Springside is a village in the parish of Dreghorn, in the council area of North Ayrshire, Scotland. It is from Irvine, west of Crosshouse, and from Kilmarnock. In the 18th, 19th and mid-20th centuries, the locality was a highly industrialised coal mining district. The settlement is on the Garrier Burn, which forms the boundary with East Ayrshire. Springside had a population of around 1364 in 1991. The A71 now bypasses the village, to the south.
Introduction
Springside (NS370386) lies on the old main road from Irvine to Kilmarnock, with a junction for Cunninghamhead and Stewarton district. A minor road branches off for Busbiehill and Knockentiber. A milestone stood near the small shop at the junction of the road leading up to the primary school.
History
The entire parish of Dreghorn belonged in the 12th century to the De Morvilles, Lord High Constables of Scotland, from whom it passed in 1196 to Roland, Lord of Galloway. The name Kirkland is marked on Timothy Pont's map of 1604 and on Armstrong's map of 1775, showing its antiquity. 1775 map. The name infers church ownership, possibly through a feudal grant of land by a local baron in pre-reformation times.
Part of the reason for the development of Springside was to cater for travellers on the roads, with the Croft Inn being built by the Bankhead family from Northern Ireland in the 17th century to cater for the stagecoach routes from Kilmarnock to Irvine and Stewarton to Troon. This survives as Scott's Corner (2007). The Bankhead area of Springside is named after them, indeed Bankhead was the main name for the area until the Royal Mail reorganised its postal districts in the 1930s and at that point many hamlets and other localities ceased to exist officially, such as Springhill, Corsehill, and Kirklands. The eastern area of the present Springside was called Bankhead up until at least the 1921–1928 OS, the hamlet of Springside being originally clustered around Springside railway station with its Springside and Kirkland miners rows.
The earliest recording of the Bankhead surname is from 1527 in Riccarton parish, and there are many references to the family in Kilmaurs / Kilwinning / Irvine in the 16th and 17th centuries. The Bankends seem to have spread originally from Ayrshire to Northern Ireland in the 17th and 18th centuries, with some most likely returning in the 19th century. Documents in the National Archives showing the Springside "lands of Bankhead" date back at least as far as 1512. Bankhead is, of course, an exceedingly common Scottish placename in its purely descriptive context; however, it is a most uncommon surname.
Laigh Milton viaduct over the River Irvine is situated nearby. This is the oldest railway viaduct in Scotland and one of the oldest in the world.
The old schoolhouse still stands at the Overtoun end of the village, the new primary school being opened in 1979. In the last few years (2006–2007), much of the council housing on the main road near the Croft Inn has been demolished and private housing built. The tranquil rural surroundings of 2007 totally belie the industrial past of the area.
Thorntoun Estate
Springside was close to several country estates which provided employment and contributed to the need for the establishment of rural settlements such as Springside. Thorntoun house and estate, including Carmel Bank, previously another Cuninghame property lies just up the Thorntoun Brae towards Crosshouse. It was home to various families, such as the Montgomerys, Rosses, Mures, Cuninghames, Peebles, Wreys and Sturrocks, before becoming a school, opened by Barnardo's in September 1971 for children with emotional difficulties aged 11 to 16 years. The school closed in 1990 and Thorntoun finally became a nursing home. The house itself was demolished shortly after the Second World War and a new building constructed.
Warwickhill Estate
Warwickhill estate was situated towards the Overtoun Miners' Row. Farms with the name Warwickdale and Warwickhill are still extant, "Warrix" being the origin of this otherwise seemingly very English-sounding name.
Warrix (now Warrick) Hill also formed part of the demesne of the De Morvilles who forfeited their lands to Robert the Bruce. Sir James, son of Sir James Stewart of Bonkill, son of Alexander the High Steward of Scotland, obtained Peirstoun (Perceton) and Warrixhill, and his son, also Sir James, in turn inherited. This son had only a daughter as heir and she married Sir William Douglas and thus the property passed by marriage to the Barclay's of Pierstoun. Warrixhill became divided into two and the Montgomeries of Bourtreehill held one half whilst the Cunninghamhead family obtained the other.