Ochiltree

Last updated
Ochiltree
Ochiltree Market Cross, East Ayrshire, Scotland.jpg
Ochiltree, The Market Cross
East Ayrshire UK location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Ochiltree
Location within East Ayrshire
Population1,040 (2022) [1]
Council area
Lieutenancy area
Country Scotland
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town CUMNOCK
Postcode district KA18
Dialling code 01290
Police Scotland
Fire Scottish
Ambulance Scottish
UK Parliament
Scottish Parliament
List of places
UK
Scotland
55°27′42.09″N4°21′41.44″W / 55.4616917°N 4.3615111°W / 55.4616917; -4.3615111

Ochiltree is a conservation village in East Ayrshire, [2] Scotland, near Auchinleck and Cumnock. [3] It is one of the oldest villages in East Ayrshire, with archaeological remains indicating Stone Age and Bronze Age [4] settlers. [5] A cinerary urn was found in 1955 during excavation for a new housing estate. [6]

Contents

Etymology

The name Ochiltree was spelt Uchletree in the Middle Ages, and has a Brythonic etymology: Uchil tref - the high steading, either a reference to its landscape position (commanding views to south and east), or as a significant local centre.

Notable residents

Covenanter stalwart John Fergushill (1592–1644) was Church of Scotland minister for Ochiltree between 1614 and 1639.

Main Street is lined with stone cottages and one of these was The House with the Green Shutters in the 1901 novel of that name by George Douglas Brown, who was born in Ochiltree. An annual event, The Green Shutters Festival of Working Class Writing, is held here in Brown's memory. [7]

The Tennant family, described by Robert Burns, originate from the village. Amongst their number are Charles Tennant, Alexander Tennant and The 1st Baron Glenconner. Also from the village was a close associate of King James I of Scotland, Michael Ochiltree.

Johnny Cymbal, the famous American-based singer, songwriter and record producer, was born in Ochiltree on 3 February 1945. He is best remembered for his 1963 signature hit "Mr. Bass Man".

Features

The population of Ochiltree in 2019 was 1050. [8] The village is home to Ochiltree Primary School and is served by one small shop at the bottom of Main Street. Two sporting venues exist: the Community Centre (next to the school); and the Ochiltree Bowling Club by the river. There is also a council house estate.

The new Ochiltree Community Hub building opened in July 2019 to encourage the community to improve health and wellbeing, social inclusion and community spirit. Since inception in 2013, the hub supports the local community and surrounding areas with a number of initiatives in line with our charitable aims. The hub offers a wide range of activities to suit all age groups, including fitness, recreation, education, a library and cafe serving snacks and meals. [9]

The ruins of ancient Auchencloigh Castle are located near Belston Loch. To the east of the village is the Barony A Frame, the preserved headgear of the Barony Colliery, which closed in 1989. A small loch, used latterly as a curling pond, known as Loch of the Hill lay close to South Palmerston Farm until it was drained in the late 19th century.

Ochiltree Castle (meaning: "the lofty dwelling-place") was a castle built next to the Lugar Water by the Colville family in the 12th century, and was destroyed in 1449, by William Douglas of Glenbervie.

Peden's Cave is located on the banks of the River Lugar near Auchinbay Farm. Alexander Peden was a Covenanter minister of the 1680s who had to hide from the King's soldiers who were attempting to prevent covenanters from practising their version of the Christian faith.

Kemp's Castle is a large and impressive boulder on the top of the River Lugar Gorge near Slatehole Farm that is named from the Scots for a champion or person of great strength.

Ochiltree Dam.jpg

Lessnessock Farm was a breeder which produced prize-winners in the 1920s. [10]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">East Ayrshire</span> Council area of Scotland

East Ayrshire is one of 32 unitary council areas of Scotland. It shares borders with Dumfries and Galloway, East Renfrewshire, North Ayrshire, South Ayrshire and South Lanarkshire. The headquarters of the council are located on London Road, Kilmarnock. With South Ayrshire and the mainland areas of North Ayrshire, it formed the former county of Ayrshire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lugar Water</span> River in Scotland

The Lugar Water, or River Lugar, is created by the confluence of the Bellow Water and the Glenmuir Water, just north of Lugar, both of which flow from the hills of the Southern Uplands in East Ayrshire, Scotland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Luce</span> Civil parish in south-west Scotland

New Luce is a civil parish in Dumfries and Galloway, south-west Scotland. It lies in the traditional county of Wigtownshire, and is about 10 miles (16 km) in length and 5 miles (8.0 km) in breath, being the upper part of the original Glenluce Parish. New Luce is shown as a civil parish on John Ainslie's county map of 1782.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clan Colville</span> Lowland Scottish clan

Clan Colville is a Lowland Scottish clan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gateside, North Ayrshire</span> Human settlement in Scotland

Gateside is a small village in North Ayrshire, Scotland about 1⁄2 mile east of Beith on the B777.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coylton</span> Human settlement in Scotland

Coylton is a village and civil parish in South Ayrshire, Scotland. It is five miles east of Ayr and 2+1⁄2 miles west of Drongan, on the A70. Sundrum Castle Holiday Park is to the west of the village, in the grounds of Sundrum Castle, which partly dates to the 13th century. A rocking stone stands atop the Craigs of Kyle near Coylton. It weighs about 30 tons and rests upon two stones. A large standing stone known as Wallace's Stone stands nearby. The village is also home to a parish church of the Gothic style, built in 1832.

Darnhall Mains is a farm and settlement off the A703, near Eddleston and the Eddleston Water in the Scottish Borders area of Scotland, in the former Peeblesshire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Loch of Trabboch</span> Drained freshwater loch in East Ayrshire, Scotland

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.

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

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ochiltree Castle, East Ayrshire</span>

Ochiltree Castle was a castle built on a promontory by the Lugar Water, East Ayrshire, Scotland across from Auchinleck Castle. Built by the de Colville family in the 12th century, it was destroyed in 1449, by Sir William Douglas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Belston Loch</span> A lake in east Ayrshire, Scotland

Belston Loch, also recorded as Dromsmodda Loch 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. Parish of Ochiltree, Scotland.

Penninghame in Wigtownshire, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, is a civil parish area, 8 miles from Wigtown. The area is approx 16 miles in length, and from 5 to 6 miles' width, bounded on the north and east by the River Cree, and on the west by the Bladnoch; comprising nearly 38,000 acres, of which 12,000 were arable, 600 woodland and plantations, 1600 meadow, and the remainder hill pasture, moorland, moss, etc.

Old Luce is a civil parish in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. It lies in the Machars peninsula, in the traditional county of Wigtownshire. The parish is around 10 miles (16 km) long and 8 miles (13 km) broad, and contains 40,350 acres (16,330 ha).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lands of Borland, Barony of Cumnock</span> Human settlement in Scotland

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dunton Cove</span>

Dunton Cove or the Covenanters' Cave is an artificial cave in a craggy outcrop of rocks overlooking the Craufurdland Water just below the confluence of the Dunton Water and the Calf Fauld Water in East Ayrshire, Scotland, close to the village of Waterside. Traditionally it was used as a hiding place for Covenanters in the 17th century during 'The Killing Time' of the 1680s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peden's Cave (Auchinbay)</span>

Peden's Cave is at least partly artificial and is set into a craggy outcrop of red sandstone rocks overlooking the River Lugar just below the farm of Auchinbay in East Ayrshire, Scotland, close to the town of Ochiltree. Traditionally it is said that this cave was used as a hiding place for Covenanters, including the famous Covenanter minister Alexander Peden in the 17th century, mainly during 'The Killing Time' of the 1680s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wallace's Cave, Auchinleck</span>

Wallace's Cave in the Lugar Gorge at Auchinleck in the Parish of Auchinleck, East Ayrshire is an 18th-century grotto, contemporary with Dr Johnson's Summerhouse which is also located on the Auchinleck Estate. It shows superior workmanship and is possibly the enlargement of a pre-existing cave. The cave or grotto lies downstream of the confluence of the Dippol Burn with the River Lugar and is reached via a once well formed path; however access is now hazardous due to the condition of the cliff edge path and the vertical drop into the River Lugar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lefnoreis Castle</span>

The site of the old Lefnoreis Castle or Ward of Lochnorris lies about 100 yards north-west of the old stable block of Dumfries House in East Ayrshire, Parish of Old Cumnock, Scotland. The old castle stood on a natural rise overlooking the Lugar Water, built and held for many years by the Craufurd family. For consistency the spelling Craufurd will be used throughout and Lefnoreis for the castle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Craigie, South Ayrshire</span> Human settlement in Scotland

Craigie is a small village and parish of 6,579 acres in the old district of Kyle, now South Ayrshire, four miles south of Kilmarnock, Scotland. This is mainly a farming district, lacking in woodland, with a low population density, and only one village. In the 19th century, high quality lime was quarried here with at least three sites in use in 1832.

References

  1. ↑ "Mid-2020 Population Estimates for Settlements and Localities in Scotland". National Records of Scotland. 31 March 2022. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
  2. ↑ "Ochiltree" (PDF). East Ayrshire Local Plan 2010. East Ayrshire Council. p. 111. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  3. ↑ "Conservation in East Ayrshire · East Ayrshire Council". www.east-ayrshire.gov.uk. Retrieved 2021-02-08.
  4. ↑ "Ochiltree, Mote: Administrative Areas Archaeology Notes References MyCanmore Images MyCanmore Text Mound, Axe Hammer, Cinerary Urn, Coin, Coin, Spearhead(s) (bronze)". Historic Environment Scotland. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  5. ↑ "Visit Scotland - Ochiltree is one of the oldest settlements in the area". www.east-ayrshire.gov.uk. Retrieved 2021-02-08.
  6. ↑ "Bronze Age Urn, Ochiltree". www.futuremuseum.co.uk. Retrieved 2021-02-08.
  7. ↑ "Reopening the House with the Green Shutters Writers back festival to celebrate author". Glasgow Herald. 30 January 2006. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  8. ↑ "Locality Populations". www.eastayrshirecommunityplan.org. Retrieved 2021-02-08.
  9. ↑ "Ochiltree Community Hub". Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland. Retrieved 2021-02-08.
  10. ↑ Ayrshire Digest - Volumes 6-7 - Page 5 1920 Golden Love was Canadian Champion in 1919, and his offspring won all along the line. Bred by Mr. Montgomerie, he is by Bargower Bright Diamond and out of that great dam Lessnessock Gem, the dam of Lessnessock Gem's Good Gift and
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.