Monkton, Ayrshire
Encyclopedia
South Ayrshire
South Ayrshire is one of 32 council areas of Scotland, covering the southern part of Ayrshire. It borders onto East Ayrshire, North Ayrshire and Dumfries and Galloway....
, Scotland.
The nearest town is Prestwick
Prestwick
Prestwick is a town in South Ayrshire on the south-west coast of Scotland, about south-west of Glasgow. It adjoins the larger town of Ayr, the centre of which is about south...
and the settlement borders upon Glasgow Prestwick Airport.
History
The village was originally known as Prestwick Monachorum.The Windmill
The tower-like building on the hill was originally a windmill and later a doocot. It is not to be confused with the structure on the opposite side of Prestwick Airport runway, the Shaw Monument
Shaw Monument
The Shaw Monument is an 18th century folly standing about 1 mile East of Prestwick, overlooking Prestwick Airport in South Ayrshire, Scotland.-History:...
, which was originally used by the then landowner to follow hunting with falcons on his land. This vaulted windmill dates from the 17th century, converted to doocot in 18th century when conical slated roof slot for potence and fireclay nesting boxes added. It had two doorways, one blocked.
Views of the area
Monkton old church
The church was dedicated to Saint Cuthbert and dates from the 13th century. It was in use up until 1837, being suppressed by the Court of Teinds in 1834 and a new united church built near the Pow Burn. The Poet Robert Burns' Nephew, the Rev Thomas Burns was instrumental in the building of the new church and for a time it was locally known as 'Burns's Folly'. It was in Monkton church that Blind HarryBlind 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...
's poem 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
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...
bases the story that 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....
went to pray, fell asleep and had an inspirational dream which revived his flagging resolve to rescue Scotland from Edward I.
Views of Monkton church and cemetery
Monkton station
Monkton stationMonkton railway station
Monkton railway station was a railway station serving the village of Monkton, South Ayrshire, Scotland.The site of the former station is occupied by fuel sidings used by Prestwick Airport.- History :...
opened on 5 August 1859 as part of the Glasgow, Paisley, Kilmarnock and Ayr Railway, later the Glasgow and South Western Railway
Glasgow and South Western Railway
The Glasgow and South Western Railway , one of the pre-grouping railway companies, served a triangular area of south-west Scotland, between Glasgow, Stranraer and Carlisle...
. The station, now represented by the Prestwick airport fuel unloading sidings, was closed on 28 October 1940 by the London, Midland and Scottish Railway, therefore not even surviving into British Railways days.
Fairfield House
Colonel William Fullarton of that Ilk had owned Fairfield, however he sold it before he took up an appointment in TrinidadTrinidad
Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands and numerous landforms which make up the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. It is the southernmost island in the Caribbean and lies just off the northeastern coast of Venezuela. With an area of it is also the fifth largest in...
circa 1803. The property was held in 1851 by William Gunning Campbell at which time the house had a housekeeper, an undergardner, and two housemaids, in addition to the gardner and his laundress wife who lived at Fairfield Cottage. The property had a walled garden which survives as a ruin (2009) and a cemetery garden which remains in fair condition; the old Scottish unit of land measurement called a 'fall' is recorded in the inscription. The last Campbell to live at the estate was W. G. Campbell and from the 1860s the property was run by trustees. Fairfield had been known as 'Overmains' and had been a part of the lands of Monkton Castle, latterly known as Monkton House.
In the 1860s James Sinclair of Orangefield died and this 106 acre (0.42896716 km²) estate was added to the 685 acres (2.8 km²) of Fairfield. The associated farms were Fairfield Mains, Monktonmiln, Muirhouse, Orangefield and West Orangefield. Fairfield was sold in 1950 and demolished by the new owner who had planned to build villas and racing stables.
Campbell family Cemetery Garden and Lodge
Orangefield House
James MacRae
Monkton House was rebuilt by James MacRaeJames Macrae
James Macrae was a Scottish seaman and administrator who served as the President of Fort St George from 1725 to 1730. He is known for naval exploits against the pirate Edward England and for reforming the administration of Madras Presidency....
(1684–1746) who had been the President of Madras, 1725–1730 and came back with a fortune amounting to £100,000. He purchased the estate of Monkton in 1736 and renamed the house 'Orangefield' as he was a great admirer of William of Orange, William III
William III of England
William III & II was a sovereign Prince of Orange of the House of Orange-Nassau by birth. From 1672 he governed as Stadtholder William III of Orange over Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel of the Dutch Republic. From 1689 he reigned as William III over England and Ireland...
; he died here in 1746