Benslie-Cedar Herald Index

Benslie is a small village in North Ayrshire, in the parish of Kilwinning, Scotland. Map reference NS 336 429.

History

This village, previously Benislay (1205), Beinslay (Timothy Pont 1604 - 08), Bainsley in 1821 (John Ainslie's map), Bensley (Groome 1903), Benslee or Benslee square on the 1860 OS map, Bendslee is situated next to Benslie wood. The village sits on the B 785 Fergushill Road and on the junction of the road to Montgreenan and Torranyard on the Lochlibo Road. The OS maps show that it was named 'Montgreenan' up until at least 1938, with the name Benslie given to the wood, the old farmhouse on the 'island' created by the three roads and the term Benslie Square. A Mission hall is marked as being at Benslie square on the 1910 OS map. The postal address may have been the direct cause of the name change, preventing confusion with the nearby Montgreenan estate.

Benslie

Some dwellings were also present at Rosebank or Woodneuk (1858 OS map), situated just before the bridge that crossed the railway at Montgreenan station. A small mine was developed here and only a brick tower and bing remain in 2007. The village had a small Church hall which was used for indoor bowls and other activities. This building was demolished in 1993 and was replaced by a house named Kinnoull, a new family to the village moved into the house in 1994. A tennis court also existed at one time, next to the church hall. A number of new houses have been constructed since 1990; transforming the size and nature of this rural settlement.

Benslie

A Chapel Hill cottage existed at one time, suggesting that the chapel existed on the 'hill', possibly within what is now Benslie Wood. A small mound existed in the wood near Wood Neuk Cottage, but this may have been removed during the building of the new houses. The 1774 Ayr Roads Act names a Corsehill Chapel on the Toll Road from Kilwinning to Dreghorn via Milnburn. A statement to the effect that a chapel existed in the middle of the 'feature;' has been made, however details are lacking. There is a Lady Acre on the lands of Corsehill.

Benslie

The local farms include Benslie Fauld, as well as North and South Millburn. A lane connected Laigh Patterton Farm with the old Netherfield farm and Benslie. The exit is preserved between the two modern buildings, Benslie House and Kinnoull, near the old fireclay mine.

Robert Aitken's 1823 map of The Parishes of Ardrossan, Stevenston and Kilwinning shows a Backmossfauld farm near the old Netherfield farm. This map also gives East Doura as the name of the farm which was later known as South Millburn.

Benslie village views - 2007 / 08

The Ardrossan Railway - Doura branch

This line began life as a waggonway which opened in 1831 between Ardrossan and Kilwinning and was known as the Ardrossan and Johnstone Railway. James Sword was the lines Superintendent. It was initially built to the Scotch gauge of and was worked by horses. It had a passenger service from 28 July 1834 and was worked by carriages which held 24 passengers, 16 inside and 8 outside.

The railway was built by the Glasgow, Paisley and Ardrossan Canal company as the Ardrossan and Johnstone Railway. It commenced on the west side of Ardrossan harbour. The Doura branch waggonway was opened in 1834, and left the main line near Stevenston. It turned east (crossing under the later Glasgow, Paisley, Kilmarnock and Ayr Railway) and connected various industrial workings on the Eglinton Castle estate on its way to reach the Doura coal pit. The Fergus Hill branch left the Doura branch just after the Lugton Water crossing to reach the Fergus Hill coal pit.

In 1833 [sic] Sir James Cunningham extended the Doura branch to his extensive coal and fireclay workings at Perceton. Up until the 1850s this line was worked using horse haulage. Each wagon carried about one ton of coal. The Doura branch was private until 1839 when the Ardrossan Railway Company came into being.

The re-laying of track with a heavier rail and the gauge conversion from to was all carried out in a period of one week in spring 1840. The landowners had paid for the extension and the line had its gradients and curves altered to allow for locomotive working.

One record gives October 1, 1846 for the opening of the Standard Gauge Doura to Perceton section of the line and another July 1, 1848.

In spring 1840 the line had been regauged to standard gauge and thus it could be connected with the Glasgow, Paisley, Kilmarnock and Ayr Railway; in 1854 both lines merged with the new Glasgow and South Western Railway.