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Bourtreehill House
Bourtreehill House (now destroyed) and the enclosed land on which it was built form the original estate of Bourtreehill. The wooded hill-top, a distinctive feature of the estate, is now a landmark that sits at the centre of modern North Bourtreehill in the district of North Ayrshire on the west coast of Scotland.
Only a mile from the town of Irvine, the remaining land surrounding Bourtreehill House is an overgrown woodland at the summit of a wide but relatively low hill. Medieval in origin and with an array of ruined structures, ancient trees, and overgrown avenues, the estate, which once housed associates of Robert Burns, William Wallace and Lord Byron, has a hidden and mysterious history. That it was once tended by a competent gardener is clear; well defined, though overgrown, garden features are still perfectly visible, many of which date back to the mid-18th century.
Three antiquated, but currently unidentified, ruined buildings stand deep within the woods of the original estate. In the early 1980s, two arches stood side by side in the northeastern quarter. These are known to have served some purpose involving the coming and going of traffic. The oldest entrance (and subsequently the oldest driveway) once led the visitor directly to the twin arches. Sadly, only one of these fine structures still remains, while the other has been progressively vandalised over the last two decades.
The boundaries of the original medieval estate can still be traced quite easily. During the construction of the modern North Bourtreehill housing scheme, the original confines of the estate were only slightly adjusted. Many houses lie within the ancient interior of Bourtreehill, but those dwellings have been designed in such a way that they complement the undulating land and wooded features. The housing schemes in North Bourtreehill have been described as biomorphic in their style. The River Annick Runs through the area and so adds to the natural surroundings which dominate the North Bourtreehill complex.
The land surrounding the estate was peppered by railway lines. An early 19th century railway trackbed can still be followed to the south of Bourtreehill, and a few notably old railway sleepers can be discovered by the highly alert visitor.
The barony was one of the former possessions of the Colt family. Shortly after the Battle of Bannockburn, Robert the Bruce received Bourtreehill from the Colt family. Robert the Steward, the future King Robert II of Scotland is known to have rented Bourtreehill to one Alan of Blair. Roger de Blair of that Ilk had the barony conferred on him by Robert the Bruce. In typical feudal manner, this payment took the form of the all too common Peppercorn rent. This was a valuable Barony, lying partly in the Parish of Irvine and partly in Dreghorn.
Montgomery family papers preserved in the Scottish National Archives include a 1505 record of Bourtreehill, or some portion thereof, being owned by a family of Lynns who elsewhere are revealed as being Lords of Lynn in nearby Dalry, the location also of Lynn Glen and Lynn Falls. In 1556, Montgomery family papers reference "John Lyn of that Ilk and Lord of Bourtreehill." The Hunter family papers published by the Scottish Record Society include several 16th-17th century references to Bourtreehill in connection with the Lynns, describing the Lynns as "of that Ilk." Finally, mention of the Lynns in Bourtreehill can be found in a 1608 testament. A partial record of the Lynns of Bourtreehill is as follows:
13 Jan 1505 - Andrew Lyne received a charter from Robert Frances, Lord of Stane, for land in Bourtreehill, for which he was to pay to Frances the third part of a whole peppercorn on the feast of St. Martin in winter on the ground of the said lands in name of blench ferm if asked; and to the lords portioners of Peristoun seventeen bolls in measure of oats used and accustomed at two yearly ters St. Martin in winter and Whitsunday by equal portions upon the ground of the said lands. The land consisted of two merks with a half merk of the lands of old extent called Bourtreehill together with two parts of the common, including the three fields lying between the lands called Blakatbank and with a half part of the march lying between the lands of Stayne and the lands called Scottanrig lying in the lordship of Stayne, bailliary of Cunningham and shire of Ayr. The charter was executed in Irvine and is preserved in the papers of the Montgomery family, Earls of Eglinton.
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Bourtreehill House
Bourtreehill House (now destroyed) and the enclosed land on which it was built form the original estate of Bourtreehill. The wooded hill-top, a distinctive feature of the estate, is now a landmark that sits at the centre of modern North Bourtreehill in the district of North Ayrshire on the west coast of Scotland.
Only a mile from the town of Irvine, the remaining land surrounding Bourtreehill House is an overgrown woodland at the summit of a wide but relatively low hill. Medieval in origin and with an array of ruined structures, ancient trees, and overgrown avenues, the estate, which once housed associates of Robert Burns, William Wallace and Lord Byron, has a hidden and mysterious history. That it was once tended by a competent gardener is clear; well defined, though overgrown, garden features are still perfectly visible, many of which date back to the mid-18th century.
Three antiquated, but currently unidentified, ruined buildings stand deep within the woods of the original estate. In the early 1980s, two arches stood side by side in the northeastern quarter. These are known to have served some purpose involving the coming and going of traffic. The oldest entrance (and subsequently the oldest driveway) once led the visitor directly to the twin arches. Sadly, only one of these fine structures still remains, while the other has been progressively vandalised over the last two decades.
The boundaries of the original medieval estate can still be traced quite easily. During the construction of the modern North Bourtreehill housing scheme, the original confines of the estate were only slightly adjusted. Many houses lie within the ancient interior of Bourtreehill, but those dwellings have been designed in such a way that they complement the undulating land and wooded features. The housing schemes in North Bourtreehill have been described as biomorphic in their style. The River Annick Runs through the area and so adds to the natural surroundings which dominate the North Bourtreehill complex.
The land surrounding the estate was peppered by railway lines. An early 19th century railway trackbed can still be followed to the south of Bourtreehill, and a few notably old railway sleepers can be discovered by the highly alert visitor.
The barony was one of the former possessions of the Colt family. Shortly after the Battle of Bannockburn, Robert the Bruce received Bourtreehill from the Colt family. Robert the Steward, the future King Robert II of Scotland is known to have rented Bourtreehill to one Alan of Blair. Roger de Blair of that Ilk had the barony conferred on him by Robert the Bruce. In typical feudal manner, this payment took the form of the all too common Peppercorn rent. This was a valuable Barony, lying partly in the Parish of Irvine and partly in Dreghorn.
Montgomery family papers preserved in the Scottish National Archives include a 1505 record of Bourtreehill, or some portion thereof, being owned by a family of Lynns who elsewhere are revealed as being Lords of Lynn in nearby Dalry, the location also of Lynn Glen and Lynn Falls. In 1556, Montgomery family papers reference "John Lyn of that Ilk and Lord of Bourtreehill." The Hunter family papers published by the Scottish Record Society include several 16th-17th century references to Bourtreehill in connection with the Lynns, describing the Lynns as "of that Ilk." Finally, mention of the Lynns in Bourtreehill can be found in a 1608 testament. A partial record of the Lynns of Bourtreehill is as follows:
13 Jan 1505 - Andrew Lyne received a charter from Robert Frances, Lord of Stane, for land in Bourtreehill, for which he was to pay to Frances the third part of a whole peppercorn on the feast of St. Martin in winter on the ground of the said lands in name of blench ferm if asked; and to the lords portioners of Peristoun seventeen bolls in measure of oats used and accustomed at two yearly ters St. Martin in winter and Whitsunday by equal portions upon the ground of the said lands. The land consisted of two merks with a half merk of the lands of old extent called Bourtreehill together with two parts of the common, including the three fields lying between the lands called Blakatbank and with a half part of the march lying between the lands of Stayne and the lands called Scottanrig lying in the lordship of Stayne, bailliary of Cunningham and shire of Ayr. The charter was executed in Irvine and is preserved in the papers of the Montgomery family, Earls of Eglinton.