Barony of Peacockbank
Encyclopedia
The Barony of Peacockbank was in the old feudal Baillerie of Cunninghame
, near Stewarton
in what is now East Ayrshire
, Scotland
.
to Sir Neil Montgomerie in 1616. These lands included Fullwoods, Gabroch-Hills, Auchentiber
s, etc. Clare Constat was an instrument by which legal ownership of land is transferred. It is a deed executed by a subject-superior for the purpose of completing the title as his vassal's heir to the lands held by the deceased vassal. Papers in the National Archives of Scotland
of 1654 refer to the Barony of Peacockbank and the properties of Over and Nether Peacockbank, together with the corn mill, toun, etc.
In 1691 the Hearth Tax records show that Robert Catherwood lived in Peacockbank and had tenents: Mathew Longmure, Andrew Catherwood and William Walker.
In 1820 John Deans is the proprietor of Peacock-bank, which had a rental value of £127 13s. 4d. and is given as being "remarkably well cultivated". James Dunlop gave the Barony of Peacockbank to his son Alexander upon his marriage in 1667.
Peacockbank Farm has seen many changes, with the coming of the railway came the impressive viaduct and the new road to Kilmaurs
and Kilmarnock
was built very close to it. The course of the old entrance drive to Lochridge House was changed by the railway company and the original drive ran down past the old Tollhouse, on the site of the 'roads department' sand & salt store, to join the Irvine to Stewarton road has gone completely, apart possibly from the position of the gate. The field above was called 'Kiln Field', but no remains of any kiln exist. The field bisected by the railway at the viaduct was known as 'Bonfire Field' and may have been used for Beltane
fires, etc. Fore Croft Park ran up to Peacockbank from near the old mill. The field above Peter's Brae was called Rye Hill Park.
to join the court having been commanded to attend by the King, accompanied only by a few domestic servants. He stopped at Lainshaw Castle to dine with his close relative, a Montgomerie who was Lord of Lainshaw and who's Lady was a Margaret Cunninghame of Aiket Castle, with sisters were married to John Cunninghame of Corsehill and David Cunninghame of Robertland
. It seems that a plot to kill the Earl as an act of revenge had been organised by Lady Montgomerie.
After the murder Lady Margaret Montgomerie was said to have fled to Ireland, however it seems that she actually remained close by, living with an estate tenant, one Robert Barr and family at Pearce Bank farm, now High Peacockbank. She was eventually permitted to return to her husband and home, however she never again left the grounds of Lainshaw Castle and she avoided any contact with the Montgomerie family for the remainder of her days.
Cunninghame
Cunninghame is a former comital district of Scotland and also a district of the Strathclyde Region from 1975–1996.-Historic Cunninghame:The historic district of Cunninghame was bordered by the districts of Renfrew and Clydesdale to the north and east respectively, by the district of Kyle to the...
, near Stewarton
Stewarton
Stewarton is a town in East Ayrshire, Scotland. In comparison to the neighbouring towns of Kilmaurs, Fenwick, Dunlop and Lugton, it is a relatively large town, with a population of over 6,500. It is 300 feet above sea level.Groome, Francis H. . Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland. Pub. Caxton. London....
in what is now East Ayrshire
East Ayrshire
East Ayrshire is one of 32 council areas of Scotland. It borders on to North Ayrshire, East Renfrewshire, South Lanarkshire, South Ayrshire and Dumfries and Galloway...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
.
The history of Peacockbank
Dobie records that this Barony, called of old the 'Barony of Balgray' was given in Clare Constat by the Earl of EglintonEarl of Eglinton
Earl of Eglinton is a title in the Peerage of Scotland.Some authorities spell the title: Earl of Eglintoun In 1859 the thirteenth Earl of Eglinton, Archibald Montgomerie, was also created Earl of Winton in the Peerage of the United Kingdom, which gave him an automatic seat in the House of Lords,...
to Sir Neil Montgomerie in 1616. These lands included Fullwoods, Gabroch-Hills, Auchentiber
Auchentiber
The hamlet of Auchentiber is in North Ayrshire, Parish of Kilwinning, Scotland. Auchentiber is NE of Kilwinning on the Lochlibo Road, from the hamlet of Burnhouse and from the village of Barrmill. Grid Ref. NS3647. Some new housing has been built, but the settlement is still very much a hamlet...
s, etc. Clare Constat was an instrument by which legal ownership of land is transferred. It is a deed executed by a subject-superior for the purpose of completing the title as his vassal's heir to the lands held by the deceased vassal. Papers in the National Archives of Scotland
National Archives of Scotland
Based in Edinburgh, the National Archives of Scotland are the national archives of Scotland. The NAS claims to have one of the most varied collection of archives in Europe...
of 1654 refer to the Barony of Peacockbank and the properties of Over and Nether Peacockbank, together with the corn mill, toun, etc.
In 1691 the Hearth Tax records show that Robert Catherwood lived in Peacockbank and had tenents: Mathew Longmure, Andrew Catherwood and William Walker.
In 1820 John Deans is the proprietor of Peacock-bank, which had a rental value of £127 13s. 4d. and is given as being "remarkably well cultivated". James Dunlop gave the Barony of Peacockbank to his son Alexander upon his marriage in 1667.
Kilmaurs
Kilmaurs is a village in East Ayrshire, Scotland. It lies on the Carmel, 21.1 miles south by west of Glasgow. Population recorded in 2001 Census, 2601- History :...
and Kilmarnock
Kilmarnock
Kilmarnock is a large burgh in East Ayrshire, Scotland, with a population of 44,734. It is the second largest town in Ayrshire. The River Irvine runs through its eastern section, and the Kilmarnock Water passes through it, giving rise to the name 'Bank Street'...
was built very close to it. The course of the old entrance drive to Lochridge House was changed by the railway company and the original drive ran down past the old Tollhouse, on the site of the 'roads department' sand & salt store, to join the Irvine to Stewarton road has gone completely, apart possibly from the position of the gate. The field above was called 'Kiln Field', but no remains of any kiln exist. The field bisected by the railway at the viaduct was known as 'Bonfire Field' and may have been used for Beltane
Beltane
Beltane or Beltaine is the anglicised spelling of Old Irish Beltaine or Beltine , the Gaelic name for either the month of May or the festival that takes place on the first day of May.Bealtaine was historically a Gaelic festival celebrated in Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man.Bealtaine...
fires, etc. Fore Croft Park ran up to Peacockbank from near the old mill. The field above Peter's Brae was called Rye Hill Park.
The murder of the 4th Earl of Eglinton
In April 1586, Hugh, 4th. Earl of Eglinton was travelling to StirlingStirling
Stirling is a city and former ancient burgh in Scotland, and is at the heart of the wider Stirling council area. The city is clustered around a large fortress and medieval old-town beside the River Forth...
to join the court having been commanded to attend by the King, accompanied only by a few domestic servants. He stopped at Lainshaw Castle to dine with his close relative, a Montgomerie who was Lord of Lainshaw and who's Lady was a Margaret Cunninghame of Aiket Castle, with sisters were married to John Cunninghame of Corsehill and David Cunninghame of Robertland
David Cunninghame of Robertland
Sir David Cunninghame of Robertland, in Ayrshire, was Master of Work to the Crown of Scotland from 1602 to 1607.Involved in the murder of the Earl of Eglinton in 1585, Cunninghame spent some time in exile at the royal court of Denmark, and the Danish government wrote to James VI of Scotland to...
. It seems that a plot to kill the Earl as an act of revenge had been organised by Lady Montgomerie.
After the murder Lady Margaret Montgomerie was said to have fled to Ireland, however it seems that she actually remained close by, living with an estate tenant, one Robert Barr and family at Pearce Bank farm, now High Peacockbank. She was eventually permitted to return to her husband and home, however she never again left the grounds of Lainshaw Castle and she avoided any contact with the Montgomerie family for the remainder of her days.
See also
- CunninghamheadCunninghamheadCunninghamhead is a hamlet in North Ayrshire, Scotland. It was the centre of the lands of Cunninghamhead, Perceton and Annick Lodge in Cunninghame...
- ChapeltounChapeltounChapeltoun is an estate on the banks of the Annick Water in East Ayrshire, Scotland. This is a rural area famous for its milk and cheese production and the Ayrshire or Dunlop breed of cattle.-Templeton and the Knights Templar:...
- LambroughtonLambroughtonLambroughton is a village in the old Barony of Kilmaurs, North Ayrshire, Scotland. This is a rural area famous for its milk and cheese production and the Ayrshire or Dunlop breed of cattle.-Origins of the name:...
- Corsehill
- The Lands of LochridgeThe Lands of LochridgeThe Lochridge estate was in the old feudal Baillerie of Cunninghame, near Stewarton in what is now East Ayrshire, Scotland.-The history of Lochridge:...
External links
- http://geo.nls.uk/roy/ General Roy's Military map of Scotland.
- http://www.futuremuseum.co.uk Details of the De Soulis, De Morville and other Cunninghame families.