Photos of the River Irvine looking east from the Bridge and The Reid Memorial Kirk
Bibliography as per previous page
At Hurlford a Toll Bar was placed on the new road from Galston to Riccarton at Toll now "The Cross." The ford over the river was not at the bridge. There is testimony from old people who died 40 years ago i.e. 1785, that the road from Crookedholm, instead of turning south as it does at the Free Church, ran in a straight direction to Old Hurlford. It then continued by Shawhill the residence of John Stewart, over the river at Shaw, joining the road at Loudoun Kirk at Templeton Burn. In a sketch of the life of Alexander Law Orr, written by Rev William Reid of Hurlford Free Church, there are some glaring inaccuracies relating to the village. Rev Reid states "The erection of Portland Iron Works at Hurlford has drawn together, with several Collieries, a population estimated to be around 4000, where 25 years previous, a dozen scattered dwellings was all that met the travellers eye. The great name of Wallace, the Scottish Patriot, is indelibly linked with the area. The genius of Robert Burns is a living power in the district and Reformers and Martyrs have left stirring memories of steadfast devotion to a righteous cause.
© Hurlford Village History | created at www.mrsite.com
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At Hurlford a Toll Bar was placed on the new road from Galston to Riccarton at Toll now "The Cross." The ford over the river was not at the bridge. There is testimony from old people who died 40 years ago i.e. 1785, that the road from Crookedholm, instead of turning south as it does at the Free Church, ran in a straight direction to Old Hurlford. It then continued by Shawhill the residence of John Stewart, over the river at Shaw, joining the road at Loudoun Kirk at Templeton Burn. In a sketch of the life of Alexander Law Orr, written by Rev William Reid of Hurlford Free Church, there are some glaring inaccuracies relating to the village. Rev Reid states "The erection of Portland Iron Works at Hurlford has drawn together, with several Collieries, a population estimated to be around 4000, where 25 years previous, a dozen scattered dwellings was all that met the travellers eye. The great name of Wallace, the Scottish Patriot, is indelibly linked with the area. The genius of Robert Burns is a living power in the district and Reformers and Martyrs have left stirring memories of steadfast devotion to a righteous cause.
© Hurlford Village History | created at www.mrsite.com