Parish of Dreghorn, Ayrshire.

Overview

The purpose of this study is to unite my family history with the local history of the Parish that I call home. Where did they live? Where did they work?  What was life like for them? The small village of Dreghorn that I grew up in has changed in many ways but at a cost of the community of times past. In my aim to have as much available information in one place, I have included external links for websites that feature the history of the parish.

Geography

Dreghorn is a Parish in Cunninghame, Ayrshire, Scotland and is situated on a ridge of land between the Annick Water and River Irvine. Approximately 9 miles long and 3 miles at its widest, the land consisting of 13,000 acres.

Coal, clay, ironstone, limestone and sandstone were mined. Soil ranges from loam to gravel and the land has been cultivated for livestock and arable farming.

Population

In 1801 the population of the Parish was noted as 797. By the census return of 1841 there was a significant rise to 1,828. By the 1901 census return the population was 4,373 and by 1971 it was 4,776.

History

A Neolithic settlement was excavated at Station Brae, Dreghorn in 2003 which provided verification of the existence of a farming community. Dreghorn is now known to be “the oldest continuously inhabited village in Britain.”

The Parish of Dreghorn had been mainly a farming community until the mining industry took hold. Mansions were located at Perceton, Annick Lodge, Warwickhill and Cunninghamhead.

The Parish now consists of the two main villages of Dreghorn and Springside. Old Perceton and New Perceton are distinct as New Perceton with Girdle Toll is in Irvine. Cunninghamhead is now a residential caravan park for retirees. Hamlets like Overton and Southhook have been lost to history.

Economy

The collieries of the C19th and C20th brought an increased population and hamlets popped up where coal masters had miners rows built for their employees. Railways appeared to transport coal to the towns of Kilmarnock and Irvine. Clay pits also saw well established businesses like the Corsehill Tilework’s, Bourtreehill Coal Company and Montgomeriefield Brickworks keep men and women in work. Southhook Potteries would expand with another factory in Kilmarnock.

Dreghorn lost a lot of farm land to the Irvine New Town Development plan of the 1960s and 1970s for motorways, housing and factories. Industrial estates were built at South Newmoor and later at Riverside Business Park.

However, since the end of the mining industry, unemployment in the late C20th became a problem that is taking a long time to recover from.

Worship

The Parish was previously under the Tyronenses Monks at Kilwinning until The Scottish Reformation of the C16th brought Presbyterianism to the Parish. Perceton had a pre-reformation church followed by the Free Church of Scotland. The Parishes of Perceton and Dreghorn would unite in 1688. Conventicles (open air meetings) also took place where those who broke away from the established church had no church of their own to worship in. Following the Disruption of 1843 where Evangelic ministers broke away to form the Free Church, Dreghorn village would have the established parish Church of Scotland, the United Free Church of Scotland (which took over the Free Church in Perceton) and the Evangelical Union Congregational Church.  The Parish had been scattered by Mission Halls to serve the communities. Now only the Dreghorn and Springside Parish Church remains as congregations have dwindled and churches united once more.

Community Life

The Parish has good sporting connections in the football, boxing, bowling and quoites.

The mining communities at Dreghorn and Springside had annual Gala’s where a Queen was chosen from the Primary 7 year at school along with attendants.

The church still has many social groups ongoing.

Institutions

The Parish had three public schools at Dreghorn, Springside and Crossroads and has one academy at Greenwood, Dreghorn.

Families and Notable People

Dreghorn’s famous son is John Boyd Dunlop (1840-1920). John was born and raised in Dreghorn village; he and his brother trained as vets and settled in Downpatrick, Ireland. John is known as the inventor of a pneumatic tyre for bicycles and founded the Dunlop Tyres business.

Dreghorn's famous daughter is Nicola Ferguson Sturgeon, born in 1970, was First Minister of Scotland and Leader of the Scottish National Party from 2014-2023. The Sturgeon family lived in the village of Dreghorn where Nicola attended school.

References

National Library of Scotland.

The Statistical Accounts of Scotland 1791 – 1951.

External Links:-

History of Dreghorn in North Ayrshire | Map and description 

GENUKI: Dreghorn, Ayrshire 

Dreghorn Neolithic Village [Dreghorn, Station Brae] Ancient Village or Settlement : The Megalithic Portal and Megalith Map: