Cumnock
Encyclopedia
Cumnock is a town
in East Ayrshire
, Scotland
. The town sits at the confluence of the Glaisnock Water and the Lugar Water
. There are three neighbouring housing projects which lie just outside the town boundaries, Netherthird
, Craigens and Logan
, with the former ironworks
settlement of Lugar
also just outside the town, contributing to a population of around 13,000 in the immediate locale. A new housing development, Knockroon
, was granted planning permission on 9 Dec, 2009 by East Ayrshire Council.
Cumnock housed many miners, and also served as the market town for the other, smaller towns in the district, like Auchinleck
, Ochiltree
, Lugar, Muirkirk
and New Cumnock
(the original Cumnock/Comenagh/Comno/ etc)
The town has a strong socialist heritage due to its role as a mining centre. The father of the Labour Party
, James Keir Hardie, lived in the town for a large part of his life, and a statue to him sits outside the town hall. A small housing scheme in the town (Keir Hardie Hill) is named after him. The popular left-wing politician Emrys Hughes was local MP for a time in the mid-20th century, and also lived in the town.
William Wallace
allegedly spent 3 months in the seat of Patrick Dunbar ((New)Cumnock or Cumno in 1296), according to the poem, The Wallace
, by Blind Harry
. Cumnock is also in the heart of Robert Burns country and the poet is said to have spent time there.
Cumnock also has one of Scotland's biggest Junior football teams, Cumnock Juniors. Though attracting big attendances and spending large sums of money in pursuit of success, they have been overshadowed by the achievements of local rivals Auchinleck Talbot, from the adjacent town.
For many years there were two secondary schools, Cumnock Academy and Saint Conval's High School - which was later annexed with St Joseph's Academy in Kilmarnock
and became known as St Joseph's Cumnock Campus. In 2004 however St Joseph's Cumnock Campus was shut down due to falling attendance figures, and the town's Catholic children now attend the original St Joseph's Academy
in Kilmarnock.
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
in East Ayrshire
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...
, 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 town sits at the confluence of the Glaisnock Water and 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....
. There are three neighbouring housing projects which lie just outside the town boundaries, Netherthird
Netherthird
-External links:**...
, Craigens and Logan
Logan, East Ayrshire
Logan is a village in East Ayrshire, southwest Scotland. It is east of Cumnock, by the Lugar Water.Logan is served by a regular daytime bus service to Cumnock operated by Stagecoach West Scotland. The nearest train station is Auchinleck....
, with the former ironworks
Ironworks
An ironworks or iron works is a building or site where iron is smelted and where heavy iron and/or steel products are made. The term is both singular and plural, i.e...
settlement of Lugar
Lugar, East Ayrshire
Lugar is a small village in East Ayrshire, southwest Scotland. Lugar is in Auchinleck Parish, Kyle District, Ayrshire. It is ENE of Cumnock, and about from Cronberry and from Gasswater. Lugar is a station on the Mauchline and Muirkirk branch of the Glasgow and South Western Railway...
also just outside the town, contributing to a population of around 13,000 in the immediate locale. A new housing development, Knockroon
Knockroon
Knockroon is a planned development to be located between the towns of Cumnock and Auchinleck in East Ayrshire, Scotland. East Ayrshire Council granted outline planning permission for 770 houses on 7 December 2009...
, was granted planning permission on 9 Dec, 2009 by East Ayrshire Council.
Cumnock housed many miners, and also served as the market town for the other, smaller towns in the district, like Auchinleck
Auchinleck
Auchinleck ; is a village five miles south-east of Mauchline, and a couple of miles north-west of Cumnock in East Ayrshire, Scotland.Near the village is Auchinleck House, past home of the lawyer, diarist and biographer James Boswell, 9th Laird of Auchinleck.Auchinleck has much been associated...
, 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....
, Lugar, Muirkirk
Muirkirk
Muirkirk is a small village in East Ayrshire, southwest Scotland. It is located on the north bank of the River Ayr, between Cumnock and Glenbuck on the A70...
and New Cumnock
New Cumnock
New Cumnock is a place in East Ayrshire, Scotland. It expanded during the coal mining era but, like so many others, suffered after the deep shaft pits closed in the 1980's...
(the original Cumnock/Comenagh/Comno/ etc)
The town has a strong socialist heritage due to its role as a mining centre. The father of the Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
, James Keir Hardie, lived in the town for a large part of his life, and a statue to him sits outside the town hall. A small housing scheme in the town (Keir Hardie Hill) is named after him. The popular left-wing politician Emrys Hughes was local MP for a time in the mid-20th century, and also lived in the town.
William Wallace
William Wallace
Sir William Wallace was a Scottish knight and landowner who became one of the main leaders during the Wars of Scottish Independence....
allegedly spent 3 months in the seat of Patrick Dunbar ((New)Cumnock or Cumno in 1296), according to the poem, The Wallace
The Actes and Deidis of the Illustre and Vallyeant Campioun Schir William Wallace
The Actes and Deidis of the Illustre and Vallyeant Campioun Schir William Wallace, also known as The Wallace, is a long "romantic biographical" poem by the fifteenth century Scottish makar of the name Blind Harry probably at some time in the decade before 1488...
, by Blind Harry
Blind Harry
Blind Harry , also known as Harry, Hary or Henry the Minstrel, is renowned as the author of The Actes and Deidis of the Illustre and Vallyeant Campioun Schir William Wallace, also known as The Wallace...
. Cumnock is also in the heart of Robert Burns country and the poet is said to have spent time there.
Cumnock also has one of Scotland's biggest Junior football teams, Cumnock Juniors. Though attracting big attendances and spending large sums of money in pursuit of success, they have been overshadowed by the achievements of local rivals Auchinleck Talbot, from the adjacent town.
For many years there were two secondary schools, Cumnock Academy and Saint Conval's High School - which was later annexed with St Joseph's Academy in Kilmarnock
Kilmarnock
Kilmarnock is a large burgh in East Ayrshire, Scotland, with a population of 44,734. It is the second largest town in Ayrshire. The River Irvine runs through its eastern section, and the Kilmarnock Water passes through it, giving rise to the name 'Bank Street'...
and became known as St Joseph's Cumnock Campus. In 2004 however St Joseph's Cumnock Campus was shut down due to falling attendance figures, and the town's Catholic children now attend the original St Joseph's Academy
St Joseph's RC Academy
St. Joseph's Academy is a Roman Catholic secondary school in New Farm Loch, Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, Scotland.-History:St Joseph's Academy was originally founded in 1955 in its present location. Initially built on what was the outskirts of Kilmarnock at the time, the adjacent New Farm Loch estate...
in Kilmarnock.
External links
- cumnock.net The local community site for Cumnock, more information on Cumnock
- undiscovered scotland more information on industry
- tripod.com more information on The Wallace