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Kilmaurs Town
KILMAURS, the capital of the above parish, a
burgh-of-barony, and a considerable village, stands
on the right bank of Carmel water, 2 miles from
Kilmarnock, and 6 from Irvine. It is pleasantly
situated on a gentle ascent, looking towards the
south ; and consists chiefly of one street,
decorated at its middle with a small town-house and
a steeple, and flanked by some by-lanes and
back-houses. Its inhabitants are principally
shoemakers, colliers, and subordinates to the
manufacturers of Glasgow and Paisley. At one time
about thirty cutlers, and a good many tinkers, gave
the town its character and tone. The work of the
cutlers was excellent. The breakfast-knives of their
manufacture were alleged to be superior to the
produce of even Sheffield or Birmingham ; and were
of the best metal, neatly shaped, finely polished,
and set in a haft of tortoise-shell, or stained
horn, girt with silver virlets.{1} On the left bank
of the river stands an old mansion called the Place.
This was the property of the Earlg of Glencairn; but
is only a fraction of the edifice which was intended
to be erected. The 9th Earl, the chancellor, laid
the foundation of a very extensive building; but,
owing to pecuniary embarrassments —which he incurred
in the service of Government, and from which he
vainly hoped to obtain relief —he never was able to
execute his plan. The Place was occupied in the
latter part of last century by Lady Eglinton. A
little north of it, on the farm called Jock's Thorn,
are some vestiges of the original or more ancient
residence of the Glencairn family. Kilmaurs had
formerly a weekly market, which was swamped by the
neighbouring one of Kilmarnock; and it still has
annual fairs in June, August, and November. It was
erected on the 2d June, 1527, into a
burgh-of-barony, by James V., at the instance of
Cuthbert, Earl of Glencairn, and William, his son,
Lord Kilmaurs. The charter contained powers to
create burgesses, and elect bailies, and other
officers. In November of the same year, the Earl of
Glencairn granted a charter of the lands erected,
consisting of 240 acres, to forty persons in equal
portions, "for buildings and policy to be kept up
and maintained by them and their heirs," and to be
held " in feu farm and heritage and free burgage in
barony for ever." This charter—so unusual in its
main provisions —contains several curious
particulars, especially a clause that " no woman
succeeding to an inheritance in the said burgh,
shall marry without our special license." The effect
of granting to each of the original settlers so
large a patch of rich land as 6 acres, though
intended to make the place the seat of manufacture,
was to convert the next generation into a race of
petty landholders, averse to sedentary employments,
and contented with producing kail-plants for markets
throughout Ayrshire, Clydesdale, Nithsdale, and
Galloway. In 1793, the practice required by the
original charter that the burgesses should be
resident, and should, in no instance, possess more
than one tenement, began to fall into abeyance. The
burgh, therefore, no longer exhibits the curious
aspect impressed by the peculiar character of its
tenures, and has suffered a great reduction in the
number of its burgesses. From the sale, division,
and particularly the union of tenements, the number
of persons entitled, in 1832, to be burgesses was
only 18 or 19; and even that number was, by
instances of non-residence, minority, and succession
of females, reduced to 12. The burgesses are all
councillors, and have the exclusive power of
electing two bailies, a treasurer, a fiscal, and a
clerk. The property of the burgh is very trilling.
The revenue amounts to about £11 or £12, and is
expended in keeping up the market-place, and the
town-house with its spire and clock. Population,
in 1831, about 1,200.
{1- "The keen edge," says the Old Statistical
reporter, "which they," the cutlers, "put on
instruments requiring it, gave rise to a mode of
speech which is yet in use through the country. A
man of acute understanding, and quickness in action,
is said to be as sharp as a Kilmaurs whittle. An old
Presbyterian clergyman, in addressing himself to his
audience, upon rising to speak after a young divine,
who had delivered a discourse in flowery language
and English pronunciation, said, 'My friends. We
have had great deal of fine English ware among us
the day, but aiblins my Kilmaurs whittle will cut as
sharply as ony English blade;' meaning that the
language of his own country would be better
understood, and do more good."}
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