Monkredding House, North Ayrshire
| Monkredding | |
|---|---|
| Kilwinning, North Ayrshire, Scotland UK grid reference NS4084831699 |
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Monkredding House
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| Coordinates | 55°40′25″N 4°40′01″W / 55.673489°N 4.666906°WCoordinates: 55°40′25″N 4°40′01″W / 55.673489°N 4.666906°W |
| Grid reference | NS3240 4534 |
| Site information | |
| Owner | Private |
| Controlled by | Nevin Clan |
| Open to the public |
No |
| Condition | Excellent |
| Site history | |
| Built | 16th century |
| Built by | Thomas Nevin |
| In use | Inhabited |
| Materials | Freestone |
Monkredding (NS 3240 4534) formed a small estate in the Parish of Kilwinning, North Ayrshire lying between Kilwinning and Auchentiber on the B778. The property was originally held by the Tironensian monks of Kilwinning Abbey and was the 'Monk's Garden', the rest home for the brothers.Monkcastle near Dalgarven was the abbot's country retreat. Monkredding remains in good condition and is in use as a private house in 2010.
Between 1539 and 1545, the Nevin family obtained the lands of East and West Monkredding from Alexander, Abbot of Kilwinning. Thomas Nevin was the first secular proprietor of the lands, "part of the ancient halydom of Kilwinning, which about this time was beginning to be parcelled out by the Abbots, to whoever would best remunerate them for the ostensible gift, foreseeing that their own possession was becoming doubtful and unsteady." The old name of the place is stated as Moncarden or Monks Garden.
Savio records that Thomas Nevin in 1539 feued the lands of East Monkredding; in 1543 those of Guslone and Bannach; and in 1545 those of West Monkredding and Gaitmureland. As well as security of tenure, feuing gave the right to the feuar to exploit any minerals on his lands. Thomas Nevin was able to hew and sell the coal on his feu lands. His family became so rich that they were able to build themselves a tower house at Monkredding.
Thomas Nevin, the first laird, was successful in the coal mining trade and was wealthy enough to start building the present mansion. Monkredding House, sometimes written as Monkreddin, is a small, much-altered 'L' shaped fortalice, now with a large modern wing to the rear, dating from 1905, and built to plans by Hugh Thomson, JP and architect working in Saltcoats, who also built the porch and probably the Edwardian lodges.
Monkredding's modern form surrounds three sides of a square, open to the north. The west wing and stair-tower are ancient. The west wing bears a date stone '1602 or 1605' in the north gable, whilst the remainder was added in 1638, this date being inscribed on a dormer pediment in the west wall; the lower floor is vaulted. Whitewashed roughcast harling covers the masonry; the roof has been lowered; the circular stair-tower has been significantly raised in height. No dormers are now present and the crow-steps have been removed. The 17th-century building was enlarged and re-orientated in the early 19th century when the principal facade and central entrance were extended south. Monkredding House is B Listed.
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