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Kilbirnie

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For the suburb of Wellington, see Kilbirnie, New Zealand.
Kilbirnie
Population7,280 
OS grid referenceNS315545
Council area
Lieutenancy area
CountryScotland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townKILBIRNIE
Postcode districtKA25
Dialling code01505
PoliceScotland
FireScottish
AmbulanceScottish
UK Parliament
Scottish Parliament
List of places
UK
Scotland

Kilbirnie (Gaelic Cill Bhraonaigh) is a small town of 7280 (2001 census) inhabitants situated in the Garnock Valley area of North Ayrshire on the west coast of Scotland. Historically, the town built up around the flax and weaving industries before iron and steelmaking took over in the 19th and early 20th centuries.

History

Kilbirnie Place where the Scots mustered under Alexander III before the Battle of Largs.[1]

Kilbirnie derived its name from the parish church and the church. The place name is Gaelic in origin, and means "Church of St Brendan".[2] In the vicinity of the church of Kilbirnie, a village has arisen during late times. In 1740, there were only three houses; but, by means of manufactures, it grew to be a village of 80 houses which were inhabited by about 300 people in 1791. In 1821, the village of Kilbirnie contained about 800 people, thanks to the impulse given to the locality by the Ayr and Glasgow railway, and the vicinity of numerous ironworks. Since Kilbirnie was not a large town before the 1840s, there is not much written history except for the farms in the area. However, documentation from the witch trials does name William Semple (or Sempill) as being arrested for being a witch. The documentation does not state if he was burned or not.

Industry

Glengarnock Steelworks

Glengarnock Steel Works opened its blast furnaces around 1841 which caused a massive influx of people from all over the country, as well as all over the world. Initially these works were owned by Merry & Cunninghame before being taken over by David Colville & Sons and eventually nationalised as part of British Steel and finally closed in 1985. The steelworks in Glengarnock provided employment for most men of the community. The entire collection of staff magazines from the Merry & Cunninghame to Colvilles days of the steelworks at Glengarnock have been preserved and are held at the Mitchell Library. This provides content such as spotlights on employees and departments, and contains photographs over 100 years old.

Moorpark House.

W & J Knox Threadmills

W & J Knox Threadmills was owned by the Knox family who were prominent, not only in Ayrshire but in the South of England too, becoming important members of society. Some of the mansion houses they built still remain and one of the cemeteries in the town contains an underground vault where the family are interred, next to the main Knox monument. World War I hero General Mathew married into the family, Who's Who editions of the period list many members of the family. These mills are famous for their nets, used by the British Army as well as the British Telecom Tower in London and are on of very few companies in the UK who have expertise in this area. Numerous associations to the family can be found around the town. The Knox Institute which sits above shops at the bridge was donated by a member of the Knox family and housed Kilbirnie's first public library.

Places of worship

Kilbirnie has a wide variety of places of worship within the Christian spectrum with two Church of Scotland churches, a Brethren Assembly, a Jehovah's Witnesses meeting room in Glengarnock, as well as a Salvation Army Citadel and a Roman Catholic church.

The Barony Kirk (Auld Kirk).

Auld Kirk

The "Auld Kirk" is one of the oldest churches in Scotland still in use both pre-and post-Reformation. The Kirk contains the Crawfurd Gallery, as well as a mausoleum to the Crawfurd family in its grounds. Robert Burns allegedly came to the blacksmiths near the Kirk. Opposite the church sits one of the oldest surviving farmhouses on the corner. It is from this Church that Kilbirnie takes its name.

Roman Catholic Church St Brigids

Father Thomas P Lee, a young Irish priest, was sent in 1859 to be the resident priest in Kilbirnie. It is unclear how he raised the money to build the church. He chose St. Brigid (devotion to the poor) to be the patron saint of the parish. Opened in 1862, it was initially intended to be built in the public park, across from the original residence of the Priest.

The original structure was a Gothic styled rectangular building with a gallery, porch, vestry, confessional and a related presbytery.Due to an increasing post war population it was decided to enlarge the old church. The plan provided for an extension to the rear of the existing church, and a new sanctuary and sacristy. In the front a new porch and baptistery were added to the old structure. The renovation was completed in 1957.

Kilbirnie Brethren Assembly

The Brethren Assembly Gospel Hall was built in 1897. It hosts regular coffee mornings which allows an opportunity to meet this now small but committed assembly, as well as regular Gospel Meetings. The Hall is located in the Schoolwynd area of the town

Although the date of the first meeting is given as 1889, the circumstances leading up to the commencement go back about seven years earlier, when what was then known as the Blue Ribbon Gospel Army came to the town. Gospel meetings started in the Good Templars’ Hall (Now a carpet shop, once the DSS office).

Social history

Amongst many other old buildings in the Town, stands the Walker Hall, a memorial hall dedicated to Dr Walker, one of the first physicians in the town. In the 1950s and 1960s this was very famous as a dance hall, coming second only to Glasgow Barrowlands itself. Famous bands to have played the hall include Gerry & The Pacemakers and Bill Haley & His Comets. These days however, it houses the town's Citizens Advice Bureau and is regularly the venue for meetings, concerts and wedding receptions.

Other sources of entertainment in the 1950s and 1960s included two cinemas, both of which have long since closed. One of these cinemas is now the home of Radio City. The Association was formed in early 1998 to identify ways of providing much needed local facilities. During the 1997 election campaign, Brian Wilson, met with a group of local teenagers who stressed the need for local facilities, and, with the help of Largs architect Paddy Cronin, plans were developed to provide a Healthy Living Centre which would include fitness facilities, internet access, a healthy eating cafe and child care. Bids for funding were made to both private and National Lottery organisations. The original steering group included Allan Wilson, Jim Stevens, Greta Jennings, John Bell, Douglas and Brian Johnstone, Derek Clarkson, Agnes Walsh, Ian Gemmill, Ken James, and George Stevens.

Former Scotland, Manchester United and Leeds United footballer Gordon McQueen was born in the town.

Education

Primary Education

Moorpark Primary School, accessed from Milton Road or School Road by students, was opened in 1978 to replace Ladyland School built in 1869and Bridgend School built in 1893. The school is located east of its namesake Moorpark House and is adjacent to local secondary school Garnock Academy

Glengarnock Primary School is sited on Grahamstone Avenue in Glengarnock, came into use in 1992 to replace the original 1863 sandstone building.

Saint Bridget's Primary School, located on Hagthorne Avenue, educates local Roman Catholic children. This location opened in October 1963 replacing the 1894 building. Secondary level Catholic pupils attend the Secondary school, St Matthew's Academy in Saltcoats.

Secondary Education

Garnock Academy is a secondary school that was formed in 1971 by the amalgamation of Beith Academy, Dalry High School, Kilbirnie Central School and Speir's school. Opening in September 1972, it is situated on School Road adjacent to Moorpark Primary. It is a non-denominational co-educational school serving Barmill, Beith, Dalry, Gateside, Glengarnock, Kilbirnie, Longbar and the surrounding area.

Geography

The Garnock Water below Glengarth Farm.

The River Garnock flows from the base of the Hill of Stake in a southerly direction, traversing Kilbirnie and Glengarnock, and making its way to Irvine Harbour where it enters the sea.

Kilbirnie Loch

Main article: Kilbirnie Loch
  • The loch in summer
    The loch in summer
  • Looking towards Kilbirnie
    Looking towards Kilbirnie
  • Kilbirnie Loch boat house
    Kilbirnie Loch boat house
  • The south end of the loch
    The south end of the loch
  • Kilbirnie Loch in the snows of 2010; it was partly infilled with industrial waste from the old steelworks
    Kilbirnie Loch in the snows of 2010; it was partly infilled with industrial waste from the old steelworks

Castles

Glengarnock Castle, looking towards Kilbirnie Loch and the northern suburbs of Kilbirnie.

Lying 2 miles (3 km) north of Kilbirnie on a promontory overlooking the wooded ravine of the River Garnock is Glengarnock Castle, a ruined 15th century keep. Ladyland Castle, mostly demolished, lay nearby and Ladyland House still survives as designed by David Hamilton.

On 1 August 2008, the River burst its banks and the local police station needed to be evacuated. Mill Road, Muirend Street, Kilbirnie Bowling Club, Radio City and the local Tesco were all affected by the flooding with waters reaching one metre deep in places.

Air crashes

The hills between Kilbirnie and Largs were often black spots for aircraft passing over and many crashed due to low fog. The actual crash sites are available to visit, with wreckage still visible and some of these now form part of Muirsheil country park.

Kilbirnie today

Since the closure of the steel works in the 1980's, the area became an unemployment blackspot. The town has very few local employers, and people generally travel out of the town for work.

Garnock Pool in Kilbirnie's Park.

In 2004 Alba Tyre Management was opened in Weir Place manufacturing retreaded truck tyres. From its humble beginnings it has grown to be the largest retreader in Scotland. Employing 26 people it is one of the largest employers in the town


Landmarks of interest include Kilbirnie Loch, a mile and a half long and nearly half a mile broad. It is a well-used local amenity catering for diverse sporting activities such as fishing, water skiing and rugby (played on the playing fields at the loch shore edge). Part of the area around the Loch is sliding possibly due to the old mining shafts under the area or the activities which took place there with the steel manufacturing. A portion of the loch was filled in with waste slag etc. from the old steelworks, giving the loch shore in parts a very artificial nature.

Kilbirnie itself does not have many hotels or places for guests to stay, although recently Moorpark House has reopened as a luxury hotel, and other tearooms and places to eat are opening. There are a number of bed and breakfast establishments in the area and tourists could also stay at Largs (a busy seaside resort close by) or in one of the rural guest houses nearby. The Milton Hotel, which once existed in Cochrane Street, burned down in the 1980s and has been redeveloped as social housing. The loch used to be known as Lochthankart and has its main source, the Maich Water, entering unusually at the same end as the Dubs Water which drains it.[3]

Genealogy

Kilbirnie does still attract a lot of people for visits. It is popular with genealogists trying to trace their family history although very limited records are actually held in the town itself. However, records of burials are kept by the cemetery superintendent and these date back to the times when the cemeteries were first used. These can be viewed upon request. The division of the Council who looks after cemeteries is based in Saltcoats. They have full records for North Ayrshire and there was a plan to produce all records on CD ROM but this was never carried out. Via Ayrshire roots, details of monumental inscriptions can be accessed in at least one of the cemeteries.

Full Monumental Inscriptions can be found in the local library or else at the North Ayrshire Heritage Centre in Saltcoats.[4]

Since the town did not expand until the 1840s most families who lived in Kilbirnie had their roots elsewhere and came to Kilbirnie to find work, such as mining and the steelworks.

Transport

Kilbirnie railway station was part of the Dalry and North Johnstone Line on the Glasgow and South Western Railway. The station opened on 1 June 1905, and closed to passengers on 27 June 1966. The station's island platform remains in place and intact; the trackbed is now part of the Sustrans National Cycle Route 7. Kilbirnie South railway station served Kilbirnie as part of the Lanarkshire and Ayrshire Railway (L&AR). The station opened 2 December 1889 as Kilbirnie. Upon the grouping of the L&AR into the London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) in 1923, the station was renamed Kilbirnie South on 2 June 1924. The station closed to passengers and freight on 1 December 1930. A photograph of 1936 shows that the station remained intact but was already overgrown, however Nothing remains of the station today.

Local history

The Deil's Chuckie Stane near Ladyland House.

Saint Brennan's Day Fair and Robert Burns

This fair here was held on the third Wednesday of May, and was considered the largest horse market in the west of Scotland. Robert Burns' reference in one of his poems to the fact that he had a plough-horse that was purchased there, and which he characterizes as " ... A Highland Donald hastie, A rough, red-wud Kilbirnie blastie." [5] It is said that Burns purchased the horse from one William Kirkwood of Baillieston Farm, a horsecouper who made a fortune from his trade.[6]

Micro-history

  • Beneath the Walker Hall there are the remains of old stables and a tavern.
  • "Martins Shed", a ruined building nearby the old supermarket, was a Brethren meeting place.
  • "Templars Hall", now the carpet shop, was once the DSS Office and also was once a church.
  • Behind the Main Street sits an old washhouse, used in the late 19th century, seen from Bank Street.
  • Beneath the entire area lie old forgotten mineshafts.
  • Before the Main Street, "Maypole Street" existed close by. Maybole Street still exists on the other side of the river from the Main Street.
Greater Reedmace near the old railway station.
  • A social centre built on the shores of the loch began to sink and had to be demolished.
  • Before the present police station (soon to be replaced), there existed an older building at Bridgend. This became the Council Offices and latterly converted to flatted dwellings.
  • A second war memorial exists on the walls of one of the old steelworks buildings still standing.
  • Explosions at the Nobel Explosives factory at Ardeer some miles away shook the windows and houses in Kilbirnie.
  • Craighouse Square is reputed to be haunted by the ghosts of two people who committed suicide there, one an Italian immigrant who jumped from a window and one an ice cream seller who murdered his family there.
  • Archaeological digs conducted in the 19th century have shown that the area was inhabited during the Bronze Age. This was ascertained from the revealing of a crannog with a connecting causeway, which emerged from the Kilbirnie Loch, under the downwards pressure exerted from the iron slag being dumped into the loch from the steelworks. Finds from around the area of the crannog include four hollowed-out canoes, inside one of which were two bronze vessels – one a three-legged pot, the other a lion shaped ewer.
  • Kilbirnie Loch is famous amongst people who study weather for odd phenomena which occur there.
  • The ruins of Nethermill watermill stand close to the Sustrans cyclepath, but are at risk as a Property Developer plans to use the site for private housing.
  • The Nethermill waterwheel and wheel pit.
    The Nethermill waterwheel and wheel pit.
  • Detail of the cast iron waterwheel.
    Detail of the cast iron waterwheel.
  • Looking across the ruins to the waterwheel.
    Looking across the ruins to the waterwheel.
  • The old drive gear off the waterwheel
    The old drive gear off the waterwheel

Sport

See also

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kilbirnie Loch.
  1. ^ Knight, James (1936), Glasgow and Strathclyde. London ; Thomas Nelson & Sons. pp. 83 - 84.
  2. ^ Mills, Anthony David, ed. (2003), Oxford dictionary of British place names, Oxford University Press, ISBN 978-0-19-852758-9.
  3. ^ Aitken, Robert (1827), Map of the Parish of Kilbirnie.
  4. ^ North Ayrshire Heritage Centre
  5. ^ Three Towns Forum Retrieved : 2012-01-08
  6. ^ Wylie, Page 14
  • Strawhorn, J. & Boyd, W. (1951) The third statistical account of Scotland: Ayrshire. Edinburgh: Oliver & Boyd.
  • Wyllie, William (1851). Ayrshire Streams. London : Arthur Hall, Virtue, & Co.
  • "Un Hombre bueno, La Vida De Jaime Clifford" (AC Thomson)

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