Springside, North Ayrshire

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 was situated towards the Overtoun Miners' Row. Farms with the name Warwickdale and Warwickhill are still extant, "Warrix"[9] being the origin of this otherwise seemingly very English-sounding name.

A view of the Meadow Wood and Warwickdale Farm in 2006

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.

In 1524 William Cuninghame inherited the lands from his father John and both parts were sold to John Edmeston, Minister of Cardross, whose son John sold them to Jonathan Anderson, a Glasgow Merchant. William Henry Ralston, a cadet of the Ralstons of that Ilk purchased them in 1790 from John, son of Jonathan Edmeston. A nephew, Alexander MacDougal Ralston inherited in 1833. Margaret Fullarton was the wife of Alexander McDougall Ralston. They were buried in Dreghorn parish churchyard. The three sections of Peirstoun were known as Pierstoun-Barclay, Pierstoun-Blair and Pierstoun-Cunninghame. This latter portion is thought to have contained Warrickhill itself.

John Muir of Warwick Mains died in 1875. He was a private in the Ayrshire Yeomanry Cavalry and was accidentally killed by his horse. He was buried in Dreghorn Parish Churchyard.

The Craig estate of the Dunlop family and later the Pollok-Morris family lies within the ancient Barony of Robertoun, situated above Laigh Milton Mill and leading down to the River Irvine. The original house was located in what was later to become the walled garden. The present Craig House, further up the hill, dates from c1780 and was enlarged c1835 and a portico and perron added by Kilmarnock architect James Ingram.[10] The building was further enlarged in 1882 by architect Allan Stevenson with the west wing and in 1902 with the addition of the Winter Garden designed by architect Sir John James Burnet.[10] The Pollok Morris family sold the house after WWII to Glasgow Corporation for use as a residential school or 'respite home' for Glasgow boys and later girls.[11] After the school closed in the 1980s the house was vandalised and eventually burnt out with the loss of all the interiors and the portico which had collapsed. It remained a roofless ruin before being acquired by a developer who along with an enabling development of houses in the policies rebuilt the house and reinstated the portico. The interior was not restored but was converted into flats in 2006.

The 1860, 1898–1904 and, 1911 and 1912 OS maps all show that the extent to which Springside was surrounded by collieries, coal pits and freight only railway or 'tram' lines. Collieries were located near Cauldhame farm (Cauldhame and Springhill (Pit No.4), Bankhead (one called West Thorntoun), Springhill (Pit No.1) and Springhill (Pit No.2) at Springhill, and another between Busbiehill and Warwickhill. These were all served by standard gauge mineral railway lines, criss-crossing the countryside; they all now lifted, with only a few embankments left to indicate their original course. In 1860 numerous old and current coal pits dotted the area. The waste bing of Springhill (Pit No.3) still lies close to Springside in the field that may have been the Thorntoun deer park. Muirside pit was situated near to the Kirkland miners' row. The access track from Overtoun road is still in use today and is known as the 'pit road'.

The Corsehill tileworks made tiles for drainage and the excavation of clay lead to the creation of several large ponds. Swans nested on an islet in one of these ponds and a local football team from the area was called "The Swans".[5] Some of the flooded claypits remain as part of a walkway and community woodland.

Springside had many, built by the mine owners for their workers. Corsehill, Sprigside and Bankhead were constructed by J & R. Howie, Archibald Finnie & Sons and A. Kenneth & Sons. Others rows were at nearby Overtoun, also Warwickhill row, and Kirkland row.

The station looking towards Dreghorn in the 19th century

Springside railway station or Halt opened in 1890,[12] and closed permanently to passengers on 6 April 1964.[5][13] The station never had any freight facilities and trains ran from Kilmarnock to Ardrossan where they connected with Clyde coast steamer services to Arran and Millport. The route had ten return journeys a day in its last timetable before closure.[14] The railway went under the road, however the cutting has been infilled and the whole line from Crosshouse railway station and Busbie junction to Irvine is now a Sustrans cycle path and walkway.

Springside was on a toll road or turnpike. The name 'turnpike' originated from the original 'gate' used being just a simple wooden bar attached at one end to a hinge on the supporting post. The hinge allowed it to 'open' or 'turn' This bar looked like the 'pike' used as a weapon in the army at that time and therefore we get 'turnpike'.

The term was also used by the military for barriers set up on roads specifically to prevent the passage of horses.

In addition to providing better surfaces and more direct routes, the turnpikes settled the confusion of the different lengths given to miles,[15] which varied from 4,854 to nearly 7,000 feet. Long miles, short miles, Scotch or Scot's miles (5,928 feet), Irish miles (6,720 feet), etc. all existed. 5,280 feet seems to have been an average. Another important point is that when these new toll roads were constructed the turnpike trusts went to a great deal of trouble to improve the route of the new road and these changes could be quite considerable as the old roads tended to go from farm to farm, hardly the shortest route. The tolls on roads were abolished in 1878 to be replaced by a road 'assessment', which was taken over by the county council in 1889.

Springhill farm no longer exists,[5] being situated where the main road houses are now. Springside farm is still surrounded by open fields and the well established Kirkland farm is just across the Garrier Burn on the road to Busbiehill.

The local primary school was threatened with closure by North Ayrshire Council in 2008 and staff, pupils, parents and local people launched a vigorous campaign to save it. The campaign was featured on national television, local press, etc.