Lochwinnoch
| Lochwinnoch | |
|---|---|
| Population | 2,628 [1] |
| OS grid reference | NS353586 |
| Council area | |
| Lieutenancy area | |
| Country | Scotland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | JOHNSTONE |
| Postcode district | PA12 |
| Dialling code | 01505 |
| Police | Scotland |
| Fire | Scottish |
| Ambulance | Scottish |
| UK Parliament | |
| Scottish Parliament | |
Lochwinnoch is a village in Renfrewshire, Scotland, located on the banks of Castle Semple Loch and the River Calder. It is a mainly residential dormitory village - Population at 2001 was 2628.[2]
The village also lends its name to a civil parish of some fifty square miles of the surrounding countryside, including the nearby village of Howwood. The parish borders seven others: Beith, Kilbarchan, Kilbirnie, Kilmacolm, Largs, Neilston and Paisley.[3]
History
The village's name probably derives from the Gaelic Loch eanach meaning 'marshy loch', though local tradition attributes it to St Winnoc.
Lochwinnoch is first recorded in the 12th Century as a parish under the higher control of Paisley and Renfrew, but the area has been inhabited since the neolithic period.
The front gable of St. John's church still stands at the east end of the High Street. Its early-19th-century replacement, the Church of Scotland, administered Parish Church, complements the formal open space of Harvey Square, on Church Street. The current St John's Church, also known as 'Auld Simon', was built on the site of a pre-reformation church dating back to the 12th century. It is dedicated to St. John, hence the name of Johnshill, more properly St.John's Hill, and St. John's well, located in the garden adjacent to the Church Yard.
The Semples of Elliston fought for Robert the Bruce and came to Lochwinnoch area in 1474. They were appointed Hereditary Sheriffs of Renfrewshire and Hereditary Baillies of Paisley, and were later created Lords Semple. The Semples steadily grew in power to become the Steward's hereditary Baillies of Renfrewshire and their extensive land holdings, Castle Semple, constituted some areas of Lochwinnoch and its hinterland.
In 1504 John, the first Lord Semple built the Lochwinnoch Collegiate Church, which became one of Scotlands finest church schools, and whose ruins can be found in Parkhill woods on the edge of the village. He was killed at the Battle of Flodden. In 1727 the Semples sold the estate to the MacDowalls of Garthland whose mansion house burned down in 1924. Castle Semple House remains only as ruined buildings such as the west gate, the garden wall, and a hexagonal building known as The Temple, which was built in 1770 on a hill overlooking the Loch.
In 1795, there were nine mills located in Lochwinnoch and the village was developed mainly to accommodate the work force.[4] As such, the village is largely a planned community, rather than one evolving over time. Furniture makers also established in the village in the 1800s, and Lochwinnoch made furniture was to be found on the great Clyde built liners such as the Lusitania, Queen Mary, Queen Elizabeth and even the Titanic.[5] Today, it chiefly serves as a residential village, as well as a satellite to the major city of Glasgow. In 1972, a number of buildings in the village were brought within a Lochwinnoch conservation area administered by the local authority.[6]
Places of interest
The loch plays host to a variety of watersports, being part of the Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park and an RSPB bird sanctuary is nearby. There are three public houses in Lochwinnoch; the Corner Bar, the Brown Bull and the Garthland Arms. There is also one restaurant, the Junction Bistro. Lochwinnoch Golf Club (eighteen holes) is on Burnfoot Rd.[5]
There are three places of worship in the village. Lochwinnoch Parish Church (Church of Scotland) is located on Church Street and meets on Sunday at 11.00am, as does the Calder United Free Church also of Church Street. Our Lady of Fatima Roman Catholic Church meets at 10.00am in its building on the High Street.
Transport
The village is served by Lochwinnoch railway station on the Ayrshire Coast Line. Opened in 1840, it lies to the south east of the village, and is unstaffed.
A second Lochwinnoch railway station was opened in 1905 as part of the Dalry and North Johnstone Line, with the first station being renamed Lochside, until reverting to its original name when the second closed in 1966. The former railway line serving this second station has been converted into a cycle path and is now part of the National Cycle Network's National Cycle Route Number 7, running from Glasgow to Gretna.
There was much vandalism of cars and bikes at the station. Until the locals protested that their cars should be able to be parked at the train station safely. So the Scottish Railway Station placed three CCTV cameras around the station. Now there are many cars which park around the station.
Schools
Lochwinnoch Primary School, the village's only school, is situated on Calder Street.[7]. The school was built in 1905 and is a two story red sand stone building. It recently celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2005. It has now got an upper and lower school building. The lower building is the orginal school and the upper school was built to accomidate the nursery which was added to the school.
References
- ^ Renfrewshire Community Website - Lochwinnoch
- ^ Overview of Lochwinnoch
- ^ Overview of Parish of Lochwinnoch
- ^ Historical perspective for Lochwinnoch
- ^ a b Renfrewshire Community Website - Lochwinnoch
- ^ Renfrewshire Community Website - Lochwinnoch Conservation Area
- ^ Renfrewshire Community Website - Lochwinnoch Primary School