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50-535: Perceton House has been demolished and rebuilt several times over the centuries. The present house dates from the late 18th century. Archaeological excavations have uncovered evidence of the long lost medieval manor house which was protected by a moat and the Annick Water . The site is now covered by the modern housing estate known as The Grange. The Cunninghamhead and Annick Lodge Estates are nearby. An excavation undertaken by Headland Archaeology encountered

100-527: A Stewarton boy, Dean McGregor, fell into the Annick Water when it was in flood. The scene of the tragedy was near Lainshaw House . An RAF 'Search and Rescue' helicopter from HMS Gannet searched the river for several hours, unsuccessfully. The body was found in the river a few days later near the sewerage works. North American mink have been sighted along the banks of the Annick. This aggressive animal

150-609: A chapel. The term 'Thorn' in Lawthorn may derive from 'torn, thorn, a tower', as in Jocks-Thorn on Cumbrae and in Kilmaurs , "alias Jock-Torn; and head, an eminence; hence tower-hill." 'Thorn' occurs in words meaning ‘assembly’, ‘meeting place’ and ‘piece of land' or ‘clearing’. Lawthorn Mount or 'The Thorn' is a scheduled monument classified as " Prehistoric ritual and funerary: mound, ritual or funerary " Regarded as

200-465: A charter for Pocertoon in 1361 from John de Moravia and in the early 14th century the land became the principal residence of a member of the Stewart family. The old stockade was removed and a moat excavated, probably around a new manor house. In the late 15th century, following a period of absorption into larger estates, the site again became a principal residence to one Ninian Barclay. This resulted in

250-532: A daughter, Rachel Anne, who married Patrick Boyle Mure , second son of Thomas Mure of Warriston, by Helen, daughter of the Hon. Patrick Boyle of Shewalton, third son of John, second Earl of Glasgow . In addition to the name Mure he assumed the name of Macredie. Mure Macredie died in 1868, leaving two sons and three daughters. To prevent the Covenanters holding 'Conventicles', King Charles II moved highland troops,

300-474: A daughter, married Sir William Douglas (see Perceton) who took the title of Pierston and in turn his only offspring again were daughters, the eldest of whom married Robert Barclay in around 1444. Charles II made Robert Barclay a baronet by Letters Patent in 1668. The Barclays were much travelled and had strong social links with British and foreign royalty, also serving with distinction in the Royal Navy and

350-417: A healthy population of Sticklebacks, Minnows, Freshwater Shrimps, Freshwater Limpets, Caddisfly Larvae, Blackfly, Stonefly and Leeches, indicating that the water quality is good. Mallard and heron are frequently encountered and the occasional Great Crested Grebe can be seen. Eels are sometimes to be found on land, especially in wet weather, taking a shortcut across the top of the lengthy loops that are found in

400-504: A hollow adds to the species diversity of the site, including a locally uncommon plant, the water figwort. The shape of the woodland boundary suggests that approximately half of the main wood was felled prior to 1856. In 1826 the wood ran down to the road and extended southwards as far as Stanecastle . Parts of this wood survive with a number of old trees, running as far as the main road and bordering Lawthorn Primary School. Lawthorn Farm itself stands close to Lawthorn Mount. In 1855-57 it

450-492: A hotel, however in the event North Ayrshire Council (NAC) took over the buildings from IDC. In 2014 NAC put the house and lands up for sale. A daughter of Sir William Douglas, Dominus de Pierston in her own right, married Robert Barclay about the year 1400 and the lands of Pierceton and Warrickhill were the inheritance, being 900 Scots acres of among the most fertile lands in Dreghorn Parish. Previously they were part of

500-466: A lane branching off the road to Stanecastle . Stone Farm is still shown in 1826 but is not indicated on the 1856 OS map The site of the old Stane Farm is today marked by rubble, a building platform, field boundaries and the line of an entrance lane. Two likely farms are recorded, one as 'Lawthorn Mickle Stone' in John Thomson's 1828 Atlas of Scotland, published in 1832. One may be 'Lawthorn' and

550-623: A large and prehistoric cairn or barrow , a type of tumulus , a burial mound dating within the time period approximately 1300–700 BC, the Bronze Age . It is the highest point in the locality and its prominence is in keeping with barrows, cairns and other such burial sites. The name 'Lawthorn' is suggestive of a secondary use as court hill or justice hill, which is the strong local oral tradition. The many 'Law Hills' in Scotland are considered to be ancient seats of justice where feudal justice

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600-410: A steward, resident in the farmstead in the name of an absentee landowner. This type of site may be common but rarely visible, except as a cropmark, which without excavation may be mistakenly classified as prehistoric. In the early 14th century the land became the principal residence of a member of the Stewart family. The old stockade was removed and a moat excavated, probably around a new manor house. In

650-464: A trysting place for courting couples in times past. The Yellow Archangel flower grows in the estate near to the old farm buildings. This species is possibly a native to Ayrshire, however it has a close distribution link to country estates and this makes its status as a native species rather uncertain. Other significant plants are the Twayblade orchid, helleborine orchid, sanicle, meadow saxifrage and

700-526: Is a hamlet near Perceton in Strathannick, Irvine , North Ayrshire , Scotland. The settlement lies on the old Irvine to Stewarton toll road. The Annick Water flows between the village of Perceton and the hamlet of Lawthorn, however, the OS map shows that the hamlet was subsumed into the village of Perceton by 1895 and lost much of its identity. Lawthorn Cottage and Lawthornbank Smithy stood close to

750-417: Is first recorded as being held by " William Frawnces of le Stane " in 1417. The Barony of Stane, St Bride's Kirk and Bourtreehill passed by marriage in 1508 of Elizabeth Francis, the sole heiress, to William Montgomery of Greenfield, third son of the 1st Earl of Eglinton . The present castle was built in 1520 by William Montgomery of Greenfield. The tower has been much altered with Gothic windows added when

800-411: Is marked on the 1860 Ordnance Survey map and stood until the early 1990s, finishing its useful life as the local shop and Post Office. It was an early example of sustainability, generating its own electricity from the early 20th century using a generator linked to the gearing of the waterwheel (Roberts 2006). The line of the lade is still clear running below the site of the old road and coming out to rejoin

850-488: Is recognised for the bat species which roost and hibernate in the old estate's trees. A section of the woodland strip that runs along the old road from Muirhouses farm (on the Perceton Roow road) to Middleton cottage on the main road, is marked at ' Cheepy Neuk ' on the OS maps of 1966 and 2000. In Scots 'Cheepy' means 'Chirpy' as in bird song or it can mean 'a light kiss', prompting the thought that this may have been

900-633: Is the largest tributary of the River Irvine . The river runs from Long Loch , just inside East Renfrewshire , in a generally south-western direction through North Ayrshire and East Ayrshire , to confluence with its parent river at Irvine, North Ayrshire on the west coast of Scotland. The name may derive from the Gaelic for 'overflowing' and Strathannick is very much prone to flooding as recorded by SEPA . The water now (2006) appears to be pollution free for most of its length. An independent survey in

950-493: Is unknown, however, the name 'stone' for the barony, the nearby place-names 'Stonemuir' and 'Lawthorn Mickle Stone' are suggestive a fallen or deliberately levelled standing stone. Given that the name 'William Frawnces de le Stane' is recorded from 1407 the place-name 'Stane' is unlikely to refer to the castle itself being built of stone to replace an earlier wooden one. An unofficial dig in the 20th century revealed no finds such as graves, etc. Lawthorn Mount has also have been as

1000-591: The Bourtreehill (1999) area revealed a strong colony of freshwater shrimp, a crustacean known only to live in relatively clean water. On 27 January 2009 a BP tanker train carrying liquid fuels (diesel and heating oil) from Mossend to Riccarton was derailed near the bridge over the Stewarton to Kilmaurs road at Peacockbank Farm. Several wagons subsequently caught fire. The Annick Water was polluted, however, it escaped major contamination. Mesolithic man used

1050-654: The 'Highland Host' into the westland of Ayrshire. " They took free quarters; they robbed people on the high road; they knocked down and wounded those who complained; they stole, and wantonly destroyed, cattle; they subjected people to the torture of fire to discover to them where their money was hidden; they threatened to burn down houses if their demands were not at once complied with; besides free quarters they demanded money every day; they compelled even poor families to buy brandy and tobacco for them; they cut and wounded people from sheer devilment. " The cost of all this amounted to £6062 12s 8d in Stewarton parish alone. Perceton Mill

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1100-626: The 18th century, but the name has sadly gone out of use. During a particularly long feud between the Cunningham and Montgomery families in the 16th and 17th centuries, the fourth Earl of Eglinton was murdered at a ford on the Annick at Bridgend in Stewarton. The river can be dangerous and a gravestone in Dreghorn Parish Church records the death by drowning of a young lad from Perceton in Victorian times. On 18 August 2007

1150-452: The Annick Water. Lawthorn cottage had a joiner's workshop with a John Highet as tenant in 1855–1857. A toll house once stood near Lawthorn Cottage facing the bridge over the Annick Water ; it became the property of the Earl of Eglinton after toll roads were abolished in the 1880s and local councils took over responsibility. The lordship of Stonanrig or Stane extended to circa 300 acres and

1200-475: The Annick as his waterway. From Bourtreehill to Dreghorn , the Annick has presented us with many artifacts dating from that time. Indeed, recent archaeological evidence from Dreghorn uncovered the oldest continually used settlement in Europe. This mesolithic village was on the banks of the Annick. A number of mills existed along its length with only Cunninghamhead Mill still standing today (2006). Lambroch Mill

1250-675: The Earl of Eglinton and Winton, various other Montgomeries, James Somerville of Kennox, then further Montgomeries and others before becoming the property of Alexander Montgomerie of Coilsfield in the 19th. Century. A row of miners' and later brickworkers' cottages, a rare survival. The pictured cottages at Perceton Row are shown on the 1895 Ordnance Survey map, but not the 1828 Thompson map. 55°37′50.7″N 4°36′56.5″W  /  55.630750°N 4.615694°W  / 55.630750; -4.615694 Annick Water The Annick Water (previously also spelled as Annack, Annoch (1791) or Annock)

1300-583: The Lainshaw Holm. Wooden carriageway bridges existed at two places on the Lainshaw estate; the stone built abutments are still visible. A number of old bridges cross the Annick Water along its entire length, such as at Stewarton and Chapeltoun . Notable is the 17th century remains of bridge-supports in Bourtreehill 's own stretch of the Annick. Other early railway bridges cross its shallow and easy waters. The lower reaches were known as Strathannick in

1350-733: The Welsh poppy. The name may literally mean 'The large eminence or knowe'. These lands were held by the Barclays of Perceton until 1874, when they sold to the Macredies and then in 1830 they were purchased by the Morris family of Craig Estate. The Barclays held this estate for several centuries. King Robert the Bruce originally gave the lands of Pierstoun and Warrickhill to Sir James Stewart in around 1330. His son James inherited and his only offspring,

1400-409: The area where the mill stood. A number of fords and stepping stones are present, notably at Chapeltoun , Lambroch Mill, and at Ramstane where a footbridge was also present. A footbridge is still present at Laigh Castleton and a weir existed close to Lainshaw House, raising the water level to form an area which was ideal for water fowl. A small weir is still present beneath the surviving bridge into

1450-454: The army. Nether-Pierstoun became simply Pierstoun / Perceton upon its sale to Andrew Macreadie, Provost of Stranraer in 1720. The Blairs of Adamton, related to the Blairs of Blair, acquired this property through the marriage of John Blair with the eldest daughter of Sir William Douglas of Peirstoun. Pearston-hall (now Annick Lodge) stood on this estate. The property passed through the hands of

1500-494: The building of a new mansion, which was in turn demolished in 1770, when another new owner constructed Perceton House . The mansion house still stands, a little to the south of the former site, with a modern office block added for the use of the Irvine Development Corporation (IDC) which was wound up some years ago. The office block was designed so that the whole building could be converted easily into

1550-584: The building was altered to become a folly on the Eglinton Estate. The coat of arms of the Montgomery's of Stane and Greenfield were placed on the tower, being the same as those of Eglinton, but with 'proper distinction'. This may account for the coat of arms being thought to be upside down. The foundations of the Stanecastle chapel were found a by Mr W Gray when digging drains. Judging from

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1600-499: The earthworks associated with the new expressway as it was stated to be a natural mound. Locally it was known as the 'Marble Hill', a corruption of 'Morville's Hill. The Scottish Wildlife Trust , based in Edinburgh , obtained a nature reserve here which was originally established by Irvine Development Corporation. It comprises a wooded area and open water, the latter being an old curling pond associated with Perceton House. The site

1650-483: The foundation trench for a defensive wooden palisade enclosing postholes of a substantial timber building. Access to the compound was through an elaborate entrance, possibly with two gateways, shown below. . Historical research and post-excavation work has led to this being interpreted as a 12th-century stockaded farmstead without obvious excavated parallels. At that time it is likely that the Perceton lands were run by

1700-542: The foundations, the building must have been of considerable extent. The 1858 OS map marks the site of a nearby cemetery and an intriguing subterranean passage or vault four feet below the surface; nothing is visible at the site today. A small village once existed here and Stanecastle may have been the site of a nunnery before it became the home of the Francis family. In the 17th century the twenty shilling lands of old extent called Brydskirk are recorded, but with no mention of

1750-413: The gates padlocked (2006). The old village and Parish of Perceton had been almost as large as Dreghorn in earlier times, all the surrounding farms housing a significant population. A miners row called Perceton Row is still to be found near Dreghorn. A tombstone in Perceton wood records the tragedy of the drowning in the Annick Water, of a girl aged only two years and eight months on 12 July 1867. His mother

1800-401: The laird or baron. It measures 21 paces in diameter at the base, 14 feet (4.3 m) in diameter at the top and 9 feet 8 inches (2.95 m) high; is largely composed of boulders and one particularly large boulder of graywacke stone, 7 feet (2.1 m) long, is partially buried on the top edge facing south, above any possible kerb stones. The significance of this distinctive stone

1850-462: The late 15th century following a period of absorption in larger estates the site again became a principal residence, to one Ninian Barclay. This resulted in the building of a new mansion, mainly lying to the south of the excavation. This was demolished in the 1720s, when another new owner constructed the present Perceton House. An old curling pond is situated nearby, now managed as a Scottish Wildlife Trust nature reserve. Sir Hugh de Eglintoun held

1900-554: The minister or vicar of the parish church. The ruins are still fairly substantial and clearly visible, with the church and churchyard containing many monuments to the historic families of Cunninghamhead and Pierceton. The Free Church became the Mission Hall for the parish church in Dreghorn and recently it has become an evangelical Christian centre (datum 2006). The entire church, churchyard and hall have all been fenced off and

1950-423: The old pre-reformation church on the densely wooded mound at Perceton was abandoned. We know the names of a few of those associated with the old kirk; John Young being the minister in 1574 and David Whyte the reader. In 1565 George Brounside was vicar of Perceton and at this time he feued the lands of Perceton Kirk to the laird of Perceton, William Barclay, reserving ..an honest chamber and one acre to be inhabited by

2000-850: The possessions of John Balliol , King of Scots and his near relatives, De Ferreres and De la Suche (Zouche). The Barclay family sold the property in 1720 to the Macredies, however the Baronetcy continued in the time of Robertson (1823), the family then residing in Middlesex . Perceton was originally a Barony held under Hugh de Morville . In 1640 the Lands of Perstoune held by the Laird were valued at £700. The Macredie.'s, spelt 'McReady' in 1776 were involved in British Army service and various business pursuits until John Macredie succeeded in 1816. He had

2050-607: The possible site of an early castle constructed from wood although no physical evidence has been found as yet to corroborate this. This much disturbed mound is clearly artificial and its size has been confused by a surrounding protective bank suggestive of a roundel created as part of landscaping works. A Cairnmount Plantation is located nearby to the north and a modern Cairnmount has been built on an artificial mound at Sourlie in Eglinton Country Park . Another well preserved mound stood nearby at Girdle Toll however it

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2100-667: The river downstream, near the car park of the Free Church building behind the old Perceton Church. Lawthornbank smithy stands on the opposite bank of the Annick Water . Towerlands was a small country estate near Bourtreehill that was purchased by Patrick Boyle Mure Macreadie of Perceton purchased the property in 1844 and his son Thomas Mure Macreadie then inherited and held it in the 1860s. The parishes of Dreghorn and Perceton (also spelt Percetoun (1775), Reiston (1776)), Perrostoun (1807), Percieton (1821), Pewston (Millar 1885), Pierceton, Pierston or Pierstoun were united in 1668 and

2150-576: The river in the area. Marchantia polymorpha, the Common Liverwort grows on the bare bedrock dykes of the Annick near Cunninghamhead Mill, this plant being much rarer than the name suggests. Pellia epiphyla and Lunularia liverworts grow on the earth riverside banks at Cunninghamhead and elsewhere. The riverside vegetation includes Butterburr, Reed-Canary Grass, Rushes, Water Forget-Me-Not, Brooklime-Speedwell, Giant Hogweed, Hemlock Water-Dropwort, Willows and Alders. Lawthorn Lawthorn

2200-684: Was Agnes McAntosh. The prominent mound is partly man made, but does not seem to have any recorded prehistory attached to it, despite its proximity to the Lawthorn Mount. Maid Morville's Mound lay on the Dreghorn to Dundonald road, just before the Holmside Bridge over the Irvine, and was said to commemorate a lady of the house of De Morville who drowned at the ford across the Irvine. It is not obvious today and may have been destroyed by

2250-430: Was demolished in 1852. This mound was circa 30 feet in diameter and around 3 feet high. A turf dyke also surrounded it and this was surmounted by a thorn hedge. In the vicinity were a number of trees, mainly beech. In the census of 1820 there were five households with colliers at Lawthorn. The Glasgow and South Western Railway (Perceton Branch) ran from north to south through the area passing close to Littlestane. This

2300-563: Was described as a good farm steading with outer buildings used as offices and the tenant under the Earl of Eglinton was a James Dunlop. Littlestone or Littlestane Farm stood on a lane off the western side of the nearby road and is shown as such in 1856. A Stone Farm once stood opposite Lawthorn Wood and is recalled by inference in the names 'Littlestane' and the old Littlestane Loch . William Roy's map published in 1752-55 shows Stone Farm lying in between Lawthorn Farm and Littlestone Farm with several buildings and hedged enclosures approached by

2350-459: Was dispensed, investitures confirmed and other courts held before tolbooths were built. Stanecastle was the caput of the Barony of Stane and Lawthorn Mount may have been the location where the baronial court convened. No 'gallows' place-names are recorded for the vicinity however the Annick Water is nearby regarding judicial drownings of females as per the power of ' pit and gallows ' then held by

2400-403: Was located near Laigh Castleton Farm. Scroaggy or Fairliecrevoch Mill was a waulk or cloth mill and existed until the 1960s, with its lade cutting across the large loop in the river near Ramstane. Downstream from Cunninghamhead was a sawmill and a corn mill existed in Perceton near the old church. Scroag or scrog is a crab apple or gnarled treestumps in old Scots and this 'nickname' well describes

2450-583: Was purely a standard gauge mineral line used to transport coal from the nearby collieries. Sections of the route are now used by pedestrians and cyclists. This woodland is a Scottish Wildlife Trust nature reserve and is a small, mature deciduous woodland. The tall canopy is now dominated by ash trees, with some beech and sycamore. The elm trees that were once common have died through Dutch elm disease however they have been left and their trunks encourage fungus growth and also provide nesting sites for bats and birds, including great spotted woodpecker. Standing water in

2500-561: Was unfortunately introduced to Britain and has been the cause for much concern for many years. Kingfishers have been spotted flying above the surface of the water, successfully catching small fish in their beaks. The eel, which originates in the Sargasso Sea has been known to cross land at certain sections of the Annick River. This is a common habit of the eel but the sight is rather odd. As well as some Trout and Salmon it has

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