Stewarton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids StewartonStewartoun (Scots)
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 The Cross in Stewarton, East Ayrshire, with a view towards Fenwick. |
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 Stewarton
Stewartoun (Scots) |
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| Population | 7,770 (2020) |
| Language | English Scots |
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| Lieutenancy area |
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| Country | Scotland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Kilmarnock |
| Postcode district | KA3 |
| Dialling code | 01560 |
| Police | Strathclyde |
| Fire | Strathclyde |
| Ambulance | Scottish |
| EU Parliament | Scotland |
| UK Parliament |
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| Scottish Parliament |
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| Website | Stewarton Website |
Stewarton (Scots: Stewartoun, Scottish Gaelic: Baile nan Stiùbhartach) is a town in East Ayrshire, Scotland. It is a fairly large town, with over 7,400 people living there. Stewarton is about 90 meters (300 feet) above sea level. You can easily get to the town by train, as it has its own Stewarton railway station.
The town is located in a valley called Strathannick, with the Annick Water river flowing through it. Stewarton is in a countryside area of East Ayrshire. It is about 10 kilometers (6 miles) north of Kilmarnock and east of Irvine. In the past, Stewarton was an important meeting point for roads. These roads connected Kilmarnock, Irvine, and Ayr to the city of Glasgow. Today, the M77 motorway goes around the town. Locals still call the old road the "Auld Glesga Road" (Old Glasgow Road).
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Stewarton's Past: A Look Back in Time
How Old is Stewarton?
Stewarton has been around for a very long time. Records show it existed at least since the 1100s. Some older stories even suggest it was there in the early 1000s. One famous story is about Máel Coluim III, who later became a king of Scotland. He is also a character in William Shakespeare's play Macbeth.
The legend says that Mac Bethad killed Máel Coluim's father, King Donnchad. Macbeth then wanted to kill Máel Coluim to become king himself. Máel Coluim ran away to England. Macbeth's followers chased him. As Máel Coluim entered the Corsehill area near Stewarton, he was in danger. He asked a farmer named Friskine for help. Friskine was working with hay. He quickly covered Máel Coluim with hay, helping him escape.
Years later, in 1057, Máel Coluim returned to Scotland. He defeated Macbeth and became King of Scots. To thank Friskine, he gave Friskine's family the Baillie of Cunninghame. This was a very important position. The Cunninghame family's symbol today is a Y-shaped fork with the words "over fork over." You can see this symbol in Stewarton, like on the badges of Lainshaw Primary School and Nether Robertland Primary School.
Another historical record from the 1100s shows that a man named Wernebald was given the Cunninghame lands. This was by Hugh de Morville, who built Kilwinning Abbey.
In the early 1600s, a writer named Pont said that the area around Stewarton was very busy. He wrote that people who had traveled widely in Europe said they had never seen so many houses so close together. He claimed that if a bell rang at night for a few hours, 3,000 strong men, well-armed and on horses, would gather.
Old Castles: Corsehill and Ravenscraig
The name Ravenscraig means 'Ruin Crag', which suggests a ruined castle. There were two main castles in the area: Corsehill Castle and Ravenscraig Castle. People often confuse them.
Corsehill Castle was likely on the east side of the Corsehill Burn (a small stream). An old map from 1860 shows a place called Templehouse, which had a small fort. Most of the old Corsehill Castle ruins were used to build the railway embankment when the railway was put in.
Ravenscraig Castle (also called Reuincraig) was on the west side of the Corsehill Burn. It was rebuilt around 1840. Today, only one tower of what is believed to be Ravenscraig/Corsehill remains. This tower has been repaired to keep it safe.
The Covenanters and the Highland Host
In the 1600s, there was a time of trouble in Scotland. King Charles II wanted to stop a group called the Covenanters from holding their religious meetings. He sent soldiers, known as the 'Highland Host', to Ayrshire. These soldiers were very harsh. They took food and shelter for free, stole from people, and even hurt those who complained. They demanded money and threatened to burn houses. This caused a lot of hardship for the people of Stewarton. The cost of their actions in Stewarton parish was a huge amount of money at the time.
Local History Bits
Cairnduff Hill, which looks over Stewarton, has the remains of a Bronze Age burial mound. In the 1800s, three old pots with bones were found inside it. The town's War Memorial, which honors soldiers, used to be in the main square. It was moved to a quieter spot near Standalane house.
People and Businesses from Stewarton
Dunlop cheese was a famous type of cheese made in Stewarton and other nearby towns.
Robert Burns, a famous Scottish poet, had an uncle named Robert Burnes. This uncle helped guard the Stewarton Laigh Church graveyard. He protected it from "body snatchers," who would secretly dig up bodies for medical study.
David Dale, a very important businessman and helper of others, was born in Stewarton in 1739. He started the famous cotton mills in New Lanark. His father was a general dealer in Stewarton.
William Jack, a mathematician, was born here in 1834.
Rose Reilly, a famous international women's football player, grew up in Stewarton. She had to leave Scotland to play professional football, but she later returned and lives in the area. The local sports center in Stewarton is now named after her!
Sports and Fun
Stewarton used to have a cricket club. Its field was between Lochridge and Ward Park house. There was also a Stewarton Golf Club, started in 1912, but it closed after World War II.
Accidents and Incidents
On January 27, 2009, a train carrying fuel crashed near Stewarton. It happened at a bridge over the road to Kilmaurs. Several train cars caught fire. A nearby stream, the Lochrig Burn, was badly polluted. Luckily, the larger Annick Water river was not seriously harmed.
Nature and Plants
The "Stewarton Flower" is a local name for a plant called Pink Purslane (Claytonia sibirica). It grows a lot in damp areas around Stewarton. This plant originally came from North America. It was probably brought to the Robertland Estate over 160 years ago. It spreads very easily and is common near the Corsehill Burn. The white-flowered type of this plant is still very common around Stewarton.
Getting Around Stewarton
Stewarton railway station first opened in 1871. It closed in 1966 but then reopened in 1967. In 2009-2010, the railway line was improved. Now, trains run twice an hour in each direction. The station was rebuilt, and a second platform was added.
In the past, a man named Thomas Oliver was known as the "roadmaker in Stewarton." He worked on building the road from Kilmarnock to Irvine. He had very specific rules for how the road should be built, including its width and how thick the layers of stone should be.
Buses also run regularly from the Robertland Bus Terminus to Kilmarnock.
Local Events
Stewarton has an annual gala festival at the start of summer, like many Scottish towns. This event dates back to when Stewarton was famous for making bonnets (a type of hat). The 'Bonnet Guild' organizes fun activities for everyone. They also choose a 'Corsehill Queen'. This is the girl in the second year of Stewarton Academy who has done best in her studies.
The Cadgers’ Fair was a special yearly event in Stewarton in the 1700s. It was a time when horses were traded. There were also parades and races.
See also
In Spanish: Stewarton para niños
