2 acres (0.8 hectares) only. [3] Dr R. Munro partly excavated the site in 1880 [4] and it was shown to be of wood, around 95 feet (29 metres) in internal diameter, with a raised walkway running to the shore. Mainly Roman-Iron Age date finds were discovered, along with some Medieval pottery and other artifacts. All the items found were donated to the National Museum of Antiquities of Scotland (Acc Nos: HW 1-41), including Roman finds such as a melon bead, fragments of second-century Samian pottery, Romano-Celtic bronze dress-fasteners and possibly iron; other artifacts were made of stone, bone, deer horn, jet, and bronze. [3]

Logboat

About 1875 a logboat was found by Macfadzean during drainage operations on Lochspouts Farm. The boat does not survive and the exact location of the discovery and its relationship to the better-known Lochspouts crannog were not recorded. [5]

Usage

Waulkmill

James MacFadzean records in 1879 that the outflow of the loch was deepened so as to supply a greater flow to a waulkmill at nearby Knockmill. [2] No substantial remains survive of this mill.

Reservoir
The East end of the old reservoir. Lochspouts Loch looking East.jpg
The East end of the old reservoir.

Reservoir construction to provide a water supply for Maybole began here in 1882 largely removing Dr Munro's excavated levels of 1880, however construction revealed finds of amber, bronze, jet. [6] The Maybole Historical Society visited the Lochspouts site in 2003, following its partial drainage, and found only a small area of water remaining. A later visit showed higher water levels. Rumours of its future use as an infill site were current at the time. [7] In June 2011 the reservoir was full and overflowing down the spillway.

A recorded comment on the water of the old loch is "Lochspouts is a' richt for washing claes, but gie me the Weiltrees when I'm drouthy". In October 1933, Lochspouts dried up and once again the townsfolk had to draw water from the towns old wells and boys went around the town selling water at fourpence per pail. [8]

Cartographic evidence

Lochspouts Loch and farm Lochspouts Reservoir - geograph.org.uk - 826855.jpg
Lochspouts Loch and farm

Thomson map of 1832 records Lochspouts. [9] The 19th century Ordnance Survey maps show the site clearly. [10] and an inflow from the two minor burns, the Pisga and the Greentop, exiting to run down to the Ghaist Glen Burn via a single burn. The 1854-9 6 inch OS map refers to the site as Lochspouts Pond.

Scotland relief location map.jpg
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Lochspouts Loch
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Previous location of Lochspouts, South Ayrshire

Micro-history

A possible oval-shaped cairn is situated near the Lochspouts farmhouse; measuring 9m by 7.2m and 0.5m in height. [11]

Two stone axes are said to have been found at Lochspouts (NS 285 058) and these were donated to the National Museum of Antiquities of Scotland in 1978-9 by the Marquess of Ailsa. [12]

The loch is a WEBS (Wetland Bird Survey) site. [13]

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Buiston Loch An occasional lake in Ayrshire, Scotland

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Littlestane Loch Former lake in Irvine, Scotland

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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.

Loch of Trabboch

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Loch Fergus

Loch Fergus is a freshwater post-glacial "Kettle Hole" sometimes recorded as Fergus Loch. It is quite visible and is situated in a low-lying area close to the B742 road between the farms and dwellings of Trees, Lochfergus and Bowmanston in the Parish of Ayr, South Ayrshire, Scotland. The loch lies to the north of Martnaham Loch, four miles east-southeast of Ayr. It drains to the southwest into the Snipe Loch.

Snipe Loch

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Martnaham Loch

Martnaham Loch is a freshwater loch lying across the border between East and South Ayrshire Council Areas, two kilometres from Coylton, in the parishes of Coylton and Dalrymple, three miles from Ayr. The loch lies along an axis from northeast to southwest. The remains of a castle lie on a possibly artificial islet within the loch. The Campbells of Loudoun once held the lands, followed by the Kennedys of Cassillis.

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Carcluie Loch

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Loch Shield

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Carse Loch is situated in a low-lying area, surrounded by woodland, close to the A76 at Friar's Carse, in Dumfries and Galloway, Parish of Dunscore. It was once used as a monastic fish pond and the friars are said to have hidden their treasures on the crannog in times of danger. The loch is located about 7 miles from Dumfries and 2 miles from Auldgirth.

Lands of Threepwood

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Newton Loch, South Ayrshire

Newton Loch was situated in a low-lying area near Newton-on-Ayr, South Ayrshire, just south of the old South and West Sanquhar Farms. It is now (2016) only visible as remnant heath land and surface darkening in pastureland, situated mainly in the Parish of Ayr and partly in St Quivox, South Ayrshire, Scotland.

The Loch Arthur logboat or dugout canoe was found in 1874 when the water level was low on the south bank of the Loch Arthur, near the village of Beeswing, southwest of Dumfries in Dumfries and Galloway in Scotland. The logboat, built of oak, is about 13.7 meters long and up to 1.5 meters wide. On the opposite side of the 300 to 400 meter wide lake was a crannóg .

References

Notes
  1. ↑ AWAS, Page 1
  2. 1 2 AWAS, Page 2
  3. 1 2 AWAS, Page 3
  4. ↑ John Smith Retrieved : 2011-05-01
  5. ↑ RCAHMS Retrieved : 2011-05-01
  6. ↑ "Lochspouts: Crannog". Canmore. Historic Environment Scotland. Retrieved 18 April 2018.
  7. ↑ MHS Newsletter 27 Retrieved : 2011-05-01
  8. ↑ Maybole Carrich Capital Archived 2010-07-06 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved : 2011-05-01
  9. ↑ Thomson's Map Retrieved : 2011-05-01
  10. ↑ NLS Maps Archived 2011-04-11 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved : 2011-04-17
  11. ↑ RCAHMS Retrieved : 2011-05-01
  12. ↑ RCAHMS Retrieved : 2011-05-01
  13. ↑ WEBS Retrieved : 2011-05-01
Sources
  1. Arch & Hist Coll Ayr & Winton. 1882. V.III Edinburgh : Ayr & Winton Arch Soc.
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