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Hill Of Beith
Farmstead (Period Unassigned), Tower House (Medieval)(Possible)
Site Name Hill Of Beith
Classification Farmstead (Period Unassigned), Tower House (Medieval)(Possible)
Canmore ID 42192
Site Number NS35SE 2
NGR NS 35718 54025
NGR Description Centred on NS 35718 54025
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/42192
- Council North Ayrshire
- Parish Beith (Cunninghame)
- Former Region Strathclyde
- Former District Cunninghame
- Former County Ayrshire
NS35SE 2 35718 54025
The residence of the Cunninghames was a square tower which stood not far from the moot hill (NS35SE 1).
NSA 1845 (J Dobie)
The barony of Beith was given to the (Tironensian) monks of Kilwinning Abbey (NS34SW 6) by the wife of Sir Richard de Moreville towards the end of the 12th century. Their farm is clearly indicated by the name "Grangehill" (NS 356 546) and "The Maynes". Blaeu's map indicates a castellated mansion or tower house on part of the Maynes, half a mile SW of the Grange, where the abbot may have stayed when in the locality. (This tower may have been the main building of the monks' grange: of Mauchline Grange: NS42NE 2, secularised on the dissolution of the Abbey).
R Love 1876
NS 3597 5409. Traces of overgrown wall foundations of squared masonry 1.4m thick and 0.4m high where best preserved, are visible in a copse 200m NW of Court Hill (NS35SE 1). Adjoining the foundations, a section 5.0m long and 0.6m thick of the present field wall consists of mortared masonry.
Visited by OS (DS) 30 August 1956
These remains are generally as described in the previous field report. The section of mortared masonry in the dyke is the remains of the S gable of a rectangular building.
Surveyed at 1:2500.
Visited by OS (EGC) 2 July 1964
The significance of the remains described above is doubtful; the proportions of the building and vestiges of surrounding enclosure work are consistent with a deserted 18th / 19th century farmstead, and there is no local tradition of this being a tower or mansion.
Visited by OS (JRL) 18 January 1983.
