Cumnock

Dumfries House by Cumnock image

Cumnock is a town in Ayrshire with a population of around 13,000, situated 15 miles east of Ayr.

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The town today is popular for its six churches, including Cumnock Old Church in the town centre square, the Baird Institute museum, two hotels popular for tea/coffee and meals, shopping at the Factory Outlet Store on the southeast side of the town, and as a base for visiting Dumfries House 2 miles west.

The 26 room Dumfries Arms Hotel is now one of the top wedding hotels in Ayrshire with a function room for 50 to 250 guests.

The 9 room Royal Hotel has a 60 seat restaurant.

The Lochside Hotel & Spa is 5 miles southeast.

  Cumnock Old Church image  
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Cumnock town grew from the mid 1800s, mainly around coal mining and iron stone. This is the main town in the area, a market town for the surrounding villages built around the coal industry such as Auchinleck, Glenbuck, Logan, Lugar, New Cumnock and Ochiltree. The railway lines from Ayr and Kilmarnock reached the town in 1872, allowing the transport of coal and iron stone around the country.

The last coal mines closed in the late 1900s such as Kames in 1968, Killoch in 1987, and Barony in 1989. The A-Frame of the Barony Mine is all that remains of the industry, retained as a memorial with a picnic area around it.

The Baird Institute is a small free museum in the town centre with information on Cumnock Pottery, mining in the area, and has a room dedicated to James Keir Hardie, founder of the Labour Party, with many of his personal belongings. Hardie lived in Cumnock for a large part of his life.

The Bata Factory opened in 1964 as one of the most modern shoe factories in the UK. This factory has now evolved into the Factory Outlet Store on the southeast side of the town.

The three main Estates in the area are Glaisnock House within one mile south of Cumnock, Dumfries House two miles west, and Auchinleck House 6 miles northwest.

Owners of large estates were known for building communities throughout the UK in their quest for more wealth. Along with renting much of their land to farmers, they would open mines for coal, iron and lead wherever it could be found.

Dumfries House was built for William Crichton-Dalrymple (Lord Dumfries), completed in 1759. The mansion and estate was inherited by John Crichton-Stuart (2nd Marquess of Bute) in 1814. The estate was owned by the Crichton-Stuart family until 2007. John Crichton-Stuart made a fortune in the coal and iron industries, especially in southern Wales. It is unclear if he opened mines in this area. Cumnock Old Church was built in 1866 with funds from the Marquess of Bute.

Glaisnock House was built in 1833 for Mr James Allason, a family of military and political prominence.

Auchinleck House was built for James Boswell in the late 1700s, the Boswell's being a notable Clan and landowners from as far back as the 1100s. The Boswell's were later noted for one being a top judge, his son a biographer, and his son an author.

For more information on Ayrshire, the islands, clans, mansions, castles, walking/ hiking trails, holiday parks, airport, and much more, visit: Ayrshire Scotland

 

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Cumnock Town Hall image
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Baird Institute Cumnock image
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Dumfries Arms Cumnock image
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Royal Hotel Cumnock image
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Dumfries House Cumnock image
Dumfries House page

Glaisnock House image
Glaisnock House page

Crichton Church Cumnock image
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Cumnock Factory Outlet image
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Cumnock Congressional Church image
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