Loch Shield
Encyclopedia
Loch Shield originally Loch of Scheel was a freshwater loch in the East Ayrshire
Council Area, now drained, near Drongan
, lying in a glacial Kettle Hole, Parish of Ochiltree
, Scotland
.
. The name Scheel relates to the nearby placename. Many of the Scots gentry once had their summer retreats, pleasantly informal places, referred to as their “shiels”, often within a mile or so of their principal residence, in this case Sundrum Castle. The name otherwise refers to a small shed or bothy, often used by fishermen.
's map of circa 1600 shows the Loch of Scheel with dwellings such as Trinmaks, Wereglin, and Glengabyr nearby. The dwelling named Scheel is marked near a wooded enclosure which may have been a part of the policies of the Sundrum estate at the time.
Roy's map of 1747 does not record the loch, however a Loch Mark is marked. Armstrong's map of 1775 records a placename 'Shield', but no loch or mill.
The map evidence suggests that the loch was drained in the early 18th century, although marshy ground is shown on later Ordnance Survey maps and a burn ran down to the Taiglum Burn prior to the construction of the railway.
's map of circa 1600, lying close to the Water of Coyle. The Mill of Shield or Mill o'Shiel, was a corn mill, fed by a lade running from the Taiglum Burn, water being being stored in a mill pond that is no longer extant. The loch's outflow water once flowed into the Taiglum Burn. The mill (NS 43800 17883) still exists in the form of a disused farm (2011).
Drongan House lies close to the site of the old loch and indeed a part of the building is known as Lochmark House, previously a farm in its own right.
A Mill of Shield Road runs through the nearby housing estate.
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...
Council Area, now drained, near Drongan
Drongan
Drongan, a former mining village, is situated on the western edge of Ayrshire, some 8 miles from Ayr and 8 miles from Cumnock and has a population of 3168....
, lying in a glacial Kettle Hole, Parish of Ochiltree
Ochiltree
Ochiltree, spelt Uchletree in the Middle Ages, is a village in East Ayrshire, Scotland near Auchinleck and Cumnock. It is one of the oldest villages in East Ayrshire with archaeological remains indicating Stone Age and Bronze Age settlers....
, 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 loch
Loch Shield was one of several small lochs within the Parish of OchiltreeOchiltree
Ochiltree, spelt Uchletree in the Middle Ages, is a village in East Ayrshire, Scotland near Auchinleck and Cumnock. It is one of the oldest villages in East Ayrshire with archaeological remains indicating Stone Age and Bronze Age settlers....
. The name Scheel relates to the nearby placename. Many of the Scots gentry once had their summer retreats, pleasantly informal places, referred to as their “shiels”, often within a mile or so of their principal residence, in this case Sundrum Castle. The name otherwise refers to a small shed or bothy, often used by fishermen.
Cartographic evidence
Robert Gordon's map of circa 1636-52 does not record the loch. Blaeu's map of circa 1654 taken from Timothy PontTimothy Pont
Timothy Pont was a Scottish topographer, the first to produce a detailed map of Scotland. Pont's maps are among the earliest surviving to show a European country in minute detail, from an actual survey.-Life:...
's map of circa 1600 shows the Loch of Scheel with dwellings such as Trinmaks, Wereglin, and Glengabyr nearby. The dwelling named Scheel is marked near a wooded enclosure which may have been a part of the policies of the Sundrum estate at the time.
Roy's map of 1747 does not record the loch, however a Loch Mark is marked. Armstrong's map of 1775 records a placename 'Shield', but no loch or mill.
The map evidence suggests that the loch was drained in the early 18th century, although marshy ground is shown on later Ordnance Survey maps and a burn ran down to the Taiglum Burn prior to the construction of the railway.
Uses
First recorded in the 14th century, the Mil of Scheel (sic) is marked on Blaeu's map of circa 1654 taken from Timothy PontTimothy Pont
Timothy Pont was a Scottish topographer, the first to produce a detailed map of Scotland. Pont's maps are among the earliest surviving to show a European country in minute detail, from an actual survey.-Life:...
's map of circa 1600, lying close to the Water of Coyle. The Mill of Shield or Mill o'Shiel, was a corn mill, fed by a lade running from the Taiglum Burn, water being being stored in a mill pond that is no longer extant. The loch's outflow water once flowed into the Taiglum Burn. The mill (NS 43800 17883) still exists in the form of a disused farm (2011).
Micro-history
The area has seen extensive coal mining activity with an open cast mine and collieries, such as the one at North Barbeth.Drongan House lies close to the site of the old loch and indeed a part of the building is known as Lochmark House, previously a farm in its own right.
A Mill of Shield Road runs through the nearby housing estate.