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WEST KILBRIDE AND NEIGHBOURHOOD
Ayrshire
directory 1837 By Pigot & Co
West
Kilbride is a village, in the parish of its name and
district of
Cunningham,
73 miles wsw from Edinburgh, 30 sw from
Glasgow, 24 ssw from
Paisley,
the like distance n from Ayr, 22 s from
Greenock, 19 sw from
Kilmarnock,
12 n from Irvine, 7½ s from
Largs, 7 sw from Dalry, 5 n from
Saltcoats,
and the like distance s from Fairlie, and 4 nw from
Ardrossan;
situate
in a hollow, surrounded on all sides by rising grounds, which on the
west
protect it from the keen sea breezes, and on the opposite aspect from
easterly
winds. The scenery around is bold
and romantic, intersperced with
several
genteel handsome residences. The
ruins of Law castle and of
Portencross
are in the immediate vicinity of the village, and are both
objects
of interest to the curious in architectural relics. The principal
employment
of the inhabitants is weaving, in which about one hundred and
forty
looms are engaged; there is also a manufactory for charcoal, and a
mill
for grinding the article. In
population and extent the village has
materially
increased within the recollection of many persons; in the former
respect
it has augmented more than two-fold in the progress of the last
thirty
years.
The
places of worship are the parish church, and a small chapel in
connection
with the united associate synod. The
parochial school, a most
useful
institution, affords education upon very moderate terms to those who
are
enabled to pay, and gratuitously to such as are not blessed with the
means
of doing so; there is likewise a parochial library. The parish
extends
six miles along the shore of the Firth of
Clyde, and inland from two to
three miles. The district,
independent of the ruins already mentioned, possessed
other attractive vestiges of antiquity; and it is worthy of remark that,
off the sea line of the parish, one of the largest vessels composing
the
Spanish Armarda remains sunk to ten fathoms water: an attempt was made
about
eighty five years since, to examine the internal condition of this
ship,
and the operation succeeded so far that a piece of ordinance was
raised
from her bulk.
Post
Office, William
Hunter, Post master - Letters from
Saltcoats, Glasgow
&c
arrive every forenoon at eleven, and are despatched every afternoon at
two
- Letters from Largs, &c arrive every afternoon at one, and are
despatched
every afternoon at twenty minutes before two.
GENTRY AND CLERGY
Alexander,
Major Alexander, Carlung
Alexander,
the Misses, Carlung
Boyd,
Miss Marion, Orchard
Cranford, John, Esq of Auchenames
Cranford, Miss, Portencross
Findlay,
Rev Thomas, Manse
Fullarton,
Lieut. John of Overtown
Hindman,
John Blair, Esq Springside
,
George McMurdo, Esq, Seamill
cottage
Hunter,
Robert, Esq, of Hunterstone
Hunter, Robert, Esq, of Kirkland
Love,
Mrs Janet, Hall hill
Richie,
Francis C, Esq Kirktown hall
Spiers,
John Esq, Surgeon
Wark,
David, Esq, Portencross
ACADEMIES AND SCHOOLS
Campbell,
Margaret
Craig,
William
Parochial
School, William Smith, master
INNKEEPERS AND VINTERS
Gray,
Hannah and Ann
Hughs,
Edward
King,
John (Cranford's Arms)
Muir,
Eliz. (Crosshill Inn),
Crosshill
Richie, Alexander, (Wellington Inn)
Russell,
John
Simpson,
Robert
Smith,
James
Tyre,
Ann
SHOPKEEPERS AND TRADERS
Barbour,
Ephrain, linen draper and manufacturer's agent
Broadfoot,
John, linen draper and manufacturer's agent
Brown,
John, blacksmith
Craig,
John, tailor
Duncan, William, Blacksmith
Gemmil,
Hugh, grocer
Gemmil,
John, joiner
Gemmil. Wm. grocer and spirit dealer
Graham, Malcolm, grocer
Henry, John, joiner
Hunter,
William, linen draper
Jamieson, William, charcoal manufacturer and
grinder
King, John, joiner and timber merchant
Logan, Elizabeth, grocer
Logan, William,
joiner
McCueg, Duncan, shoe maker
McFie,
John, shoe maker
McIntyre, William, tailor
McKinnon,
John, tailor
Miller, James, baker
Parochial
Library, Wm Hunter, librarian
Richmond, Thomas, miller
Scott, William, stone mason
Shaw, John, agent to manufacturer
Smith, William, blacksmith
Stalker,
David, tailor
Stalker, John, tailor
Stirling, Alexander, shoe maker
Templeton, Geo., grocer, spirit dealer and ironmonger
Williamson, Alx., linen draper and stamp office
Wilson, Daniel, joiner
Wilson, Gilbert, stone mason
Wilson, John, miller
Wilson, Robert, joiner
CARRIERS
To
Glasgow - George Robertson, every Monday
To
Saltcoats - Andrew
Clark, daily
and .co.uk