Cuninghame, topographized by Timothy Pont ... 1604-1608, with continuations and illustrative notices by ... J. Dobie, ... edited by J. S. Dobie

Front matter

CUN INGHAME. CUNINGHAME J TOPOGRAPHIZED BY TIMOTHY PONT, A.M., 1604-1608, WITH CONTINUATIONS AND ILLUSTRATIVE NOTICES BY THE LATE JAMES DOBIE OF CRUMMOCK, F.S.A. SCOT. EDITED BY HIS SON JOHN SHEDDEN DOBIE. (Flasgoto: JOHN TWEED, 16 SOUTH PORTLAND STREET. MDCCCLXXVI. GLASGOW : PRINTED BY HAY NISBET, 219 GEORGE STREET. TO THE MOST NOBLE THE DUKE OF BUCCLEUCH AND QUEENSBERRY, K.G., &C, Who, by his countenance of the present work, has aided in rescuing from oblivion the labours of a zealous member of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland — a society of Avhich His Grace Avas for many years the distinguished President — this work is dedicated By his very grateful servant, THE EDITOR. (h CONTENTS. PAGE Preface, --------- ix Introduction, by Mr. Dobie, ------ xvii cuninghame topographized, by pont, ----- i Continuations and Illustrative Notices, by Mr. Dobie, - - 29 General Description of Cuninghame, - - - 31 Market Towns and Fairs, ------ 39 Mountains and Hills, ------ 45 Alphabet of the Towns, Parishes, Towers, &c.,- - - 47

Appendix

. No. I. Valuation of Cuninghame (1640), - 389 No. II. Lineal Descent of Muir of Rowallan, - 399 No. III. Antiquities on Cuff-hill, - - - - - 403 General Index, -------- 407 Errata, at end of General Index. LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. I. — Engravings on Wood, by Mr. J. D. Cooper. PAGE Blair Castle — Presented by Captain William Fordyce Blair, R.N., of Blair— to face page 80 Caldwell House— Presented by Lieut.-Colonel William Mure of Caldwell, M.P., - - 344 Giffin Castle — Presented by Henry Gardiner Patrick, Esq., of Giffin, - - - 164 Glengarnock Castle, - - - - - - - - -182 Hunterstoune Castle — Presented by Robert Hunter, of that Ilk, Hunterston, - - 191 Hunterston Runic Brooch, - - - - - - - -193 Hasilhead Castle — Presented by W. Ralston-Patrick, Esq., of Trearne and Hessilhead, - 204 Knock Castle —Presented by George Elder, Esq., of Knock, - - - - 221 Kelburne Castle — Presented by the Right Hon. the Earl of Glasgow — -to face page - 224 Kilbirnie Kirk-yard, Tomb of Captain Thomas Crawfurd of Jordanhill — Presented by Thomas Macknight Crawfurd, Esq., of Cartsburn, - - - - - 241 Kdwinning Abbey — Presented by the Right Hon. the Earl of Eglinton and Winton — • to face page ---------- 268 Ladyland Tower — Presented by R. W. Cochran-Patrick, Esq., of Woodside and Ladyland, 311 II. — Engravings on Wood by other Artists.

Shield or Coat of Richard de Morville, - - - - - - - 21 Shield or Coat of Thomas, Lord Boyde, - - - - - - - 22 Seal of Richard de Morville, -------- 85 Seal of Avicia de Lancaster, ---------86 Beith Kirk, .......... g^ Urn found in Dairy Court-hill, - - - - - - - -123 Sculptured Stones of Giffin Castle, - - - - - - - 165 Armorial Bearings on Tomb of Captain Thomas Crawfurd of Jordanhill, - - 240 Seal of Kdwinning Monastery, ------.. 259 Seal of the Abbot, - - - - - - - - - 260 Seal of William de Soulis, ----.... 2gg Seal of Peter de Curri, --------- 306 Sculptured Stone of Ladyland Tower, - - - - - - - 311 Sculptured Stone of Woodside Tower, ------- 3gi III. — Copper-Plate Engravings. Kilbirnie Castle, to face page ........ 2^2 Kilbirnie Kirk, „ -------- 2^2 Kdwinning Abbey (Door Arches), - - - - - - - 256 Eglinton Castle, ---------- I36 Irvine High Street, - - - - - - - - -216 Rowallan Castle, ---.------. 364 Lithographs. Plan of Cleaves Cove, to face page - - - - - . - 124 Map of Cuninghame, after Timothy Pont, by J. Blaeu.

Preface

BY THE EDITOR. The first duty incumbent on the Editor is to explain the delay which has occurred in the publication of the late Mr. Dobie's manuscript. As stated by himself in his Introduction, he undertook the illustration of Pont's account of Cuninghame Avith the intention of making it his contribution to the Maitland Club, of which institution he was a member. It had occupied his leisure hours since the year 1825 ; and his intended contri bution had not only been announced to the Club, but at their annual General Meetings, from the year 1841 to 1848, it is noticed in the minutes as a work to be edited and presented by Mr. Dobie. His sudden death in 1853 prevented the fulfilment of his design when on the eve of being completed. Just before that event took place, Mr. Dobie had entrusted the manuscript to his friend and brother antiquary, Mr. John Fullarton of Overton, for the purpose of having it revised by him (more especially in reference to subjects in the neighbourhood of West Kilbryde), before committing it to the press.

After Mr. Dobie's death it was resolved that the publication of the work on Cuninghame should be undertaken by the Club, and as Mr. Fullarton had still the manuscript in his possession, it was remitted to him to superintend the publication, and Mr. Dobie's literary associates looked forward to the Avork appearing among those issued by the Club. After considerable delay, a volume was produced under the auspices of Mr. Fullarton, entitled, " Topographical Account of the District of Cunningham, Ayrshire. Compiled about the year 1600, by Mr. Timothy Pont. With Notes and an Appendix. GlasgOAV : 1858." In this publication Mr. Fullarton availed himself to a large extent, but without any adequate acknowledgment, of the long-con tinued, and laborious researches of his deceased friend. And it may here be remarked, that, although Mr. Fullarton, at the close of his introductory observations, barely acknoAvledges the e^dstence of Mr. Dobie's work, he appears to have implicitly folloAved the errors in the edition of Pont's text, privately printed by Mr. Dobie, as well as others Avhich occur in Mr. Dobie's manuscript.

It was, hoAvever, too late to remonstrate ; Mr. ■ X Fullarton retained for the time the merit of his publication, and Mr. Dobie's manuscript lay dormant. The Editor, Avho had been resident abroad since 1850, returned to Scotland in 1870 ; and on some old friends expressing their regret that the interesting notices contained in his father's manuscript should be lost, he undertook the present publication. The manner in Avhich the Annotator (the late Mr. Dobie) has chosen to illustrate his subject may not, by some of his readers, be thought in keeping Avith the topographical account of the district given by Pont ; but to many, it is believed, the historical and social events and family genealogies brought out under the various articles of the "Alphabets' Avill prove both interesting and instructive.

Whilst the notes and illustrations of the Annotator remain intact, the Editor has endeavoured to supplement his notices of places or families Avhere they appeared deficient, or to supply them Avhere they had escaped his observation; and also to bring the information doAvn to nearly the present day. In recording the result of his inquiries respecting the ownership of some of the smaller properties named in Pont's alphabetical notes of his survey, he considers that since these holdings are there specified, they have a claim, irrespective of their extent or the social position of the present possessors, to be noticed in 1874 — the date on Avhich his investi gations end. The rise and progress of the Villages and ToAvns, fairly connected as they are Avith the Parochial Churches mentioned by Pont, and Avhich had been passed over by the Annotator with scarcely any comment, have been illustrated chiefly by comparative statistics.

The descriptions of these parochial churches contained in an unpublished Avork on " The Parish Churches and Burying-grounds of Ayrshire," by the late William Dobie, brother of the Annotator, and the most noteAvorthy of Avhich had been quoted by him, have been further draAvn upon by the Editor. Many ol the churches, although possessed of feAv or no attractive architectural features, having been rebuilt since 1853, are noAV matters of history, and as such have been deemed more Avorthy of notice. This MS., however, came into the Editor's possession in a very mutilated condition. All these editorial additions, where they occur, will be found in brackets, and gene rally at the end of the alphabetical articles to Avhich they refer, under the distinguishing date of 1874. It is occasion of regret that the drawing, by Mr. William Dobie, of the monument to the Earl of Glencairn, in the aisle of Kilmaurs Church, referred to by the Annotator, on page 286, as if it had been engraved for his work, has not been found among the MSS. ; and the Editor is there fore under the necessity of apologising for its non-appearance.

The original manuscript of Pont's "Cuninghame Topographized" is not known to exist ; but the copy in the handwriting of Sir James Balfour, in the Advocates' Library, was no doubt transcribed by him from Pont's manuscript. Mr. Dobie Avas indebted to the late Professor Cosmo Innes for the very correct transcript of Sir James' manuscript, from which the edition of twenty-five copies Avas privately printed by him in 1825, and one of which formed the working text-book used by him during his researches. In the general description of Cuninghame, as there printed, Pont is made to say that the district " exceids not 30 myles in lenth and not much above 20 in breidth." This statement not being reconcileable with the accuracy of the Topographer, nor Avith the map proceeding on his OAvn survey, as engraved by Blaeu of Amsterdam, induced investigation.

On collating it Avith Sir James Balfour's MS., an error in transcription was discovered to have been made ; and although the rounded style in Avhich the figure 1 is written had evidently led to the mistake, on comparing it with other figures in the MS. of like value, any doubt was removed that the "2o"Avas in reality " 10." This led to further exami nation ; and a feAV other mistakes, chiefly in the names of properties, which local knowledge might have prevented, were noted and amended. Among these, the only one here considered worthy of remark is that of Mains of Suy Inin (Southanan, in West Kilbryde), which had been erroneously rendered Mains of Smylum. In the present edition, Pont's text is given in strict accordance Avith the manuscript of Sir James Balfour, its style and peculiarities being retained as far as possible ; — any errors of Sir James' manuscript, Avhether apparent or presumable, being, of course, left open to comment.

In the lithographed copy of "the Map" so often referred to, the places verified as those alluded to by Pont in his " Alphabets," have been underlined in red in order to facilitate reference. Although many of the names are so incorrectly engraved as to be difficult of recogni tion, yet, by the aid of recent surveys, and the absence of any other name in the localities where they ought to occur at all resembling those in error, these orthographical defects are generally resolvable into the names they are meant to represent. Such errors may readily be accounted for, Avhen it is considered that the map was engraved at Amsterdam ; and although probably superintended by those Avho under stood the English language, yet, when proper names come to be deciphered, even by those familiar with the vernacular ofthe MS., mistakes Avill frequently occur.

In regard to any inaccuracies committed by Pont in laying doAvn localities, considering that he had undertaken a survey of the Avhole of Scotland, and that the time at his disposal for any one particular district must have been limited; remembering also the difficulties of transit at that period, and the lack of the improved instru ments used in modern surveying, it is really astonishing that the faults are so few, and that his survey is so correct. In regard to Pont's personal history, some additional facts have transpired since Mr. Dobie wrote his Introduction. The subject received the attention of Mr. David Laing, LL.D., Edinburgh, whose ability and zeal in such investigations are so well known. It Avould appear that Timothy Pont and his brother Zachary, were sons of Mr. Robert Pont, minister of the West Church of Edinburgh, and matriculated in St. Leonard's College, St. Andrews, in 1579-1580, obtaining their degree of M.A. in 1583-1584.

Their father, Mr. Robert Pont, became Provost of Trinity College, Edinburgh, and had, along Avith the prebends, the disposal of various church lands belonging to it. On ioth July, 1574, he granted a charter of the church lands of the parish of Strathmartin and the lands of Pentempler, in the parish of to his son Timothy, then a boy at school. This grant was afterwards confirmed on 1 8th April, 1583. Timothy Pont Avas appointed minister of the parish of Dunnett in the county of Caithness, in the year 1600. He could scarcely have spent much of his time in his ministerial charge, as,, both before and after that date, he must have been actively engaged in his arduous and important survey. His name, however, occurs in con nection with Dunnett in the Register of Assignations of Stipends for the years 1607 and 1608.

In the Acts of Privy Council for July, 1609, are recorded the names of those persons who "desired to be enrolled as undertakers in the intendit plantation and distributioun of the forfeyted and escheted lands of the province of Ulster." Among them appears " Mr. Timothie Pont, minister," Avho subscribes for two thousand acres and gives as his cautioner "Alexander Borthwick of Nether-Laich." This notice of him is doubly interesting, as it seems to point to the period of his survey of Cuninghame, and his probable acquaintance Avith Hew Montgomerie of Braidstane, afterwards Viscount Montgomerie of Ardes, one of the chief promoters of that great scheme of colonization. Whether the Topographer acquired, or if he did, ever took possession of his Ulster estate is not known. The latest notice of him, in the neighbourhood of his remote benefice, was found among the manuscript collections of the Duke of Sutherland, in a document of date 7th December, 1610, in which "Mr. Timothie Pont, Parson of Dunnett," and his brother Zachary, designed "Archdeacon of Caithness," occur as witnesses.

In 1614, Mr. William Smith appears as minister of Dunnett. The death of Timothy Pont is not found on record, and the following letter, written on 24th January, 1648, by Gordon of Straloch to Sir John Scot of Scotstarvet, on the subject of his survey, refers to it, but vaguely as to date, and after the lapse of a considerable period: — " Sir, — At length our Scotland presents itself to the Avorld, after the " great labour which we have sustained, and the long time devoted (of " which we cannot think without horror) to prepare and render it worthy " of being regarded. It will now hold an honourable place among the other " countries ofthe earth in this grand and celebrated Atlas of Monsieur John " Bleau, to which the world has seen nothing comparable, and for Avhich all " lovers of geography are under a perpetual obligation to him.

It (Scotland) " will no longer be as it used formerly to be, represented upon simple " reports, disfigured by unmeaning fables, and contained in a few sheets of " paper, quite otherwise than it is in truth; but, on the contrary, according " as Timothy Pont, a person of great spirit, the first author of this work, " has recorded in his papers, the memory of Avhich cannot be effaced " without extreme ingratitude tOAvards his merits. For, having but feAv " advantages, and not being supported by the favour and assistance of any " person of high rank, he himself, unaided, undertook this work more than " forty years ago. He travelled afoot o\rer the whole Kingdom, Avhich no " other person before him had done; he visited all the islands, inhabited " for the most part by barbarous and uncivilized people, of Avhose language " he was ignorant, and where he was often despoiled by cruel robbers, as I " have heard him relate ; and suffered all the hardships of a difficult and " dangerous voyage, Avithout groAving Aveary or ever losing his courage.

" Being to return to his home after so much wandering, and to prepare for " bringing to perfection the descriptions he had made ; but he could not " accomplish his intention, by reason of the avarice of printers and book " sellers, Avho refused the necessary charges for its execution ; and Avhile he " waited for some more favourable occasion to present itself, death took (c) " him from us, before his time, in the floAver of his age. His heirs, to Avhom " he had left his papers, in their ignorance, neglected them, and no care " being taken of them, they were likely to be consumed by vermin and in " danger of being wholly destroyed, when James the First, King of Great " Britain, a most liberal Prince, being informed of them, gave directions " for purchasing them from his executors, that they might be published.

" But, oh! Good Lord! Avhat unhappiness. It Avas as if these papers had " fallen from the smoke into the fire: they came into the hands of persons " Avho had the design to conceal them, like the mysteries of Ceres. Thus " once more, having merely changed possessors, they remained buried in " darkness until the time that you, Sir, Avho Avas born for the advancement " of good letters, taking compassion for such a great loss, have promised " that they shall come to light, and have taken of them such special care, " and have sought Avith such extreme diligence for some one to put his " hand to the undertaking, Avhich was still rude and in need of polishing " before it could be presented to the public." In 1654, the fifth volume of the magnificent work of Geographic. Bla viana, was published by Blaeu at Amsterdam, and is chiefly devoted to Scotland.

In his preface, the publisher characterises the Scottish part as a child, of which the parents were Pont and Gordon, and Scotstarvet the nurse. No date appears to have been attached to Pont's own description of his survey of Cuninghame, as there is none given in the transcript by Sir James Balfour. The only means of arriving at a conclusion on this point is by a careful analysis of those proprietors, Avhose names are mentioned by Pont in his " Alphabets," as being in possession at the time, and ascertaining from collateral authorities the dates on Avhich they succeeded to their properties or titles, and their deaths. In this investigation, it seems necessary to bear in mind that Pont's informant might possibly, by mistake, or through ignorance, have given him the name of a preceding proprietor; but it is not at all likely that he could have met with any person gifted with the poAver of foretelling who Avas to be the proprietor, further than an heir, apparent or presumptive, who might be in possession.

His survey would appear to have been made at an earlier date than that assigned in the Introduction. Foremost, in point of time, among those determinative names and dates may be mentioned — " Hourett Tour . . . the inheritance of Daniel Ker of Kersland," son of Captain Thomas CraAvfurd of Jordanhill, and Janet Ker, heiress of Kersland, and Avho assumed the name and armorial bearings of Ker of Kersland after his succession to that estate, on the death of his father, in 1603. " Moncastle . . . the inheritance of Hamilton Earle of Abercorne" — a title not created till 1604 — would seem imperatively to limit the earliest possible date of the survey to this year. Again, in the Article, " Mengrynen Castell . . . the inheritance of Cuninghame Laird thereof sone to the Abbot of Kilwinin quho Aves brother to the Earle of Glencairne," this son was not retoured in these lands till 1608.

It is possible, however, that, although not retoured, he may have been notour the Laird of Montgrenan before that date, as his father, the Abbot, to Avhom he succeeded, was shot at his OAvn gate in 1591. On the other hand, the proprietors named by Pont Avhose deaths, elsewhere recorded, would appear to define the later edge of the probable period of the date of his survey are more especially — "Robert Harvy" of Braidlie, who died in 1608; "Andrew Craufurd" of Bedlan, Avho died in 1609; " David Fairlies" of Minnock-over, who died in 1609; and "Archibald Boyd" of Portincross, who was dead in 1610. From this evidence, his survey might have taken place in any year between 1604 and 1608. Mr. Dobie's inference that the survey took place between 1610 and 1620, seems to have been founded, — First, on the assertion of Pont, that " Breed Sorrow " was " the possession of the Laird of Blair," Avhile the retours show that it belonged to Brisbane of Brisbane in 16 10, — and, that Bryce Blair of Blair had acquired it afterwards, as evidenced by the retour of Sir Bryce Blair of Blair in 1639.

And — Secondly, on the fact that it was not till 1 62 1 that James, second Earl of Abercorne, was served heir of his grandfather, Claud, Lord Paisley, in the lands of Moncastle. But it Avould rather appear that Breed Sorrow, as in former years, had then retained its original right to the name, and continued (as it still does) to be a divided property, and that both Brisbane and Blair had, each, part of the run-rig lands. In regard to Moncastle, James, first Earl of Abercorne, who was also styled, inter alia, " Baron Mountcastle," may, as heir apparent of his father, Lord Paisley, have been in possession, although he had not received or made up a strictly legal title to the property. From the proofs before adduced, combined with the statement in the letter of Gordon of Straloch, Pont's survey is more likely to have taken place before, than after, the year 1608.

In conclusion, the Editor has gratefully to acknoAvledge the courtesy of those Noblemen and Gentlemen Avho have presented him Avith engravings, a list of AA'hich, as well as of the other illustrations Avhich appear in this Avork will be found on page viii. His acknoAvledgments are also due to Mr. J. D. Cooper, in AA'hose studio the principal Avoodcuts have been executed, for the care he has bestoAved in the truthful rendering of the subjects so ably treated by him. To his numerous Correspondents, many of Avhom were unknown to him, and who most kindly and willingly communicated information on the various subjects of his enquiry, the Editor takes this opportunity of returning his warmest thanks. Morishill, \ 4th February, 1876.