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

Several buildings surrounded by rig and furrow cultivation and annotated ‘Haw of auchincorse’ are depicted on Roys map (1747-55); ‘Auchincross’ and ‘Hall Auchencross’ are annotated on Ainslie (1821) and Thomson’s (1828) map respectively. It is possible that these depictions relate to the earlier old hall (NS51SE 1) , particularly Roy’s map). Hall of Auchincross farmstead is first depicted in detail on the Ordnance Survey 1st Edition map (1860) as a U-shaped layout of buildings surrounding a courtyard with a large enclosure, garden and two smaller buildings shown to the southeast, and an enclosure and pond to the northwest. The ‘site of’ the

old hall is also marked immediately to the northwest of the farm buildings. Four trackways lead out from the farm, to the northwest, northeast,

southeast and southwest.

The Ordnance Survey 2nd and 3rd Edition maps (1897) depict a similar layout, although one of the buildings to the southeast is no longer depicted and the main farm building on the northeastern side has been added to. The Ordnance Survey 3rd Edition map also shows an additional square building to the northwest, and an additional rectangular building to the southwest. A windpump (2.3) is also shown to the north east of the farm, and the pond is annotated as ‘dam’.

The pond/dam is not visible on aerial photographs from 1946. Field survey indentified the main farm buildings as comprising painted coarsed stone walls with brick additions and repairs and slate roofs. A modern shed and barn are visible to the northwest. The additional square building shown on the Ordnance Survey 3rdEdition map (1910) is still extant as a brick building.

All the features to the southwest of the farm building are gone, their locations now within an area of former opencast mining. Three of the trackways are still present; the track to the northeast has tarmac

surfacing and forms the main route from the farm to the public road. The farm itself is no longer in use.

Field survey identified the pond/dam as being silted up and no longer present.

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 archaeological evaluation was carried out at Wellhill Farm and Hall of Auchincross Farm near New Cumnock as part of a programme of works associated with the Wellhill extension to the Greenburn Surface Mine Operation. Previous work undertaken on the site included a standing building survey of the farmsteads and the evaluation of the surrounding area. In addition to the walls and features related to the recently demolished farmsteads, the evaluation identified 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. There was no evidence of any earlier settlement or activity either in terms of negative archaeological features or deposits. No finds were recovered and all of the observed material was found to be 19th or 20th century in date. 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 the site preparation prior to construction. As a result it is considered that archaeological remains or deposits relating to any potentially earlier settlement do not survive within the evaluation areas.

Information from Oasis (cfaarcha1-149068) 19 December 2013

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.