Castle Semple Loch
Encyclopedia
Castle Semple Loch is a 1.5 mile (2.5 km) long inland loch
at Lochwinnoch
in Renfrewshire
, Scotland
. Originally part of an estate of the same name, it is now administered by Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park
as a watersports centre. An RSPB
bird sanctuary is located on the loch's southern shore.
(1465–1536), often use the term 'Garnoth' or 'Garnott' and may be referring to a single large loch incorporating Kilbirnie Loch
and Loch Winnoch (Barr and Castle Semple Lochs). Boece in his book of 1527 the 'Historia Gentis Scotorum' (History of the Scottish People), says that this entity was nocht unlike the Loch Doune full of fische.
There is a long history of drainage schemes and farming operations in the Lochwinnoch
area, with co-ordinated attempts dating from about 1691 by Lord Sempill
, followed by Colonel McDowal of Castle Sempil in 1774, James Adams of Burnfoot, and by others. Until these drainage works Loch Winnoch and Kilbirnie Loch nearly met and often did during flooding, to the extent that, as stated, early writers such as Boece, Hollings and Petruccio Ubaldini
regarded the lochs as one, using the name 'Garnoth' or 'Garnott'.
The Castle Semple and Barr Lochs lie in an area previously covered by one large loch known as ‘Loch Winnoch’, however by the end of the 18th century silt from the River Calder
had divided the loch into two and thus Castle Semple and Barr Loch became separate entities. In 1814 Barr Loch and the Aird Meadow was bunded and drained, however after WW2 the area was gradually abandoned for any agricultural use.
The ruins of the small Sixteenth Century Collegiate Church
can be found on the Northern shore along a well-maintained path. It was built in 1504 by John, Lord Sempill
, in the grounds of the original (Thirteenth century) Castle Semple, and is now in the care of Historic Scotland
..
Although the house itself burnt down at the beginning of the 20th Century, the grounds of Castle Semple on the loch's Northern shore still contain the walls of the old walled garden as well as much of the surrounding wall and one of the gates. There is also an octagonal structure, known as The Temple, on top of Kenmuir hill near the house, which was built in the 18th Century as a hunting lookout.
The new Castle Semple was an elaborate gothick
mansion which became renowned for its extensive gardens which formed the centrepiece of the 900 acre
(364 ha
) estate. It burned down in 1924 and the ruins were finally demolished in 1960. The billiard room and stables wing have been re-roofed and are used as farm buildings. Impressive gate-arches and a small temple folly
on a knoll to the northern end of the loch are all that remains of the estate.
Castle Semple once had its own railway station
which never opened to the general public. A simple platform existed here, used mostly by the workers on the estate. Had the station opened to the public, it would likely have been called Howwood or St Bryde's (after nearby St Bryde's House and burn). The trackbed is now part of National Cycle Route 7
.
; he could spare no part of the 2 mile long loch, however his neighbour, McDowall of Gartland, offered the Barr Meadow which he flooded to a depth of two to three feet, thereby providing a safe alternative venue. The event of 11 January 1850 was very successful and attracted huge crowds. The North won for the first time by a majority of 233 shots.
Loch
Loch is the Irish and Scottish Gaelic word for a lake or a sea inlet. It has been anglicised as lough, although this is pronounced the same way as loch. Some lochs could also be called a firth, fjord, estuary, strait or bay...
at Lochwinnoch
Lochwinnoch
Lochwinnoch is a village in the council area and historic county of Renfrewshire in the west central Lowlands of Scotland. Lying on the banks of Castle Semple Loch and the River Calder, Lochwinnoch is chiefly a residential dormitory village serving nearby urban centres such as Glasgow and Paisley...
in Renfrewshire
Renfrewshire
Renfrewshire is one of 32 council areas used for local government in Scotland. Located in the west central Lowlands, it is one of three council areas contained within the boundaries of the historic county of Renfrewshire, the others being Inverclyde to the west and East Renfrewshire to the east...
, 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...
. Originally part of an estate of the same name, it is now administered by Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park
Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park
Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park is the collective name for areas of countryside set aside for conservation and recreation on the South Clyde estuary in Scotland....
as a watersports centre. An RSPB
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
Bird Notes and News was first published in April 1903.The title changed to 'Bird Notes' in 1947. In the 1950s, there were four copies per year . Each volume covered two years, spread over three calendar years...
bird sanctuary is located on the loch's southern shore.
Loch history
Early authors, such as Hector BoeceHector Boece
Hector Boece , known in Latin as Hector Boecius or Boethius, was a Scottish philosopher and first Principal of King's College in Aberdeen, a predecessor of the University of Aberdeen.-Biography:He was born in Dundee where he attended school...
(1465–1536), often use the term 'Garnoth' or 'Garnott' and may be referring to a single large loch incorporating Kilbirnie Loch
Kilbirnie Loch
Kilbirnie Loch , is situated in the floodplain of between Kilbirnie, Glengarnock and Beith, and runs south-west to north-east for almost , is about wide for the most part and has an area of roughly 3 km2 . It has a general depth of around 5.2 metres to a maximum of around 11 metres...
and Loch Winnoch (Barr and Castle Semple Lochs). Boece in his book of 1527 the 'Historia Gentis Scotorum' (History of the Scottish People), says that this entity was nocht unlike the Loch Doune full of fische.
There is a long history of drainage schemes and farming operations in the Lochwinnoch
Lochwinnoch
Lochwinnoch is a village in the council area and historic county of Renfrewshire in the west central Lowlands of Scotland. Lying on the banks of Castle Semple Loch and the River Calder, Lochwinnoch is chiefly a residential dormitory village serving nearby urban centres such as Glasgow and Paisley...
area, with co-ordinated attempts dating from about 1691 by Lord Sempill
Lord Sempill
Lord Sempill is a title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created in circa 1489 for Sir John Sempill, founder of the collegiate Church of Lochwinnoch. Sempill was killed at the Battle of Flodden in 1513. His grandson, the third Lord, was known as "The Great Lord Sempill"...
, followed by Colonel McDowal of Castle Sempil in 1774, James Adams of Burnfoot, and by others. Until these drainage works Loch Winnoch and Kilbirnie Loch nearly met and often did during flooding, to the extent that, as stated, early writers such as Boece, Hollings and Petruccio Ubaldini
Petruccio Ubaldini
Petruccio Ubaldini was an Italian calligraphist and illuminator on vellum, who was working in England in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, and seems to have enjoyed the favor of the Court...
regarded the lochs as one, using the name 'Garnoth' or 'Garnott'.
The Castle Semple and Barr Lochs lie in an area previously covered by one large loch known as ‘Loch Winnoch’, however by the end of the 18th century silt from the River Calder
River Calder, Renfrewshire
The River Calder is a river mainly within Renfrewshire, Scotland, UK.The river rises in the hills to the east of the county and for some of its length forms the border between Renfrewshire and its neighbouring council areas of North Ayrshire and Inverclyde...
had divided the loch into two and thus Castle Semple and Barr Loch became separate entities. In 1814 Barr Loch and the Aird Meadow was bunded and drained, however after WW2 the area was gradually abandoned for any agricultural use.
Buildings
The ruins of the Early Mediaeval Peel Tower stand on the Southern shore of the loch, inaccesible except by boat. This tower was probably used as a fortified stronghold by the people of the area around the loch for defense against bandits and other dangers, as only the locals knew the safe paths through the marsh.The ruins of the small Sixteenth Century Collegiate Church
Collegiate church
In Christianity, a collegiate church is a church where the daily office of worship is maintained by a college of canons; a non-monastic, or "secular" community of clergy, organised as a self-governing corporate body, which may be presided over by a dean or provost...
can be found on the Northern shore along a well-maintained path. It was built in 1504 by John, Lord Sempill
Lord Sempill
Lord Sempill is a title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created in circa 1489 for Sir John Sempill, founder of the collegiate Church of Lochwinnoch. Sempill was killed at the Battle of Flodden in 1513. His grandson, the third Lord, was known as "The Great Lord Sempill"...
, in the grounds of the original (Thirteenth century) Castle Semple, and is now in the care of Historic Scotland
Historic Scotland
Historic Scotland is an executive agency of the Scottish Government, responsible for historic monuments in Scotland.-Role:As its website states:...
..
Although the house itself burnt down at the beginning of the 20th Century, the grounds of Castle Semple on the loch's Northern shore still contain the walls of the old walled garden as well as much of the surrounding wall and one of the gates. There is also an octagonal structure, known as The Temple, on top of Kenmuir hill near the house, which was built in the 18th Century as a hunting lookout.
Castle Semple
Castle Semple House was built in 1735 for Col. William MacDowell, who had the original Castleton House demolished. This house is described by Crawford in 1710 as consisting of a large court, part of which seemed to be a very ancient building. According to Gardner, Castleton was built in 1492 - 3, but Millar states that it was built closer to 1550, as a successor to Elliston Castle. Its foundations were exposed in 1836 when digging drains about Castle Semple.The new Castle Semple was an elaborate gothick
Gothic Revival architecture
The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement that began in the 1740s in England...
mansion which became renowned for its extensive gardens which formed the centrepiece of the 900 acre
Acre
The acre is a unit of area in a number of different systems, including the imperial and U.S. customary systems. The most commonly used acres today are the international acre and, in the United States, the survey acre. The most common use of the acre is to measure tracts of land.The acre is related...
(364 ha
Hectare
The hectare is a metric unit of area defined as 10,000 square metres , and primarily used in the measurement of land. In 1795, when the metric system was introduced, the are was defined as being 100 square metres and the hectare was thus 100 ares or 1/100 km2...
) estate. It burned down in 1924 and the ruins were finally demolished in 1960. The billiard room and stables wing have been re-roofed and are used as farm buildings. Impressive gate-arches and a small temple folly
Folly
In architecture, a folly is a building constructed primarily for decoration, but either suggesting by its appearance some other purpose, or merely so extravagant that it transcends the normal range of garden ornaments or other class of building to which it belongs...
on a knoll to the northern end of the loch are all that remains of the estate.
Castle Semple once had its own railway station
Castle Semple railway station
Castle Semple railway station was intended to be a railway station that would have served the village of Howwood, Renfrewshire, Scotland as part of the Dalry and North Johnstone Line on the Glasgow and South Western Railway.- History :...
which never opened to the general public. A simple platform existed here, used mostly by the workers on the estate. Had the station opened to the public, it would likely have been called Howwood or St Bryde's (after nearby St Bryde's House and burn). The trackbed is now part of National Cycle Route 7
NCR 7
-Route:For mapping purposes, the route is split at Glasgow into Lochs and Glens and -Carlisle to Glasgow:The route runs from Carlisle across the border to Dumfries; this section takes a long route at present, but may change following the construction of an "all-purpose route" alongside the M6...
.
Curling bonspiel
Harvey of Castle Semple refused the use of Castle Semple loch to the Royal Curling Club for the Grand Match or bonspielBonspiel
A bonspiel is a curling tournament, traditionally held outdoors on a frozen freshwater loch. The word comes from the Scottish Gaelic and means league match . Though not mandatory, curling teams involved in bonspiels often wear theme costumes...
; he could spare no part of the 2 mile long loch, however his neighbour, McDowall of Gartland, offered the Barr Meadow which he flooded to a depth of two to three feet, thereby providing a safe alternative venue. The event of 11 January 1850 was very successful and attracted huge crowds. The North won for the first time by a majority of 233 shots.