The Lands of Pitcon
Encyclopedia
The Lands of Pitcon, previously Potconnel now form a small estate of around 100 acres in the Parish of Dalry
, North Ayrshire
in the old Barony of Dalry. The present Grade B Listed Georgian mansion house (OS NS 229879, 650628) dating from 1787, replaces an older castellated dwelling. Pitcon lies on the outskirts of Drakemyres, now a suburb of Dalry, close to the confluence of the Rye Water, River Garnock
, and the Mains Burn, standing on a low knoll. Such a marshy area would have provided a degree of protection to the old castlle.
inscribed '1660 RB AW' is located in the wall of an outhouse.
Paterson records that the old manor house stood close to the present building.
The present Pitcon mansion house mainly dates from 1787, a new wing having been added in the 1920s to plans drawn up by James Houston. An old stone dated 1660 is incorporated into the laundry house. The walled garden dates from the late 18th century.
, also Great Chamberlain of Scotland. Thomas Boyd in 1608 also held 'Linget-rig' (Lintseedridge) in Over Mains of Pitcon, and Nether Mains of Pitcon. He also held the Chapel
Lands near Fairlie Crevoch in the parish of Stewarton
.
In the mid 19th century a valuable stratum of ironstone was discovered and exploited, leaving substantial mining remnants from two pits, their mineral railways and waste tips, that were close by. Several other ironstone pits were in the vicinity as shown by the OS maps of the time.OS Map Retrieved : 2011-03-27 Extensive tree planting has helped to hide the scars of this industrial activity of the past.
The lodge house, Pitcon Cottage, is marked on mid 18th century OS maos but no longer exists. A network of estate roads existed with a ford crossing the River Garnnock before the mineral railway was built.OS Map Retrieved : 2011-03-27
King Robert the Bruce conferred the Barony of Daly upon Sir Robert Boyd and the first Boyd of Pitcon was Thomas Boyd. In 1632 Thomas was styled of Lin, the nearby property now given the spelling of Lynn
. Thomas was the brother of Robert Boyd of Kilmarnock, married Marion Fairlie, daughter of John Fairlie of that Ilk and was buried at the family burial ground in Kilmarnock. He predeceased his wife whose second husband was James Stewart, giving rise to the line that led to the Marquess of Bute
. His son, also Thomas, together with his brother Richard supported Mary Queen of Scots and fought at the Battle of Langside
; they were both pardoned.
In 1608 Thomas Boyd, son of Thomas, inherited and married Isabell, heiress of William Glen of Barr, dying young in 1617 however and succeeded by his son Robert, who married Anna Blair in 1633, the daughter of Brice Blair of that Ilk. Bryce Boyd inherited the lands from his father in about 1650 and married Isabell Henderson, daughter of Henderson of Baike. This Isabell later married Alexander Crawfurd of Fergushill
as Bryce Boyd died in 1660. Thomas Boyd, heir to Bryce, married Agnes Scott and had a son Robert who inherited, dying before 1725 when his son Thomas inherited; this heir was the last of the Pitcon Boyd male line and sold Pitcon to George MacRae. He was comptroller of the Customs in Irvine
and had four daughters, three of whom married, however the sons did not marry. Thomas Boyd in 1696 married Janet, daughter of John Cunninghame of Caddel
.
The Arms of the Boyds of Pitcon were the same as the Kilmarnock branch of the family, with the motto; "Spes mea in Colis" (My hope is in heaven).
In 2011 the house was placed on the housing market for the sum of £1,200,000, together with 98 acres of land. The McCosh family held Pitcon since at least the 1920s.
in 1730. John Boyd of Pitcon married Marion Cunninghame of Carlung, the last of her line in the early 18th century. Thomas Boyd, son of Bryce, was a Commissioner of Supply for the County of Ayr in 1695 and 1703. His daughter Jane married Andrew Macredie of Perceton
. The laird of Pitcon held Monkcastle
at one time, having obtained it from George Hay, and later it passed to John Wallace, minister of Largs in the 17th century. Saint Margaret's parish church in Dalry contains an oak armorial pew decoration, the shield of Blair impaled with that of Boyd of Pitcon, and this now adorns a transept wall.
A Pitcon Brickworks was located near Dalry.
Dalry, North Ayrshire
Dalry is a small town in the Garnock Valley in Ayrshire, Scotland.-History:Dalry means "King's Valley" or more simply the "Rye Meadow"; indicating a small settlement on the Rye Burn. Its history has signs of early inhabitants in the area...
, North Ayrshire
North Ayrshire
North Ayrshire is one of 32 council areas in Scotland with a population of roughly 136,000 people. It is located in the south-west region of Scotland, and borders the areas of Inverclyde to the north, Renfrewshire to the north-east and East Ayrshire and South Ayrshire to the East and South...
in the old Barony of Dalry. The present Grade B Listed Georgian mansion house (OS NS 229879, 650628) dating from 1787, replaces an older castellated dwelling. Pitcon lies on the outskirts of Drakemyres, now a suburb of Dalry, close to the confluence of the Rye Water, River Garnock
River Garnock
The River Garnock, the smallest of Ayrshire's six principal rivers, has its source on the southerly side of the Hill of Stake in the heart of the Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park. About a mile and a half south of this starting point the untested stream tumbles over the Spout of Garnock, the highest...
, and the Mains Burn, standing on a low knoll. Such a marshy area would have provided a degree of protection to the old castlle.
The Mansion house and walled garden
The OS Name Book of 1856 records that the western end of the building had been part of the ancient dwelling and a summer house bore the arms of the Boyd family, and a stone inscribed 'Thomas Boyd 1530'. By 1956 the ancient part of Pitcon had been demolished and the stones noted in 1856 were in the wall of the walled garden. A marriage stoneMarriage stone
A marriage stone is usually a stone lintel carved with the initials, coat of arms, etc. of a newly married couple with the date of the marriage. They were very popular until Victorian times, but fell out of general use in the 20th century...
inscribed '1660 RB AW' is located in the wall of an outhouse.
Paterson records that the old manor house stood close to the present building.
The present Pitcon mansion house mainly dates from 1787, a new wing having been added in the 1920s to plans drawn up by James Houston. An old stone dated 1660 is incorporated into the laundry house. The walled garden dates from the late 18th century.
The estate
The Lands of Pitcon were "a seven merk land of old extent" and were given to Thomas Boyd by his father, Alexander Boyd, who was in turn given the lands by his father, Robert, the first Lord BoydEarl of Kilmarnock
The title Earl of Kilmarnock was created in the peerage of Scotland in 1661 for William Boyd, 10th Lord Boyd. That title was also created in the Scottish peerage in 1454 for Robert Boyd, Great Chamberlain of Scotland...
, also Great Chamberlain of Scotland. Thomas Boyd in 1608 also held 'Linget-rig' (Lintseedridge) in Over Mains of Pitcon, and Nether Mains of Pitcon. He also held the Chapel
Chapeltoun
Chapeltoun is an estate on the banks of the Annick Water in East Ayrshire, Scotland. This is a rural area famous for its milk and cheese production and the Ayrshire or Dunlop breed of cattle.-Templeton and the Knights Templar:...
Lands near Fairlie Crevoch in the parish of Stewarton
Stewarton
Stewarton is a town in East Ayrshire, Scotland. In comparison to the neighbouring towns of Kilmaurs, Fenwick, Dunlop and Lugton, it is a relatively large town, with a population of over 6,500. It is 300 feet above sea level.Groome, Francis H. . Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland. Pub. Caxton. London....
.
In the mid 19th century a valuable stratum of ironstone was discovered and exploited, leaving substantial mining remnants from two pits, their mineral railways and waste tips, that were close by. Several other ironstone pits were in the vicinity as shown by the OS maps of the time.OS Map Retrieved : 2011-03-27 Extensive tree planting has helped to hide the scars of this industrial activity of the past.
The lodge house, Pitcon Cottage, is marked on mid 18th century OS maos but no longer exists. A network of estate roads existed with a ford crossing the River Garnnock before the mineral railway was built.OS Map Retrieved : 2011-03-27
The Lairds of Pitcon
The Pitcon family are recorded as holders of the property since the 13th century, Sir Robert Pitcon is recorded in 1488, William Pitcon was the Chamberlain of Kilwinning in 1557 and Hugh Pitcon is recorded as holding Lintseed Ridge in 1693. The surname 'Pitcon' is raely encountered, however the contraction 'Conn' is more commonly encountered.The Boyds
Dalry, North Ayrshire
Dalry is a small town in the Garnock Valley in Ayrshire, Scotland.-History:Dalry means "King's Valley" or more simply the "Rye Meadow"; indicating a small settlement on the Rye Burn. Its history has signs of early inhabitants in the area...
. Thomas was the brother of Robert Boyd of Kilmarnock, married Marion Fairlie, daughter of John Fairlie of that Ilk and was buried at the family burial ground in Kilmarnock. He predeceased his wife whose second husband was James Stewart, giving rise to the line that led to the Marquess of Bute
Marquess of Bute
Marquess of the County of Bute, shortened in general usage to Marquess of Bute, is a title in the Peerage of Great Britain. It was created in 1796 for John Stuart, 4th Earl of Bute.-Family history:...
. His son, also Thomas, together with his brother Richard supported Mary Queen of Scots and fought at the Battle of Langside
Battle of Langside
The Battle of Langside, fought on 13 May 1568, was one of the more unusual contests in Scottish history, bearing a superficial resemblance to a grand family quarrel, in which a mother fought her brother who was defending the rights of her infant son...
; they were both pardoned.
In 1608 Thomas Boyd, son of Thomas, inherited and married Isabell, heiress of William Glen of Barr, dying young in 1617 however and succeeded by his son Robert, who married Anna Blair in 1633, the daughter of Brice Blair of that Ilk. Bryce Boyd inherited the lands from his father in about 1650 and married Isabell Henderson, daughter of Henderson of Baike. This Isabell later married Alexander Crawfurd of Fergushill
Fergushill
Fergushill is a small community in North Ayrshire, Parish of Kilwinning, Scotland. The Barony of Fergushill was held by the Fergushill family of that Ilk and the area has a complex history.-The Fergushills of that Ilk:...
as Bryce Boyd died in 1660. Thomas Boyd, heir to Bryce, married Agnes Scott and had a son Robert who inherited, dying before 1725 when his son Thomas inherited; this heir was the last of the Pitcon Boyd male line and sold Pitcon to George MacRae. He was comptroller of the Customs in Irvine
Irvine, North Ayrshire
Irvine is a new town on the coast of the Firth of Clyde in North Ayrshire, Scotland. According to 2007 population estimates, the town is home to 39,527 inhabitants, making it the biggest settlement in North Ayrshire....
and had four daughters, three of whom married, however the sons did not marry. Thomas Boyd in 1696 married Janet, daughter of John Cunninghame of Caddel
Hill of Beith Castle
The old Barony and castle, fortalice, or tower house of Hill of Beith lay in the feudal Regality of Kilwinning, within the Baillerie of Cunninghame, and the Sherrifdom of Ayr, now the Parish of Beith, North Ayrshire, Scotland.-The Abbots of Kilwinning Abbey:...
.
The Arms of the Boyds of Pitcon were the same as the Kilmarnock branch of the family, with the motto; "Spes mea in Colis" (My hope is in heaven).
Macrae, Robison and others
George MacRae, a merchant from Ayr, purchased the lands in 1770 and after the ruin of the Ayr Bank the estate was sold by his creditors in 1787, James Robison being the purchaser. Mrs Ann Robison Orr, his sister, inherited as he had no direct heir, and she left the property to a distant relative, John Cockburn, on the condition that he took the name Robison. In the 1829 John Cockburn sold Pitcon for £13,000 to Dr Ebenezer Smith of Kilmarnock, who in turn sold the estate to a Glasgow based merchant, Alexander Alison of Lintseedridge. The Eglinton Iron Company, in the persons of James Baird of Camusdoon and others, held the Pitcon lands in 1874.In 2011 the house was placed on the housing market for the sum of £1,200,000, together with 98 acres of land. The McCosh family held Pitcon since at least the 1920s.
Micro-history
Thomas Boyd, the last of Pitcon, was Baillie for the area to the Right Hon. Patrick Lindsay-Crawfurd, 2nd Viscount of GarnockEarl of Lindsay
Earl of Lindsay is a title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created in 1633 for John Lindsay, 10th Lord Lindsay, who later inherited the ancient Earldom of Crawford. The two earldoms remained united until the death of the twenty-second Earl of Crawford, also sixth Earl of Lindsay...
in 1730. John Boyd of Pitcon married Marion Cunninghame of Carlung, the last of her line in the early 18th century. Thomas Boyd, son of Bryce, was a Commissioner of Supply for the County of Ayr in 1695 and 1703. His daughter Jane married Andrew Macredie of Perceton
Perceton
Perceton is a medieval settlement and estate in North Ayrshire, Scotland, near the town of Irvine. The old church in Perceton is one of the oldest buildings in the Irvine district...
. The laird of Pitcon held Monkcastle
Monkcastle, North Ayrshire
Monkcastle, sometimes known as Old Monkcastle formed a small estate in the Parish of Kilwinning, North Ayrshire lying between Kilwinning and Dalry on the A737. Originally the property was originally held by the Tironensian monks of Kilwinning Abbey and was probably the site of the Abbot's 'Country...
at one time, having obtained it from George Hay, and later it passed to John Wallace, minister of Largs in the 17th century. Saint Margaret's parish church in Dalry contains an oak armorial pew decoration, the shield of Blair impaled with that of Boyd of Pitcon, and this now adorns a transept wall.
A Pitcon Brickworks was located near Dalry.
External links
- http://www.discoverayrshire.co.uk/pitcon_house_ayrshire.html Discover Ayrshire