Meikle Auchengree
Encyclopedia
Meikle Auchengree is a hamlet in North Ayrshire
, Scotland
.
Meikle Auchengree is 0.5 kilometre (0.310686368324903 mi)east of Glengarnock
in Dalry parish. The hamlet is situated at the north end of the Auchengree Road which runs between the B777 and the A737 roads. The settlement is today a mixture of farms, small-holdings and residential properties. Its most distinctive building is that of the former Auchengree Engine Works, a mid Victorian
factory building on the eastern side of the Auchengree Road. The Auchengree Farm has a farm shop
selling local produce, the only shop in the hamlet. A community hall is shared with the neighbouring hamlet of Longbar
situated near the junction with the B777, at the Auchengree Bridge. The Auchengree Bridge is a simple stone arch that crosses the Powgree Burn. On the opposite bank of the burn from the hall stood the Auchengree Foundry; one of the earliest in an area once famous for its iron and steel making. The foundry once exploited the ironstone
s that were easily quarried from the banks of the Powgree Burn.
The works and the foundry were not the only industries that Auchengree once hosted. The remains of two mills can be found if the Powgree Burn is followed upstream from Auchengree Bridge into Kersland Glen. The downstream of the two, Braehead Mill was once a saw mill
that continued working until at least 1912. Further upstream at Braehead Falls, Tianna Falls or Linn Spout (the name of the waterfall varies by which source is consulted) there is another, better known, Linn or Lynn Spout on the Caaf Water
, again in Dalry Parish) are the ruins of the Kersland Lint Mill, one of many small mills for flax
processing that existed briefly in the nineteenth century.
Clustered on the open area west of the Auchengree Road between the B777 and the Powgree Burn were the rows of the original Longbar hamlet, which ran from there towards the Longbar
farm along the line of the B777. With their demolition and the creation of the housing estate now known as Longbar a division between what is Longbar and what is Auchengree was created.
North Ayrshire
North Ayrshire is one of 32 council areas in Scotland with a population of roughly 136,000 people. It is located in the south-west region of Scotland, and borders the areas of Inverclyde to the north, Renfrewshire to the north-east and East Ayrshire and South Ayrshire to the East and South...
, 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...
.
Meikle Auchengree is 0.5 kilometre (0.310686368324903 mi)east of Glengarnock
Glengarnock
Glengarnock is a small village in North Ayrshire that lies near the west coast of Scotland. It forms part of the Garnock Valley area and is approximately 25 miles away for Glasgow, the nearest city...
in Dalry parish. The hamlet is situated at the north end of the Auchengree Road which runs between the B777 and the A737 roads. The settlement is today a mixture of farms, small-holdings and residential properties. Its most distinctive building is that of the former Auchengree Engine Works, a mid Victorian
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
factory building on the eastern side of the Auchengree Road. The Auchengree Farm has a farm shop
Farm shop
A Farm shop is a type of retail outlet which usually sells produce directly from a farm. Some farm shops also resell related goods such as locally produced groceries, foods, drinks and delicatessen products....
selling local produce, the only shop in the hamlet. A community hall is shared with the neighbouring hamlet of Longbar
Longbar
Longbar is a hamlet in North Ayrshire, Scotland, immediately to the east of Glengarnock. It is now a housing estate situated on the low hillside above the Longbar Farm. Originally it was a string of single-storey terraced cottages that ran from the farm east towards the junction of the...
situated near the junction with the B777, at the Auchengree Bridge. The Auchengree Bridge is a simple stone arch that crosses the Powgree Burn. On the opposite bank of the burn from the hall stood the Auchengree Foundry; one of the earliest in an area once famous for its iron and steel making. The foundry once exploited the ironstone
Ironstone
Ironstone is a sedimentary rock, either deposited directly as a ferruginous sediment or created by chemical repacement, that contains a substantial proportion of an iron compound from which iron either can be or once was smelted commercially. This term is customarily restricted to hard coarsely...
s that were easily quarried from the banks of the Powgree Burn.
The works and the foundry were not the only industries that Auchengree once hosted. The remains of two mills can be found if the Powgree Burn is followed upstream from Auchengree Bridge into Kersland Glen. The downstream of the two, Braehead Mill was once a saw mill
Sawmill
A sawmill is a facility where logs are cut into boards.-Sawmill process:A sawmill's basic operation is much like those of hundreds of years ago; a log enters on one end and dimensional lumber exits on the other end....
that continued working until at least 1912. Further upstream at Braehead Falls, Tianna Falls or Linn Spout (the name of the waterfall varies by which source is consulted) there is another, better known, Linn or Lynn Spout on the Caaf Water
Caaf Water
The Caaf Water in western Scotland nowadays drains from the Caaf Reservoir above Dalry which is fed from Knockendon Reservoir...
, again in Dalry Parish) are the ruins of the Kersland Lint Mill, one of many small mills for flax
Flax
Flax is a member of the genus Linum in the family Linaceae. It is native to the region extending from the eastern Mediterranean to India and was probably first domesticated in the Fertile Crescent...
processing that existed briefly in the nineteenth century.
Clustered on the open area west of the Auchengree Road between the B777 and the Powgree Burn were the rows of the original Longbar hamlet, which ran from there towards the Longbar
Longbar
Longbar is a hamlet in North Ayrshire, Scotland, immediately to the east of Glengarnock. It is now a housing estate situated on the low hillside above the Longbar Farm. Originally it was a string of single-storey terraced cottages that ran from the farm east towards the junction of the...
farm along the line of the B777. With their demolition and the creation of the housing estate now known as Longbar a division between what is Longbar and what is Auchengree was created.