Plaid Loch
Encyclopedia
Plaid Loch was a freshwater loch in the East Ayrshire
Council Area, now a remnant due to drainage, near Sinclairston and 2 miles south-east of Drongan
, lying in a glacial Kettle Hole, Parish of Ochiltree
, Scotland
.
Barlosh Moss
The Barlosh Moss is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and possess a significant moth population. Once part of Plaid Loch, it is now marshy land that is home to carex grass, heather, juncus, pine, birch and thorn.
and Auchencloigh Castle
, slightly the larger loch and to the north on the same watercourse. Blaeu's map of circa 1654 taken from Timothy Pont
's map of circa 1600 shows Plaid Loch and a Trinmaks River as the outflow. A location recorded as Lochhill lies to the north and East Plaid is nearby. The loch is roughly circular and slightly smaller than Belston Loch.
Molls map of 1745 shows a single loch that could be either Belston or Plaid. Roy's map of 1747 does not record the loch position, however a Laigh Plaid and High Plaid are marked. Armstrong's map of 1775 shows a substantial elongated loch with a Belston and a Drumsmiden nearby and an inflow from the north coming from the vicinity of Rattenraw (Rottenrow). In 1821 a ronded loch is clearly shown, fed by burns from Ochiltree
and Glenconnor. In 1832 Thomson's map shows a rounded 'Plaid' with substantial surrounding marshlands; Laigh and High Plaid are recorded.
In 1880 the loch was situated amongst extensive marshland and scrub with an outflow passing the Rottenrow area into the Burnock Water and running eventually into the Lugar Water
, with an inflow from Belston Loch. Barlosh Farm lies to the west and Laigh Plaid borders the site. An small island is shown in the south-west area. The loch in 1857 had a surface area of 7.952 acres and the small island had trees upon it. Much of the srrounding land was very marshy at this time. By 1896 only the core area of the loch still had open water and the island no longer existed as an independent entity. The 1950 aerial survey appears to show that the loch had been drained to the point where no open water was present. In the 1990s only a small area of marshy wetland is shown on the OS map
or Auchincloigh Castle (NGR NS 4945 1666) is a ruined fortification in the vicinity of Belston and Plaid Lochs near the Burnton Burn, lying within the feudal lands of the Craufurd Clan, situated in the Parish of Ochiltree, East Ayrshire, Scotland.
The area has seen extensive coal mining activity with an open cast mine and collieries at Drumsmodden, Polquhairn, Old Polquhairn, Auchlin, etc.
Early highways ran close to the loch, as indicated by names such as Glenconner, conaire being a Gaelic word for "path", and there is a farm called Rottenrow near to Glenconner, possibly derived from 'Route de Roi', or King's Highway.
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 a remnant due to drainage, near Sinclairston and 2 miles south-east of 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
Plaid Loch is one of four small lochs recorded in the 1880s, two of them artificial, within the Parish of Ochiltree.Barlosh Moss
The Barlosh Moss is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and possess a significant moth population. Once part of Plaid Loch, it is now marshy land that is home to carex grass, heather, juncus, pine, birch and thorn.
Cartographic evidence
Robert Gordon's map of circa 1636-52 marks the loch lying close to Belston LochBelston Loch
Belston Loch , also recorded as Dromsmodda Loch is a small freshwater loch in the East Ayrshire Council Area, near Sinclairston, 2 miles south-east of Drongan, lying in a glacial Kettle Hole...
and Auchencloigh Castle
Auchencloigh Castle
Auchencloigh Castle or Auchincloigh Castle is a ruined fortification near the Burnton Burn, lying within the feudal lands of the Craufurd Clan, situated in the Parish of Ochiltree, East Ayrshire, Scotland.-Auchencloigh Castle:...
, slightly the larger loch and to the north on the same watercourse. Blaeu's map of circa 1654 taken from Timothy Pont
Timothy 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 Plaid Loch and a Trinmaks River as the outflow. A location recorded as Lochhill lies to the north and East Plaid is nearby. The loch is roughly circular and slightly smaller than Belston Loch.
Molls map of 1745 shows a single loch that could be either Belston or Plaid. Roy's map of 1747 does not record the loch position, however a Laigh Plaid and High Plaid are marked. Armstrong's map of 1775 shows a substantial elongated loch with a Belston and a Drumsmiden nearby and an inflow from the north coming from the vicinity of Rattenraw (Rottenrow). In 1821 a ronded loch is clearly shown, fed by burns from 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....
and Glenconnor. In 1832 Thomson's map shows a rounded 'Plaid' with substantial surrounding marshlands; Laigh and High Plaid are recorded.
In 1880 the loch was situated amongst extensive marshland and scrub with an outflow passing the Rottenrow area into the Burnock Water and running eventually into the Lugar Water
Lugar Water
The Lugar Water, or River Lugar, is created by the confluence of Bello Water and Guelt Water, both of which flow from the hills of the Southern Uplands in East Ayrshire, Scotland....
, with an inflow from Belston Loch. Barlosh Farm lies to the west and Laigh Plaid borders the site. An small island is shown in the south-west area. The loch in 1857 had a surface area of 7.952 acres and the small island had trees upon it. Much of the srrounding land was very marshy at this time. By 1896 only the core area of the loch still had open water and the island no longer existed as an independent entity. The 1950 aerial survey appears to show that the loch had been drained to the point where no open water was present. In the 1990s only a small area of marshy wetland is shown on the OS map
Auchencloigh Castle
Auchencloigh CastleAuchencloigh Castle
Auchencloigh Castle or Auchincloigh Castle is a ruined fortification near the Burnton Burn, lying within the feudal lands of the Craufurd Clan, situated in the Parish of Ochiltree, East Ayrshire, Scotland.-Auchencloigh Castle:...
or Auchincloigh Castle (NGR NS 4945 1666) is a ruined fortification in the vicinity of Belston and Plaid Lochs near the Burnton Burn, lying within the feudal lands of the Craufurd Clan, situated in the Parish of Ochiltree, East Ayrshire, Scotland.
Micro-history
John Millar, born in 1806, was a stonedyker and later a curling stone maker. He and his family lived at High Plaid (High Plyde) Farm. John died in 1889.The area has seen extensive coal mining activity with an open cast mine and collieries at Drumsmodden, Polquhairn, Old Polquhairn, Auchlin, etc.
Early highways ran close to the loch, as indicated by names such as Glenconner, conaire being a Gaelic word for "path", and there is a farm called Rottenrow near to Glenconner, possibly derived from 'Route de Roi', or King's Highway.