RICCARTON, a parish, in the district of Kyle,
county of Ayr; containing, with the villages of Hurlford
and Sornhill, 3226 inhabitants, of whom nearly
1200 are in the village of Ricrarton, I mile (S.) from
Kilmarnock. This place, which is of considerable antiquity,
is su|)i)oscd to have derived its name, originally
Riclinrdstowri, from its ancient proprietor. Sir Richard
Wallace, to whom the lands were granted in the early
part of the thirteenth century by Walter, high steward
of Scotland. One of the descendants of tlie family was
uncle of the celebrated Sir William Wallace, who seems
to have frequently resided here with his relative during
the intervals of his military career; and it is expressly
stated that, after setting fire to the barns of Ayr, which
had been converted into temporary barracks by the
English, who at that time occupied the castle of Ayr,
Wallace retired to this place. Numerous incidents connected
with that hero during his stay at Riccarton are
recorded. The baronial residence of the family has been
entirely destroyed, and the site is now occupied by the
farm of Yardside: the only memorials of it which have
been preserved are, the original mantel- piece of the
dining-room, now placed in the kitchen of the manse;
and a pear-tree said to have been planted by Sir William
Wallace, which is still in the gardens of the farm.
The PARISH is bounded on the north by the river
Irvine, and is about eight miles in extreme length, and
from two to three miles in breadth; comprising an area
of 18,000 acres, of which 500 are woodland and plantations,
700 moor and moss, and the remainder arable and
in cultivation, with a due proportion of meadow and
pasture. Its surface is pleasingly varied, rising by gentle
undulations towards the south and east, and terminating
in a ridge of hills, of which the highest has an elevation
of 500 feet above the level of the river, and commands
extensive prospects over the surrounding country, embracing
the whole vale of Irvine and the town of Kilmarnock.
The rivers are the Irvine and the Cessnock.
Of these the Irvine has its source to the east of Loudoun
hill, in the parish of that name, and, flowing westward
along the northern boundary of this parish, falls into
the Firth of Clyde near the town of Irvine. The Cessnock
has its source in the parish of Galston, from which
it separates this parish on the west; and winding in
graceful curves towards the north, it intersects Riccarton
for the remainder of its course, and runs into the Irvine
river. Both these rivers abound with trout of good
quality, affording excellent sport to anglers, by whom
they are frequented; and the latter, in many places
flowing between richly-wooded banks, adds much to the
beauty of the scenery. There are copious perennial
springs in the parish; but many of them are strongly
impregnated with different mineral substances, and are
consequently unfit for domestic use.
The SOIL is generally of a stiff clayey quality, but,
when under proper management, is capable of producing
heavy crops of grain, and, on the holm lands immediately
adjoining the rivers, is luxuriantly fertile; indeed
some of the farms on these lands are among the
most valuable in the county. The crops are oats, wheat,
barley, potatoes, and turnips, with the usual grasses.
The system of husbandry is in a very advanced state,
and a due rotation of crops is every where carefullyobserved,
according to the nature of the soil. Great
improvements, also, have been made by tile and furrow
draining, which has added materially to the value of the
lands. The average quantity of land vk-hieh has been
annually drained during the last few years, has been
about 200 acres; and in several instances the drainings
have been made at the expense of the landlords, especially
on the farms held under the Duke of Portland,
the tenant paying five shillings a year additional per
acre for the term of his lease. The farms are mostly
about eighty acres in extent; and the farm-houses are
substantial and commodious, many of them two stories
high, and roofed with slate: the lands are inclosed
chiefly with hedges of thorn, kept in good order. Much
attention is paid to the management of the dairy-lands,
on all of which the cows are of the Ayrshire breed; and
the produce is in high repute: about 160 tons of cheese
are annually sent to the neighbouring markets, where
that of the best quality obtains a price of twelve shillings
per stone Dutch weight. No sheep are reared, except a
few on the lands attached to the houses of landed proprietors.
The plantations, which are of very moderate
extent, are principally in the demesnes of the gentlemen's
seats; they are under careful management, and in a
thriving condition.
Here are strata of coal, limestone, and sandstone,
and clay of an excellent description for making bricks
and tiles. The beds of coal are numerous, and, though
differing in species, are all of good quality. Some of
the coal found on the lands of Caprington, Skerrington,
and Barleith is very superior, and in extensive operation
for ordinary uses. The blind coal, also, or anthracite,
though not confined to this parish, is chiefly obtained
on the Caprington property. This coal, which
burns without emitting either smoke or flame, occurs
among the lowest strata, and is mainly used for drying
grain and malt, and in the burning of lime to a small extent.
For these purposes large quantities are sent from
the Caprington collieries to Troon, whence it is shipped
for Ireland. The coal from the other mines is conveyed
to Ayr and Irvine. The limestone is excellent
either for building purposes or for use in farming, and
two large quarries of it are in operation: in the quarry
of Knockmarloch, on the side of Craigiehill, and at a
height of nearly 500 feet, are found numerous petrifactions
both of vegetable and animal substances. The
freestone is also of good quality and extensively wrought;
the quarries in some parts contain stone of a reddish
colour, and in others the stone is of a yellowish hue.
The clay is manufactured into bricks, and tiles for draining;
these articles are in great demand throughout tlic
district, and are sent in large quantities to various places.
The annual value of real property in Riccarton amounts to £17,159.
The principal mansion-house in the parish is the
castle of Caprington, an ancient structure situated on
the south bank ot the river Irvine, and once the baronial
seat of a branch of the Wallace family. This building,
which is spacio!is and of great strength, though improved
by recent additions, still retains much of its original
character. In the centre of the front rises a lofty tower,
the entrance to which is by an arched gateway flanked
with towers of inferior dimensions; and from the extent
and beauty of the surrounding demesne, which is
embellished with stately timber and thriving plantations,
Caprington may be regarded as a splendid residence.
About a mile southward of the castle is Treebank, a neat
structure beautifully situated in grounds tastefully laid
out, and commanding some finely varied prospects. The
other mansions are, Shaw Hill, Dollars, and Bellfield,
all handsome residences; and Milrig, lately rebuilt in
a very elegant style. The village of Riccarton is of
great antiquity, and was anciently a burgh of barony.
It stands on the south bank of the river Irvine, and has
a handsome bridge of three spacious arches, connecting
it with the burgh of Kilmarnock, to which it forms a
suburb, and within the boundaries of which it is included
under the Reform act. The houses are built on
an eminence rising gradually from the bank of the river,
and have generally an appearance of antiquity, forming
one irregular street of considerable length, on the turnpike-
road from Ayr to Edinburgh. The inhabitants are
chiefly engaged in hand-loom weaving for the manufacturers
of Paisley and Kilmarnock; the principal articles
are shawls, mousselins-de-laine, and similar fabrics, in
the production of which more than 200 persons are eraployed.
A great number of females, also, are engaged
in sewing and embroidering muslin, called Ayrshire needlework.
The manufacture of shoes for the foreign
markets was formerly largely carried on; but within
the last few years it has been gradually declining, and
at present affords employment to a very small number
of persons. Letters are delivered twice a day from the
post-ofllce at Kilmarnock. Three great turnpike-roads
intersect the parish, and two of them pass through the
village: other roads are kept in good repair by statute
labour; and there are three bridges over the Irvine, and
one over the Cessnock, all of which are in substantial
repair. The railway from Kilmarnock southward to
Mauchline, &c., runs through the parish; and a private
railroad extends from the collieries at Caprington to the
Kilmarnock and Troon railway. The villages of Hurlford
and Sornhill are described under their respective heads.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposcs this place is within the
bounds of the presbytery of Ayr and synod of Glasgow
and Ayr. The minister's stipend is about £260, with a
manse, and a glebe valued at £50 per annum; patron,
John Smith Cuninghame, of Caprington, Esq. Riccarton
church, built in 1823, to replace the ancient
church, the burying-ground of which is still preserved,
is situated in the centre of the village, on a lofty mound
said to have been the seat for administering justice. It
is a substantial and neat structure with a handsome
spire, erected at a cost of £4000, and containing 1200
sittings. From its elevated situation, the church forms
a very conspicuous and interesting feature in the landscape.
The parochial school affords instruction to about
120 children; the master has a salary of £34. 4. 4.,
with a house and garden, and the fees. There is also a
school at Hurlford, the master of which has a house and
garden, in addition to his fees; the house was built by
subscription, on a site given by the Duke of Portland.
A parochial library, containing about 500 volumes of
historical, biographical, and religious works, is supported
by subscription; and there are several friendly societies.
Among the distinguished persons formerly connected
with this place are several of the Cuninghame family.
John Cuninghame, of Caprington, created a baronet by
Charles II., and a lawyer of great eminence, was employed
as counsel for his country, against the Duke of
Lauderdale; and as a man of profound learning and
incorruptible integrity, honourable mention is made of
him by Bishop Burnet in his history of his own Times.
Mr. John Cuninghame, second son of Sir John, who
was the first that delivered lectures on the Roman law
in Scotland, and who died in 1710; and Sir James
Shaw, Bart., the first Scotsman that ever filled the office
of lord mayor of London, and who died in 1843, were
natives of the parish.