Stair, East Ayrshire facts for kids

Stair House

Stair is a small area in Ayrshire, Scotland. It sits in a valley next to the River Ayr. The Glenstang Burn also joins the River Ayr here. Stair is part of a larger area that covers about 5,376 acres (22 square kilometers).

History of Stair

Stair is well-known because of its connection to the Dalrymple family, who were also known as the Earls of Stair. This family first came to the village in 1450. That's when William de Dalrymple bought the land called Stair-Montgomery and built Stair House.

Before 1653, Stair was part of another area called Ochiltree. But in 1653, James Dalrymple, 1st Viscount of Stair asked for Stair to become its own separate parish, and it did.

Some interesting places to see in Stair include Stair Brig, a bridge built in 1745, and Stair House. There was also a house called Dalmore House overlooking the River Ayr, but it was sadly destroyed by fire in 1969.

Long ago, there was a big event called the "Stair Fair" held at the Stair Parish Church churchyard. It was a very lively gathering, much like other famous fairs of the time. People would travel from far away to attend and enjoy the festivities.

Milton Village

On the other side of the bridge from Stair, in South Ayrshire, is an old village called Milton. There used to be an inn here where the famous Scottish poet Robert Burns would sometimes stop. This was also the end of an old path used by pack horses, which followed the river to Annbank.

Near the inn, there was once a toll house where people paid to use the road. Close by was a small thatched cottage where Mailly Crosbie lived. She used to be a housekeeper at Stair House. The miller in Milton was a brave man who was part of a group called the Covenanters. He refused to give his Bible to the king's soldiers and stood up for his beliefs.

Robert Burns's Connections

Margaret Orr, also known as Peggy, worked as a nurserymaid at Stair House. Robert Burns helped his friend try to win her over, but their engagement didn't last long. She later married a shoemaker from Edinburgh.

In one of his early poems, called "An Epistle to Davy, a Brother-Poet, Lover, Ploughman and Fiddler," Burns wrote some lines that mentioned his love, Jean, and his friend's love, Meg:

Catherine Stewart, who lived at Stair and Afton Lodge, was the wife of Major-General Alexander Stewart. She learned about Robert Burns through his visits with his friend David. She was one of the first people from the upper classes to see how talented Burns was and became his friend. Burns even sent her some of his poems in a collection known as the 'Stair Manuscripts'.

Burns also visited the thatched cottage in Milton where Mailly Crosbie lived. She was a friend from the time when David Sillar was trying to court her. Mailly's family kept a special cup that Burns used to drink from as a souvenir.

Images for kids

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  Stair and Stair House Farm

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  Stair church

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  Stair Bridge over the River Ayr

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  The Stair Inn

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  Cottages at Milton Mill