Swindridgemuir House and estate
| Swindridgemuir House and estate | |
|---|---|
 Swindridgemuir House and estate
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| Swindridgemuir House and estate shown within North Ayrshire | |
| OS grid reference | NS3195549843 |
| Council area | |
| Lieutenancy area | |
| Country | Scotland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Dalry |
| Police | Scottish |
| Fire | Scottish |
| Ambulance | Scottish |
| EU Parliament | Scotland |
| Scottish Parliament | |
Swindridgemuir House and estate were composed of the 'Lands of Swindridgemuir' and the dwelling house about two miles north-east of Dalry in the old Barony of Kersland, about a mile and a half north of the Blair Estate, North Ayrshire, Scotland. The spelling on the family memorials at Ayr Auld Kirk is 'Swindrigemuir'.
A circa 1604 map shows a 'Swinmikmeur'. The name 'Swanrig' is given on the 1747 Roy's Map In 1821 the name is given as 'Swinerigemoor', 'Swindridgemuir' in 1828, and in 1832 on John Thomson's map as 'Swindridgmuir'. Swans, Swine and Whin are therefore possible elements of the placename at different times. The name 'Swinridgemuir' is used in the 19th century and 'Swindridgemuir' is found on the 20th-century family gravestone at Barnweill Kirk and 'Swindrigemuir' at the family's burial ground at Ayr Auld Kirk.
The neat box-like mansion house of circa 1830 is A-listed and is similar in architectural style to Ladyland House and also to Monkcastle House which was built circa 1820. Swindridgemuir was probably designed by the architect David Hamilton and has two storeys, and three bays with an ionic columned porch.
Detached buildings are shown at the back of the main mansion building. A large raised lawn area is indicated to the south-west of the mansion house, a possible site of the original dwelling house.
The B-listed 19th-century stables (NS3195649904) form a square with a large quadrangle. The walled garden was unusually large with the southern end running at an acute angle to the east and west parallel walls. This area later contains a tennis court (datum 2012) and a small building or shed occupied a corner of the at the north-east. Several outbuildings and greenhouses were present in the 19th century as well as a probable horse gin.
An old lane runs past the policies up to Wheatyfauld Farm, Park Terrace, Highden and beyond. Unusually the house had no entrance lodges.
Part of the Auchinmade lands were included within the Swindridgemuir estate in 1874. The superiority of Aiket Castle was purchased by John Smith of Swinridgemuir (sic) and by 1874 had passed to his grand-nephew Major James George Smith-Neil of Barnweill and Swinridgemuir.
The 1896 OS map shows a small dam and a pool at the Swindridgemuir Spout, said to have been a small trout fishery.
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Wikipedia