Spier's School

Spier's School
The Seal of the Governors of Spier's school. Note the 'old' architectural design - which was never used, and the date; some 18 years before the school opened. This item is now located at Beith Primary school.
General information
Address	KA15 1LU
Town or city	Beith, North Ayrshire
Country	Scotland
Coordinates	55°44′42″N 4°37′30″W / 55.745°N 4.625°W / 55.745; -4.625
Construction started	September 1887
Completed	September 1888
Demolished	1984
Cost	£12,000
Client	John Spier
Design and construction
Architect	James Sellars

Spier's school, at Beith, in North Ayrshire, Scotland was opened in 1888 and closed in 1972. The school, now demolished, was built using Ballochmyle red sandstone and was reminiscent of the ancient Glasgow University. The school motto was 'Quod verum tutum' (What is true is right). The gardens and woodlands are open to the public at all times.

Sustrans National Route 7 at Kilbirnie Lochside is the nearest cycle-route access. The Barrmill Road entrance is on the bus route from Beith to Barrmill.

Roy's map of 1747 refers to the site as Marchland, indicating that the farm lay on the boundary or march of the Barony of Broadstone within the Lordship of Giffen, and the Barony of Beith, the physical boundary being formed by the Powgree Burn at this point, which is also recorded as the Powgreen or Marshyland burn. Marshalland lay within the Barony of Broadstone. Later maps refer to the site as Marshyland and Marshalland.

The land upon which the school was built in 1858 only shows the presence of two wells and the fields of the old Marshalland farm with its tree lined hedgerows. Tom Paterson and his sister farmed Marshalland in the 1950s, however the last people to live at Marshalland were David and Mary Kerr, the fine house and associated farm buildings being demolished in the early 1960s.

In 1686, John Shedden, ancestor of the Sheddens of Morrishill in Beith, obtained the 14s Lands of Marsheland [sic] from Hugh and John Lyle. He also obtained the 32 Penny Land of Erestoun's Mailling or Burnside of Marsheland. Robert Service bought Marsheland and passed it on to his son Robert. In 1816-17 Robert sold it on to Robert Spier, father of John Spier. Matthew Montgomerie of Bogston's daughter Margaret married John Shedden circa 1700.

John Shedden of Marsheland (sic), born 25 April 1756 was locally known as 'Jack the Marsheland'. He was a notorious poacher of hares at a time when the hunting laws were very strict and archaic. Jack had various brushes with the law and as a result he had to leave the area for a while and became a game-keeper, his local nickname adapting itself to become 'Jack the Gem-Keeper.' When he died he had a friend fire a shotgun over his grave, much to the surprise and consternation of the minister.

In around 1820 the part of the Marshal-land (sic) held by Robert Spier had a rent value of £58 18s 2d, whilst that part held by Mrs.Gibson was valued at £20 0s 0d. Aitken's 1829 map shows an R. Spier Esquire as resident at Marsheyland (sic). Andrew Spier, John's brother, is designated 'of Marshalland' and may have lived there until his untimely death. A Marshall family were blacksmiths in Gateside for many generations however no direct connection has been shown to exist.