Nettlehirst
Encyclopedia
Nettlehirst was a small mansion house (NS365504) and estate in the Parish of Beith
, near Barrmill
in North Ayrshire
, Scotland. The house was built in 1844 and burned down in 1932.
Davis sees the house as being an enlargement of a pre-existing house and attributes the style to lack of finance and amateurish design. The unusual gate-piers, one is taller than the other, still look onto the former groom's cottage.
Other buildings nearby were the homefarm and accommodation associated with the limekilns.
The 1932 fire
In July 1932 the house burned down, possibly due to an electrical fire, however as mains power was not installed in the district until circa 1935 the house would have had to have possessed its own generator. The dramatic fire coincided with the return from South Beach by a special train of Barrmill Sunday School trip on the line from Ardrossan to Giffen Station. Passengers climbed up and watched the fire from the quarry area. The fierce fire was clearly visible from the train and it was a talking point in the village for months. The Kerr family moved to Beith.
The mansion house was never restored and shortly afterwards the dangerous ruin was demolished. The unusual entrance gatepiers, apple and pear orchard, boundary walls, mausoleum, farm and the stables, with its crow stepped gable ends and an 1811 marriage stone
remain. The platform of the old tennis court is still apparent.
shows a family burial ground located near woodland to the south of the old house site. The fine red sandstone structure still survives (2010) although the crypt has been broken into and the frontage stones are much disturbed. No inscriptions are apparent on the structure. The burial site is said to have been in front of the mausoleum, within the skirting wall.
is 'Urtica dioica'). William Patrick of Roughwood obtained Nettlehirst from the Fultons and it later became part of the Giffin House estate.
William Burns, a shoemaker from Drumbuie, obtained Townhead of Nettlehirst in the 18th century and his sons Robert and James inherited it in turn; Robert having no heirs. William Burns, son of James, inherited it in 1845. William had three sons, James, William and David.
James Brown, Writer in Beith, was the son of Hugh Brown of Broadstone
and is recorded as 'James of Nettlehurst'. James married Janet, daughter of James Finlay of Easter Highgate, had a son Robert and died in 1855.
William and Anne Burns lived at Nettlehirst in 1901 according to the Census, together with their sons Walter and Albert. William is recorded as being a merchant dealing in 'fancy goods', also a toy-maker.
In 1915 it was sold to Mr Thomas Currie Kerr JP, at that time a well known ironmaster and owner of the limeworks. Reid records that Thomas was an engineering contractor and and together with his wife, Elizabeth Jane Donaldson, owned William Kerr and Co. Kerr's were based at Mavisbank in Glasgow, and specialised in moving heavy loads, such as locomotives. Road Engines and Kerr Ltd was its name just prior to being taken over by Pickfords
. Izabel Kerr, daughter of Thomas Kerr, married Dr Ian Sommerville, a Beith GP in 1932. In 2011 it was the property of the Gillan's of nearby Shotts Farm.
John Kerr of Nettlehirst, son of Hugh Kerr of Gatend, gave £20 a year and established a Society for Clothing, Blankets, and Clothes for the poor.
A confusing number of properties in the area are known as Nettlehirst, some distinctions being made by adding 'cottage' or the owners name, such as Reid Nettlehirst. The origin of the placename itself is unknown; however, the 'Nettle' may refer to the plant and 'Hurst' may refer to harvest, meaning an area where nettles predominate. The term 'hairst' might refer to a barren hillock, knoll, or ridge. A fitting description of the site today.
Beith
Beith is a small town situated in the Garnock Valley in North Ayrshire, Scotland approximately 20-miles south-west of Glasgow. The town is situated on the crest of a hill and was known originally as the "Hill o' Beith" after its Court Hill.-History:-Name:Beith's name is thought to emanate from...
, near Barrmill
Barrmill
Barrmill is a small village in North Ayrshire, Scotland about a mile and a half a mile east of Beith on the road to Lugton. Locally it is known as the Barr.- History :General Roy's survey of 1747 - 55 shows only the farm of High Barr...
in North Ayrshire
North Ayrshire
North Ayrshire is one of 32 council areas in Scotland with a population of roughly 136,000 people. It is located in the south-west region of Scotland, and borders the areas of Inverclyde to the north, Renfrewshire to the north-east and East Ayrshire and South Ayrshire to the East and South...
, Scotland. The house was built in 1844 and burned down in 1932.
Nettlehirst House and estate
This was a fine mansion, also known as 'Nettlehurst', a castle-like structure with 16 rooms, on the high ground above the limekilns, overlooking the old Giffen Station, viaduct, Barrmill and the Dusk Water. It had a five storey central tower and was surrounded by three storey crow-stepped wings. The Burns family built Nettlehirst House in 1844.Davis sees the house as being an enlargement of a pre-existing house and attributes the style to lack of finance and amateurish design. The unusual gate-piers, one is taller than the other, still look onto the former groom's cottage.
Other buildings nearby were the homefarm and accommodation associated with the limekilns.
The 1932 fire
In July 1932 the house burned down, possibly due to an electrical fire, however as mains power was not installed in the district until circa 1935 the house would have had to have possessed its own generator. The dramatic fire coincided with the return from South Beach by a special train of Barrmill Sunday School trip on the line from Ardrossan to Giffen Station. Passengers climbed up and watched the fire from the quarry area. The fierce fire was clearly visible from the train and it was a talking point in the village for months. The Kerr family moved to Beith.
The mansion house was never restored and shortly afterwards the dangerous ruin was demolished. The unusual entrance gatepiers, apple and pear orchard, boundary walls, mausoleum, farm and the stables, with its crow stepped gable ends and an 1811 marriage stone
Marriage stone
A marriage stone is usually a stone lintel carved with the initials, coat of arms, etc. of a newly married couple with the date of the marriage. They were very popular until Victorian times, but fell out of general use in the 20th century...
remain. The platform of the old tennis court is still apparent.
The Nettlehirst mausoleum
The OS MapOrdnance Survey
Ordnance Survey , an executive agency and non-ministerial government department of the Government of the United Kingdom, is the national mapping agency for Great Britain, producing maps of Great Britain , and one of the world's largest producers of maps.The name reflects its creation together with...
shows a family burial ground located near woodland to the south of the old house site. The fine red sandstone structure still survives (2010) although the crypt has been broken into and the frontage stones are much disturbed. No inscriptions are apparent on the structure. The burial site is said to have been in front of the mausoleum, within the skirting wall.
Owners and tenants
In 1804, Captain John Fulton of Grangehill married Catherine MacLellan, only daughter of the Rev. David Maclellan of Nettlehurst, Minister of Beith. They had two offspring, namely John and Isabella Fulton. Isabella married the Rev. Robert Crawford of Irongray. John's son was William Patrick Fulton. David Maclellan wrote articles under the name 'Urtica' (The scientific binomial for a NettleNettle
Nettles constitute between 24 and 39 species of flowering plants of the genus Urtica in the family Urticaceae, with a cosmopolitan though mainly temperate distribution. They are mostly herbaceous perennial plants, but some are annual and a few are shrubby...
is 'Urtica dioica'). William Patrick of Roughwood obtained Nettlehirst from the Fultons and it later became part of the Giffin House estate.
William Burns, a shoemaker from Drumbuie, obtained Townhead of Nettlehirst in the 18th century and his sons Robert and James inherited it in turn; Robert having no heirs. William Burns, son of James, inherited it in 1845. William had three sons, James, William and David.
James Brown, Writer in Beith, was the son of Hugh Brown of Broadstone
Broadstone, North Ayrshire
Broadstone lies close to the small village of Gateside in North Ayrshire, Scotland about half a mile east of Beith in the old Barony of Giffen.-The castle:The ruins of Braidstone or Broadstone Castle remained until about 1850...
and is recorded as 'James of Nettlehurst'. James married Janet, daughter of James Finlay of Easter Highgate, had a son Robert and died in 1855.
William and Anne Burns lived at Nettlehirst in 1901 according to the Census, together with their sons Walter and Albert. William is recorded as being a merchant dealing in 'fancy goods', also a toy-maker.
In 1915 it was sold to Mr Thomas Currie Kerr JP, at that time a well known ironmaster and owner of the limeworks. Reid records that Thomas was an engineering contractor and and together with his wife, Elizabeth Jane Donaldson, owned William Kerr and Co. Kerr's were based at Mavisbank in Glasgow, and specialised in moving heavy loads, such as locomotives. Road Engines and Kerr Ltd was its name just prior to being taken over by Pickfords
Pickfords
Pickfords is a moving company based in the United Kingdom, part of the Moving Services Group UK Ltd.The business is believed to have been founded in the 17th century, making it one of the UK's oldest functioning companies. The earliest record is of a William Pickford, a carrier who worked south of...
. Izabel Kerr, daughter of Thomas Kerr, married Dr Ian Sommerville, a Beith GP in 1932. In 2011 it was the property of the Gillan's of nearby Shotts Farm.
Micro-history
The Black Loch was a shallow loch situated near Nettlehirst House and it was once used for curling. The site was filled with earth and is now overgrown.John Kerr of Nettlehirst, son of Hugh Kerr of Gatend, gave £20 a year and established a Society for Clothing, Blankets, and Clothes for the poor.
A confusing number of properties in the area are known as Nettlehirst, some distinctions being made by adding 'cottage' or the owners name, such as Reid Nettlehirst. The origin of the placename itself is unknown; however, the 'Nettle' may refer to the plant and 'Hurst' may refer to harvest, meaning an area where nettles predominate. The term 'hairst' might refer to a barren hillock, knoll, or ridge. A fitting description of the site today.