Lochspouts facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lochspouts Loch |
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Lochspouts from Craigfin Hill
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| Location | Maybole, South Ayrshire, Scotland |
| Type | Drained freshwater loch |
| Primary inflows | Pisga and Greentop Burns |
| Primary outflows | overflow into the Ghaist Glen Burn |
| Basin countries | Scotland |
| Max. length | 400 m (1,300 ft) |
| Max. width | 100 m (330 ft) |
| Surface area | 8 acres (3.2 ha) |
| Average depth | Shallow |
| Islands | One crannog |
| Settlements | Maybole |
Lochspouts Loch was a small lake in South Ayrshire, Scotland. It was located in a dip in the land, surrounded by hills on three sides. A narrow ridge of rock formed a natural dam on its northern side. The land around the loch once belonged to the Ferguson family of Kilkerran. Over time, this natural lake was changed into a reservoir to hold water for people to use.
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The Story of Lochspouts
This lake, which was roughly oval-shaped, was about three miles southwest of Maybole. A natural rock barrier held its waters back. This barrier was the only place where water could flow out. During heavy rain, water would spill out through several cracks in this natural dam. These flowing cracks were called "spouts," which is how the loch got its name, "Lochspouts."
Later, the main exit point was made deeper. This was done to provide more water for a nearby waulkmill. A waulkmill was a type of mill that used water power to clean and thicken woollen cloth. Deepening the exit lowered the water level of the loch a lot. When the water went down, something very old and interesting was revealed: the remains of a crannog.
Discovering the Crannog
As the water level dropped before 1879, a crannog appeared in the loch. A crannog is an ancient artificial island, usually built in a lake or bog. This one was made of wood and was about 95 feet across inside. It even had a raised path connecting it to the shore.
In 1880, a scientist named Dr. R. Munro partly dug up the site. He found many interesting items, mostly from the Roman-Iron Age period. Some medieval pottery and other old objects were also found. All the things discovered were given to the National Museum of Antiquities of Scotland. These finds included a Roman melon bead, pieces of Roman pottery from the 2nd century, and bronze Roman-Celtic dress fasteners. Other items were made from stone, bone, deer horn, jet, and bronze.
An Ancient Logboat
Around 1875, a logboat was found by a person named Macfadzean. This happened during work to drain parts of Lochspouts Farm. A logboat is a simple boat made from a hollowed-out tree trunk. Sadly, this boat does not exist anymore. We also don't know exactly where it was found or how it related to the crannog.
How the Loch Was Used
In 1879, James MacFadzean wrote that the loch's outflow was made deeper. This was to send more water to a waulkmill at a place called Knockmill. Today, there are no significant remains of this old mill.
In 1882, work began to turn the loch into a reservoir. This was to provide drinking water for the town of Maybole. Building the reservoir largely removed the areas Dr. Munro had dug up in 1880. However, the construction work still uncovered more finds, including amber, bronze, and jet.
In 2003, the Maybole Historical Society visited the Lochspouts site after it had been partly drained. They found only a small amount of water left. A later visit showed that the water levels had risen again. In June 2011, the reservoir was full and overflowing.
People used to say about the loch's water, "Lochspouts is all right for washing clothes, but give me the Weiltrees when I'm thirsty." This means the water was good for washing but not for drinking. In October 1933, Lochspouts dried up completely. The people of Maybole had to get water from the town's old wells. Boys even went around selling water for fourpence a pail.
Lochspouts on Old Maps
The Thomson map from 1832 shows Lochspouts. Maps made by the Ordnance Survey in the 19th century also clearly show the site. These maps show that two smaller streams, the Pisga and the Greentop, flowed into the loch. The water then flowed out as a single stream down to the Ghaist Glen Burn. The 1854-9 Ordnance Survey map even called the site "Lochspouts Pond."
Other Interesting Facts
Near the Lochspouts farmhouse, there might be an oval-shaped cairn. A cairn is a pile of stones built as a monument. This one measures about 9 meters by 7.2 meters and is about half a meter high.
Two stone axes were supposedly found at Lochspouts. These axes were given to the National Museum of Antiquities of Scotland in 1978-79 by the Marquess of Ailsa.
