Dunlop, East Ayrshire

[16] A tradition states that the De Ross first held Boarland or Dunlop hill (NS 4019 4940) as their seat[17] and a well-fortified structure existed there.[18] In 1848 the Scottish Journal records that a number of years ago the foundation of a ruin of considerable extent was removed by the late proprietor.[19] In 1853 Mr Dobie recorded that There can still be traced the meiths (boundary line) of a building of considerable extent on the top of the Hill of Borland.Pont states that the ancient strong Dunlop Castle situated by the Clerkland Burn (NS 42737 49312) was protected by a moat or fosse of water and had “goodly” orchards.The name Boarland could refer to the presence of wild boar,[27] but a 'Boor' also meant a serf and Norman lords often apportioned lands near their castles for their servants.[28] The Borland or Bordland also meant the land that was granted to the feudal superior specifically to be used to furnish food for his castle or dwelling.MP was resident at Dunlop House in 1837 and Pigot describes it as one of Ayrshires' handsomest mansions, with the Ogrestone or Thurgatstane lying within its estate boundaries.The house is an unusual Scottish-Jacobean style, but the gate lodge is more typical of Hamilton, with strap work, classical and manorial features (Milligan).[6] The Brechna Braes area lies close to Dunlop and has been developed as the Templehouse Community Woodland to celebrate the 2000 Millennium.A handsome mausoleum (NS 40486 49398) was constructed over their graves by James in 1641, when he was in his eighties, and this was so ornately painted and gilded in the Roman Catholic manner that it attracted the sobriquet of 'The Picture House'.'[48] On top of the Commoncraigs or Common Crags overlooking Dunlop and the Glazert is a large procumbent boulder known on the OS map as the ‘Carlin’s Stone or Stane’.Bride - an anglicization of Brìghde, Brìd or Saint Brigid- was originally the Celtic Goddess linked with the festival of Imbolc, the eve of the first of February.[54] It is recorded that even as late as "the time of Popery" the devotees of that religion, in doing penance, used to crawl on their knees round this stone and cry, O thou grit stane from a belief that the Deity was in a peculiar manner present at that hallowed relic.[53][55][56] Farmers from Brandleside Farm were bound to protect, by not removing it or ploughing within a set distance of the stone, possibly because of a tradition of pagan burials around this monument.[57] A carved relic of the old chapel, supposed to have been the font for holy water, was for some years used a trough for the pigs until it was finally broken up and used as building material.[60] The 1858 OS map locates the Lady's Steps near Hapland Mill on the Stewarton side of the town, crossing the Glazert.Ironically the pagan or Druidical stone is still there, but no sign of the Christian sites are visible, apart from the inconspicuous holy well in the field bordered by the burn.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.On the lower slopes of Craignaught Hill was fought a singularly unusual battle between the Boyds of Kilmarnock and the Stewarts of Darnley.[65] Sir Thomas Boyd was surprised on the night of 7 July 1439,[65] whilst riding past Craignaught on his way north and although outnumbered, he and his followers fought on, even taking agreed rest periods indicated by the sounding of a horn.Hugh Craig, author of "Ayrshire Aspirations in Verse and Prose" was born at Grange Farm, on the lands of which 'Boyd's Hill' stands, and he records that the place where the Stewart assassin hid was still pointed out in his day.[68] The Knights Templar are remembered in the name of this property, formally called the 'Templeland of Dunlop Hill' but known commonly as Templehouse which since 1570 was in the hands of the Gemmill or Gemmell family.[69] In 1596 Patrick Gemmill resigned the Templelands of Dunlop Hill into the hands of the Superior, Lord Torphichen, in favour of his eldest son.[71] The Laird of Hapland was the ruling elder in the Parish of Dunlop in 1649 and was a captain in the Scots army when Cromwell was in Scotland, for which his lands were sequestrated.The Mains Quarry siding lay between Dunlop and the Gameshill road overbridge on the old G&SWR double track line running towards Stewarton.It is not obvious how the stone was transferred however it is clear that the narrow gauge line lay some height above the private siding at the point where they met.The quarry covered around three acres at this date, however later maps show that it was still being worked and road transport used, before being finally abandoned and allowed to flood.The breed, also known as Cunninghame or Ayrshire cattle, are pied, white and brown, short in leg, long in the horn, straight in the back: the bulls are fiery in temper.Several letters were exchanged between Grand Lodge and Peter Calderwood until on 29 March 1945 a meeting was held in the public hall chaired by Bro.At a meeting held on 22 November Mr William Stevenson, Archiebald Howie and Archibald Baillie were the first candidates of the new lodge.