- Drongan
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Drongan seen on approach to Prestwick Airport
Drongan, a former mining village, is situated on the western edge of Ayrshire, some 8 miles from Ayr and 8 miles from Cumnock and has a population of 3168.
The earliest references to Drongan lands are to be found in documents dating to the 14th Century. In the 1390's these lands were granted to the Craufurds whose stronghold for 250 years was Drongan Castle. The remains of the Castle can be seen on Drongan Mains Farm. The estate passed from the Craufurds to the Cunninghames, then to the Earls of Stair. About 1760 the Drongan Estate was purchased by the Smith family - who built Drongan House, set up a pottery near Coalhall and introduced pioneering agricultural improvements.
The village of Drongan (originally known as Taiglum) grew up near the early coal mine and by 1900 consisted of 65 houses and a few shops. These rows at Taiglum were demolished in the 1930's and the inhabitants were housed in new housing schemes. In 1946 it was proposed that Drongan should be developed as a "new town" and families from various small mining communities were also re-housed there.
Like many other villages in this part of East Ayrshire, Drongan saw prosperity when the Killoch and Barony pit mines were operational.
The Drongan Centre, opened in 2002, provides Health, Local Authority and Police services within a modern purpose built facility and received funding from the Scottish Executive Health Department's Primary and Community Premises Modernisation Fund.
A small loch known as Loch Shield was located near Drongan House and Lochmark Farm, it's waters once helping to power the nearby Mill of Shield.
See also
- Loch of Trabboch
Categories:- West of Scotland geography stubs
- Villages in East Ayrshire
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