Dundonald, South Ayrshire
Encyclopedia
Dundonald is a village in South Ayrshire
, Scotland
.
, which was built in the 14th century by king Robert II
, on the ruins of a castle built earlier (in 1260 by his grandfather, Alexander Comyn. It served the Scottish kings for 150 years.
The ruins of Old Auchans Castle lies nearby, the previous residence of Susanna Montgomery, Lady Eglinton.
Since 1945, it serves mostly as a dormitory town for the larger towns in the area.
Tens of thousands of years ago Dundonald did have a beach at one point.
, with whom it stayed until the Reformation.
Views in and around Dundonald
The small loch of Galrigs
was located near Laurieston Farm and the ruin of Lochside Farm; it is now evident as a marshy area dominated by rushes. Galrigs was the old name for the lands of Newfield.
parishes lies an area known as the 'Slough of Despond'. The original Slough of Despond
is a deep bog in John Bunyan's allegory The Pilgrims Progress into which the character Christian sinks under the weight of his sins and his sense of guilt for them.
The burn in this area, rising near the old Broadhirst Farm, has long been known as the Slough, the Scots equivalent spelling is Sleugh, meaning a marsh or quagmire. It is not known how the name 'Slough of Despond' was added to the area, however it is recorded since the mid 19th century and may be linked to the nearby limekilns that were generally notorious for the acrid 'hell-like' smoke that issued from them.
The Slough Burn still rises from the marshy area below the Broadhirst Woods, however the limestone quarry that served the limekilns is now abandoned, surviving as an area rich in wildlife, containing old woodland indicator plants such as Wood Anemone (Anemone nemorosa
), Bluebell (Hyacinthoides non-scripta), Wood Sorrel (Oxalis acetosella), Dog's Mercury (Mercurialis perennis), Herb Robert (Geranium robertianum)and other species. The Slough Burn runs down past Dankeith House, Templeton and Fortacres, Todrigs and through Caprington, to join the River Irvine
near Gatehead.
South Ayrshire
South Ayrshire is one of 32 council areas of Scotland, covering the southern part of Ayrshire. It borders onto East Ayrshire, North 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 village
The village is mostly known for Dundonald CastleDundonald Castle
Dundonald Castle is situated on a hill overlooking the village of Dundonald, between Kilmarnock and Troon in South Ayrshire, Scotland. Dundonald Castle is a fortified tower house built for Robert II on his accession to the throne of Scotland in 1371 and it was used as a royal residence by the early...
, which was built in the 14th century by king Robert II
Robert II of Scotland
Robert II became King of Scots in 1371 as the first monarch of the House of Stewart. He was the son of Walter Stewart, hereditary High Steward of Scotland and of Marjorie Bruce, daughter of Robert I and of his first wife Isabella of Mar...
, on the ruins of a castle built earlier (in 1260 by his grandfather, Alexander Comyn. It served the Scottish kings for 150 years.
The ruins of Old Auchans Castle lies nearby, the previous residence of Susanna Montgomery, Lady Eglinton.
Since 1945, it serves mostly as a dormitory town for the larger towns in the area.
Tens of thousands of years ago Dundonald did have a beach at one point.
The Parish church
The present church (NS 366 343) was built in 1803, however the first recorded church was present in 1229 when it was gifted to the convent at Damilling and later to Paisley AbbeyPaisley Abbey
Paisley Abbey is a former Cluniac monastery, and current Church of Scotland parish kirk, located on the east bank of the White Cart Water in the centre of the town of Paisley, Renfrewshire, in west central Scotland.-History:...
, with whom it stayed until the Reformation.
Views in and around Dundonald
New Auchans House
A new Auchans House (NS 36035 34900) was built circa 1819, designed by William Wallace. The house was built for the Earl of Eglinton's commissioner Monteaulieu Burgess of Coilsfield, followed in 1885 by the Hon. Greville Richard Vernon, son of the 1st Lord Lyveden. Major Coats of the Paisley thread manufacturers tenanted the house at one time, as did the Beattie banking family. In 1947 the Earl of Eglinton sold the house to the Earl of Dundonald. The house was then sold by the Earl of Dundonald in 1960 to a builder and finally demolished in 1970 and the site has since been developed as a housing estate on the edge of the town.Natural history
Dundonald Woods (NS363343) are one of the most extensive areas of elm-dominated woodlands in Ayrshire. Ash, oak and sycamore are also abundant; much of the policies are composed of derelict-coppiced-type growth from trees felled in the Second World War. Some conifer plantations are present. Wetland habitats are also present, including the Collennan Reservoir, springs and a eutrophic loch, contributing to the high biodiversity of the site. Dog's Mercury, Wood Melick, Broad-leaved Helleborine, and Giant Bellflower are amongst the significant plants present.The small loch of Galrigs
Galrigs Loch, Ayrshire
The Galrigs Loch was a substantial freshwater loch situated in low lying area between Newfield and Dundonald in South Ayrshire, Scotland. It was drained in the early 18th century.-History:...
was located near Laurieston Farm and the ruin of Lochside Farm; it is now evident as a marshy area dominated by rushes. Galrigs was the old name for the lands of Newfield.
The Slough of Despond
On the boundary of Dundonald and SymingtonSymington, South Ayrshire
Symington is a conservation village in South Ayrshire, Scotland. It is located in Symington Parish, covering 0.41sq Km, and lies close to the A77 road from Ayr to Glasgow...
parishes lies an area known as the 'Slough of Despond'. The original Slough of Despond
Slough of Despond
The Slough of Despond is a deep bog in John Bunyan's allegory The Pilgrim's Progress, into which the character Christian sinks under the weight of his sins and his sense of guilt for them...
is a deep bog in John Bunyan's allegory The Pilgrims Progress into which the character Christian sinks under the weight of his sins and his sense of guilt for them.
The burn in this area, rising near the old Broadhirst Farm, has long been known as the Slough, the Scots equivalent spelling is Sleugh, meaning a marsh or quagmire. It is not known how the name 'Slough of Despond' was added to the area, however it is recorded since the mid 19th century and may be linked to the nearby limekilns that were generally notorious for the acrid 'hell-like' smoke that issued from them.
The Slough Burn still rises from the marshy area below the Broadhirst Woods, however the limestone quarry that served the limekilns is now abandoned, surviving as an area rich in wildlife, containing old woodland indicator plants such as Wood Anemone (Anemone nemorosa
Anemone nemorosa
Anemone nemorosa is an early-spring flowering plant in the genus Anemone in the family Ranunculaceae, native to Europe. Common names include wood anemone, windflower, thimbleweed and smell fox, an allusion to the musky smell of the leaves...
), Bluebell (Hyacinthoides non-scripta), Wood Sorrel (Oxalis acetosella), Dog's Mercury (Mercurialis perennis), Herb Robert (Geranium robertianum)and other species. The Slough Burn runs down past Dankeith House, Templeton and Fortacres, Todrigs and through Caprington, to join the River Irvine
River Irvine
The River Irvine is a river flowing through southwest Scotland, with its watershed on the Lanarkshire border of Ayrshire at an altitude of above sea-level, near Drumclog, and SW by W of Strathaven...
near Gatehead.
Events
- August - "Dundonald Highland Games" - Traditional Scottish Highland Games.
- May - "Dundonald Music Festival" - A weekend of booked bands and jam sessions.