Hall Of Auchincross

A Cultural Heritage assessment for the proposed Greenburn Surface Mine Wellhill Extension developmentforming part of an Environmental Statement, was submitted in 2012. The Cultural Heritage assessment identifies all historic environment features within the development area (through desk-based assessment and field survey), and key external receptors up to 2km from the proposed development. An assessment of the direct and indirect impacts of the development on these features is included.

Information from George Mudie (CFA Archaeology Ltd) January 2012.

OASIS ID: cfaarcha1-140197

The NMRS and SMR record the former site of Auchincross Hall. The Name Book (1856) records the location as standing to the northwest of the Hall of

Auchincross. The location is now under more recent farm buildings (NS51 SE 44). A survey (1981) identified a carved stone face and a lintel stone bearing the initials ‘GC’ and ‘B C’ built into the northwest gable end of the farm buildings. These worked stones may originate to the Old Hall.

A bibliographic source (Guthrie 2009) suggests that the initials GC and BC (either side of three ‘mullets’ - spurs) is a reference to George Craufurd (sic) and his wife Elizabeth (Bessie) and that the arms are those of the Craufurds of Ardmillan. George Craufurd (fl. 1605 - 1650) and his family were reputedly involved in a number of local skirmishes. A house within enclosed grounds and annotated ‘Achincrofs’ is depicted on Pont’s map (1580-90). Armstrongs(1775) map depicts a similar feature annotated ‘Auchencrofs’.

Roys map (1747-55) depicts six buildings within an area of rig and furrow and annotated ‘Haw of auchincorse’. Later maps (Ainslie 1821, Thomson,

1828 annotate ‘Auchincross’ and ‘Hall Auchencross’ respectively. These later two at least are likely to relate to the 19th century farm known as ‘Hall of Auchincross’, shown on the Ordnance Survey maps as occupying a almost the same location as the site of the older Auchincross Hall. It may be that in the case of Roy, the old hall had become more of a large farmstead, and the later Armstrong map (1775) either chose to record the building in a different way, or did not visit the site and followed Pont’s depiction. Field survey identified the lintel and carved stone face as described, built into the northwest facing gable end of the main farm building of Hall of Auchincross. The lintel also had a crest consisting of

3 symbols, possibly flowers or leaves.

Information from George Mudie (CFA Archaeology Ltd) January 2012.

OASIS ID: cfaarcha1-140197

A level 2 standing building survey and desk-based assessment was undertaken at Wellhill Farm and Hall of Auchencross, near New Cumnock, East Ayrshire as part of the Greenburn Surface Mine Extension. The survey showed that at Welhill Farm and Hall of Auchencross Farm has its origins in the 17th century but nothing structural survives from this period. Both farmhouses and associated byres and cartsheds were laid out in the late 18th or early 19th century and all have been greatly altered to suit the needs of modern farming. The bulk of the buildings comprised steel-framed sheds of no historical importance. Stone fragments and a carved face may be architectural features recovered from the former medieval hall of Auchencross which has been subsumed by modern farm buildings.

Information from Oasis (cfaarcha1-135443) 26 March 2013

NS 58140 14430 and NS 58218 14075 A programme of archaeological work was carried out, September 2012 – April 2013, prior to work associated with the opencast mine.

A Level 2 standing building and general photographic survey was carried out at Wellhill Farm and the adjoining byre of the E range. There was evidence that the walls of the detached derelict barn and byre had been raised. A blocked opening for a cart shed was also recorded in its W-facing elevation. A collection of other buildings, including a Dutch barn and various other steel-framed cattle sheds, were of no historical interest. Cartographic sources show that Wellhill existed as a place name in the late 18th century.

A Level 2 standing building survey, photographic survey and watching brief were carried out at Hall of Auchincross Farm. The farmhouse and adjoining calving shed and byre were recorded. Part of the building's gable incorporated a carved head and carved lintel possibly originating from the medieval Auchincross Hall, which was perhaps cleared to make way for the present farmstead.

The NW-facing gable of Building 4 incorporated a marriage stone with the letters GC and BC carved on either side of a heraldic plaque. A corbel with a carved beaded face and four other stones were identified as either lintels or sill stones. All the stones probably originated from the late medieval Auchincross Hall which, based on cartographic evidence, was built on the site of the present Hall of Auchencross Farm.

The evaluation of the area recorded walls and features related to the recently demolished farmsteads, the remains of three walls at Wellhill Farm and an area of cobbling at Hall of Auchincross Farm. However, all of these features are considered to relate to the 19th-century or later development of the farms. Within the footprint of the farmsteads horizontal truncation appeared to have taken place as disturbed/made ground lay directly over the natural. This appears to have taken place as part of site preparation prior to construction and it is considered that archaeological remains relating to any potentially earlier settlement do not survive within the evaluation areas.

Archive: RCAHMS. Report: WoSAS

Funder: Kier Mining Ltd

Stuart Mitchell, Magnus Kirby and Mike Cressey, CFA Archaeology Ltd, 2013

(Source: DES)

An architectural watching brief was carried out by CFA during the demolition of a former byre at Hall of Auchencross Farm, near new Cumnock, Ayrshire. The demolition was carried out as part of the Wellhill Extension of the Greenburn Surface Mine. During an earlier historic building survey a series of carved stones including a heraldic plaque, a carved head and four moulded lintel stones were found built into the upper gable. It was recommended that an architectural watching brief be carried out during the demolition so that the carved head and other moulded stonework could be removed and recorded, and to identify if further re-used stonework was incorporated into the structure. Stone 1 was a probably a corbel with gargoyle head and was probably associated with supporting a roof of late medieval date. Stone 2 is a traditional marriage stone incorporating the initials CC and BC on either side of a heraldic shield. Stone's 3-6 are lintel or sill stones which were not identified in the NMRS report on the site. All six stones could have a 16th century date (Professor Charles McKean Pers Comm), and judging by the quality of the stonework they came from a structure of high status. It is therefore probable that they originated from the Auchencross Hall. The stonework is currently being stored undercover on the Kier Mining site and details will be submitted to the Treasure Trove Unit to agree on the final depository for the material.

Information from OASIS ID: cfaarcha1-195229 (S Mitchell) 2013.