SORN, a parish, in the district of Kyle, county of
Ayr, 3^ miles (E.) from Mauchline; containing, with
the former quoad sacra district of Catrine, 4054 inhabitants.
This place, anciently called Dalgain, derived
that Celtic appellation from the nature of the soil, and
its present name, which is also of Celtic origin, from
the position of its castle on a bold promontory projecting
into the river Ayr. The time of the erection of this
castle, and the name of its original founder, are not
recorded; but it is thought to be of great antiquity. In
the early part of the 15th century the fortress, and the
lands pertaining to it, became the property of the ancestor
of the Hamihon family, one of whom, Sir William
Hamilton, was lord treasurer of Scotland in the reign of
James V., who paid a visit to Sir William on the marriage
of his daughter to Lord Seaton, and remained for
some time at the castle. By this marriage the estate
descended to the Earl of Wintoun, who sold the castle and
lands to the Loudoun family; and after passing to various
other proprietors, they were purchased about half a century
since by the family of the present owner.
The PARISH is about six miles and a half in length
and of nearly equal breadth, comprising '23,9.50 acres, of
which 1'2,600 are arable, 780 woodland and plantations,
and the remainder hill pasture and moss. Its surface is
pleasingly varied with plains, and with hills of various
elevation, the highest of which, on the north-east boundary
of the parish, is nearly 1600 feet above the level of
the sea. The river Ayr intersects the parish from east
to west, and in its course receives numerous streams,
several of which have their rise in the higher grounds
here: of these the Cleugh, a picturesque burn, flows
along a deep and richly-wooded dell abounding with
beautiful scenery, into the Ayr, near the castle; thus
forming a strikingly romantic feature in the landscape of
the parish, which is also embellished with flourishing
plantations. On the banks of the Ayr the soil is gravelly,
on the higher grounds a reddish clay, and on the
hills a kind of peat-moss resting on a substratum of
clay: the crops are oats, potatoes, and hay, with a few
acres of wheat and barley; beans, turnips, and carrots.
The system of agriculture is improved, and the rotation
of crops generally adopted; furrow-draining is extensively
practised, and much indifferent land by that means
has been rendered productive. Lime is found in abundance,
and forms the principal manure. The farmbuildings
are substantial and commodious, and on many
of the farms are threshing-mills, mostly driven by horses.
The breeds of live-stock are not much attended to; the
cattle are chiefly of the Cunninghame, and the sheep of
the black-faced, breed. Few horses are reared except
some for husbandry, and these are of an inferior kind.
The annual value of real property is £99*0.
In this district the substrata are limestone, ironstone,
slate-clay, sandstone, and coal. The limestone, which is
of excellent quality, is extensively wrought for manure
and other uses; and the ironstone, though never smelted
here, was formerly sent in great quantities to the works
of the Muirkirk Iron Company, and was found to contain
a large proportion of iron. The coal was once
wrought near the village of Sorn, producing an abundant
supply at a moderate expense, and it has been in contemplation
to commence operations for that purpose in
other parts of the parish: coal is brought at present
from the collieries at Auchinleck,four miles distant. In
the parish are a mill for grain, to which is attached a
saw-mill; a carding-mill, a public brewery, and two
licensed private breweries. Sorn Castle, Gilmillscroft,
Auchmaunoch, Glenlogan, Catrine Bank, and Kingswell
are the principal houses. The village of Sorn is pleasantly
situated on the road from Ayr to Muirkirk, in a
vale of considerable extent watered by the river Ayr, and
is chiefly inhabited by agricultural labourers: a few of
the inhabitants, however, are employed in hand- loom
weaving. A sub-post-oRice has been established here;
and facility of communication is afforded with the neighbouring
places by good roads which pass through the
parish, and by a stone bridge over the Ayr. Fairs are
held on the second Tuesday in March, O. S., and the first
Monday in November; they are for the sale of cattle
and agricultural produce. A race is held on the fair
days. The village of Catrine, situated on the north bank
of the river, is described under its own head.
The parish was separated from that of Mauchline in
169'2, when the chapel of ease of Sorn, which had been
erected more than thirty years, became the church. It
is in the presbytery of Ayr, synod of Glasgow and Ayr,
and in the patronage of Mrs. Agnes Somervell. The
minister's stipend is £195. 11., with a manse, and a
glebe valued at £15 per annum. Sorn church, built in
1658, was thoroughly repaired in 1826, and is adapted
for a congregation of 61 1 persons. The parochial school
is situated close by the church, not far from the village
of Sorn; the master has a salary of £34. 4., with the
fees, and a house and garden. There are also places of
worship and schools at Catrine. A friendly society was
established in 1832, which has a fund of more than £250.
Dr. Matthew Stewart, professor of mathematics in the
university of Edinburgh, and father of Professor Dugald
Stewart, was occasionally a resident of this parish; and
the house in which he lived is still remaining. On his
decease, his son became heritor of the estate, and spent
much of the earlier period of his life here. Mr. Stewart
died in 1828, and was succeeded by his son, Lieutenant-
Colonel Matthew Stewart, who has erected a handsome
dwelling-house on another site: this house, from the
circumstance of James V. having, on his way to Sorn
Castle, reposed himself by the side of a well near the
place, bears the name of Kingswell.