- Hessilhead
Hessilhead is in
Beith ,North Ayrshire ,Scotland . Hessilhead used to be called Hazlehead or Hasslehead. The lands were part of the Lordship of Giffen, and the Barony of Hessilhead, within the baillerie of Cunninghame and the Parish of Beith. The castle was situated at NS 3801 5329.Hessilhead castle
In the late 19th century the castle was decribed as "now roofless and ruinous, is an oblong structure, built at two periods, measuring some 74 feet by 38 1/2 feet. The old west part was apparently a 15th-17th century keep; the east addition was build by Francis Montgomerie, who bought the estate in 1680. Both old and new parts are vaulted on the ground floor; the upper parts are too ruinous to describe. The mansion was allowed to become ruinous about 1776.MacGibbon and Ross, D and T (1887 - 92), "The Castellated and Domestic Architecture of Scotland from the Twelfth to the Eighteenth Centuries", 5 V, Edinburgh, Vol. 3, P. 375 - 7.] It was noted by Pont as a strong old building, surrounded with large ditches and situated on a loch.In 1956 the Royal Commission recorded that "Hessilhead Castle has been demolished. Extensive quarrying around the site has removed any possible traces of a moat. No building vestiges remain." [http://www.rcahms.gov.uk/pls/portal/canmore.newcandig_details_gis?inumlink=42202 The RCAHMS Canmoresite.] ] Timothy Pont in around 1604 records that the castle was protected by substantial diteches and stood on a loch. This loch has long since been drained and the ditches filled in.Dobie, James D. (ed Dobie, J.S.) (1876). "Cunninghame, Topographized by Timothy Pont" 1604 – 1608, with continuations and illustrative notices. Pub. John Tweed, Glasgow. P. 194.] William Roy's map of 1747 - 55 [http://www.nls.uk/maps/atlas National Library of Scotland's maps] ] shows a farm town of Hazlehead and nearby, set amongst fairly extensive ornamental rides and plantations, the castle of Heeselhead (sic). Armstrong's map of 1775 marks Hazlehead [http://www.nls.uk/maps/atlas National Library of Scotland's maps] ] and finally John Thomson's map of 1832 gives the farm town of Hazelhead and the ruins of Hazlehead. [http://www.nls.uk/maps/atlas/thomson/547.html John Thomson's map] ]
Hessilhead in its later days was occupied by the family of Lord Glasgow, and after they left, the proprietor, a Mr. Macmichael, about the year 1776, took off the roof and allowed the place to go to ruin. Circa 1887 - 92 it is described as being enclosed as a garden.MacGibbon and Ross, D and T (1887-92), "The Castellated and Domestic Architecture of Scotland from the Twelfth to the Eighteenth Centuries", 5 V, Edinburgh, Vol. 3, P. 375 - 7.] Dobie records the despoiler of Hessilhead as a Mr. Carmichael, who sold the materials from the castle and also removed parts of the walls, as well as cutting down and selling an impressive old Yew tree.Dobie, James D. (ed Dobie, J.S.) (1876). "Cunninghame, Topographized by Timothy Pont" 1604 – 1608, with continuations and illustrative notices. Pub. John Tweed, Glasgow. P. 204.] In the 1960s the remains of the castle were blown up on the instructions of Howie of Dunlop.Love, Dane (2005), "Lost Ayrshire - Ayrshire's Lost Architectural Heritage." Pub. Birlinn Ltd. Edinburgh. ISBN 1-84158-436-3. pp 12 - 13.] .
DobieDobie, James D. (ed Dobie, J.S.) (1876). "Cunninghame, Topographized by Timothy Pont" 1604 – 1608, with continuations and illustrative notices. Pub. John Tweed, Glasgow. P. 204.] also records that a little to the south of the ruined castle there was a singular echo, which slowly and plaintively repeated the voice once, "throwing a melancholy charm over this scene of departed grandeur."
The history of the lands of Hessilhead
The first recorded holder of the lands of Hessilhead was Hugh de Eglintoun, who obtained the lands following forfeiture. Eglin, Lord of EglintounPaterson, James (1866) "History of the Counties of Ayr and Wigton. Vol.III - Cuninghame." Pub. James Stillie, Edinburgh. P. 490.] Robertson, William (1908). "Ayrshire. Its History & Historic Families." Vol.2. Reprint by Grimsay Press. ISBN 1-84530-026-2 p.49.] is the first of the family recorded, living during the reign of King
Malcolm Canmore ; he may have been one of the Saxon barons who accompanied King Malcolm (who died in 1093) on his successful return to Scotland. The family continued until Elizabeth de Eglintoun, the sole heir, married Sir John de Montgomerie ofEaglesham . Elizabeth's mother was Giles, daughter of Walter, lord high steward of Scotland, and sister of King Robert II.Douglas, Robert (1764) "The Peerage of Scotland." Edinburgh. P. 228.]When Hugh Eglintoun of that Ilk, her father, died soon after 1378 the Montgomerie family inherited the lands and hereafter Hessilhead's history is bound up with that family.Dobie, James D. (ed Dobie, J.S.) (1876). "Cunninghame, Topographized by Timothy Pont" 1604–1608, with continuations and illustrative notices. Pub. John Tweed, Glasgow. P. 194] Robertson, George (1823). "A Genealogical Account of the principal families in Ayrshire, more particularly in Cunninghame." Printed. Cunninghame Press, Irvine. P. 342 - 346.] Sir John Montgomerie of Hessilhead and Corsecraigs inherited the estate from his father, Hugh Montgomerie of Bawgraw (Balgray). John was slain at the battle of
Flodden in 1513 and the estate passed to his son Hugh, who died on 23 Januray 1556. Hugh's heir was his son John who was appointed one of the tutors to Hugh, third Earl of Eglintoun. John married Margaret Fraser of Knock and was succeed in 1558 by his son Hugh. This "young Hugh" was a member of the Convention Parliament of 1560, at which the Protestant Confession of Faith was established.In around 1576 Gabriel Montgomerie of nearby Scotston was slain by adherents of the Montgomeries of Hessilhead. This incident is detailed elsewhere in this article. Hugh had a son Robert who inherited in 1602, passing the estate onto his son Robert circa 1623. This Robert was a Commissioner of Supply for Ayrshire and his son, also Robert, succeeded in 1648 and was one of the representatives for Ayrshire in the first parliament of King Charles II. He only had a daughter, Mary, who married MacAulay of Ardincaple.
Robert Montgomerie sold Hessilhead to the seventh Earl of Eglinton's (1613 - 1669) second son, The Right Hon. Francis Montgomerie inherited the nearby Giffen Castle and lived an eventful life. He was one of the Lords of the Privy Council, and a Commissioner of the Treasury, in the reign of William III and Queen Anne. He was appointed in 1706 as one of the Commissioners for Scotland for the Treaty of Union.
The Act of Union was very unpopular in some quarters.A song of 1706 on the Union reads:-
Alexander Montgomerie
The outstanding poet of the later sixteenth century in Scotland, The range of his work is extensive, from elegant court songs to the bitter, sometimes contorted word-play of the sonnets associated with the dispute over his pension, from witty pieces addressed to the king to the profound religious sensibility of ‘A godly prayer'. Montgomerie is one of the finest of Middle Scots poets, and perhaps the greatest Scottish exponent of the sonnet form. The "Cherrie and the Slae", which he probably revised and completed shortly before his death, is an ambitious religious allegory, employing a demanding, lyrical form which suggests that it was intended for singing, despite its considerable length.Alexander Montgomerie. "A selection from his songs and poems." Ed. & Introduced by Helena M. Shire. Pub. Oliver & Boyd for The Saltire Society. (1960).] The Cherry and the Sloe in the title may derive from an illusion to the cherry being virtuous and the sloe being easily plucked but bitter to the taste and representing vice.Macintosh, John (1894), "Ayrshire Nights' Entertainments." Pub. Dunlop & Drennan, Kilmarnock. P. 369.] His poetry reaches back to the earlier Makars, Robert Henryson, William Dunbar and Gavin Douglas, and some of his work invites comparison with Baroque writers.Alexander Montgomerie. "A selection from his songs and poems." Ed. & Introduced by Helena M. Shire. Pub. Oliver & Boyd for The Saltire Society. (1960).] Alexander's son, also Alexander, was reportedly bewitched, together with his cousin, Mrs. Vallange. The case and therefore the witch went to trial, because of their trouble and sickness, but the court's verdict isn't recorded.Paterson, James (1866), "History of the Counties of Ayr and Wigton." Vol. III. - Cunninghame. Part I. Pub. James Stillie, Edinburgh. P. 107.] Archaeology The Cuff Hill rocking stone (NS 3827 5542) is a large glacial erratic boulder of basaltic greenstone lying on porphyrite [http://www.rcahms.gov.uk/ RCAHMS Canmore] ] that some associate with the A cleft in the west-front of Cuff hill is still known as 'St. Inan's Chair' and said to have been used by the saint as a A chapel and well dedicated to St. Bridget existed at nearby Trearne on a low hill, with an associated burial ground and a nook in which was set a carving of two figures, possibly a cat and a rabbit, measuring convert|25|in|mm by convert|15|in|mm.Reflections on Beith and District. "On the wings of time." (1994). Pub. Beith High Church Youth Group. ISBN 0-9522720-0-8. P. 21.] The ruins at Trearne were destroyed by quarrying in comparatively recent times. Railways Hessilhead never had a railway station. however a number of lines ran close by, including the line from Lugton to Beith which was originally part of the Today the line to Beith is still in existence (2008) until just before the site of A live railway emergency exercise at Lugton on the DM Beith branchline in 2000 played a vital part in the ongoing process of protecting Scotland’s rail passengers. The exercise simulated a collision between two passenger trains carrying 270 passengers. The aim was to test the emergency services’ response and management co-ordination by replicating real accident conditions as closely as possible. Strathclyde police co-ordinated the exercise in conjunction with the rail industry in Scotland, the British Transport Police, Civil Police, Scottish Ambulance Service, Fire Brigade, local authorities and Government emergency planning co-ordinators. [http://www.scotlandoffice.gov.uk/our-communications/release.php?id=2784/ Live railway accident exercise.] ] Hessilhead Wildlife Rescue Centre Hessilhead has a See also * References External Links * [http://www.maybole.org/history/Books/legends/ladyofhessilhead.htm The Lady of Hessilhead]
Wikimedia Foundation.
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* [http://hessilhead.org.uk/ Official Hessilhead Wildlife Rescue Center website]
