Loudoun
Loudoun
| |
|---|---|
  Loudoun Location withinEast Ayrshire | |
| Population | 6,418 (Census 2001) |
| Language | English Scots |
| OS grid reference | NS533372 |
| Council area | |
| Lieutenancy area | |
| Country | Scotland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Police | Scotland |
| Fire | Scottish |
| Ambulance | Scottish |
| UK Parliament | |
| Scottish Parliament | |
Loudoun(Scottish Gaelic:Lughdan) is aparishinEast Ayrshire,Scotlandand lies between five and ten miles east ofKilmarnock.The parish roughly encompasses the northern half of the Upper-Irvine Valley and bordersGalston Parish(which encompasses the remainder of The Valley) at theRiver Irvine.
Loudoun is a parish, which shares borders with six other parishes. To the south lies the parish of Galston, which of all the surrounding parishes, has the strongest local links to Loudoun, being as the two parishes share strong historical and social links, as well as sharing public services. Otherwise, Loudoun shares borders with the parishes of Avondale (east), Eaglesham (north), East Kilbride (north-east), Fenwick (north-west) and Kilmarnock (west).[1]
Within Loudoun can be found the towns ofDarvelandNewmilns,alongsideLoudoun Hill,Loudoun Castle,Loudoun KirkandLoudoun Academy.Notably, claims that Greenholm,Priestlandand the town ofGalstonitself lie within Loudoun are erroneous, as all three lie south of the River Irvine, in the parish of Galston. This may in some part be because Loudoun Academy and surrounding housing hold Galston postcodes.
Loudoun also contained two villages abandoned during the last century,AltonandLoudoun Village.[2]
Etymology
[edit]
Various theories have been put forward as to the origins of the nameLoudoun.One such theory is that the name was originally used in reference toLoudoun Hill,being a combination of twoScotswordslawanddun,which roughly translates asFirehill.[3]Another Loudoun Hill theory is that the name was originallyLugudunon,which roughly translates asThe Fortress ofLugh.[4]It has also been speculated that the name simply derives from theCelticword,Loddan,which meansmarshy ground.[3]
History
[edit]Whilst the origins of Loudoun's name are up for debate, it is known that by 1186 the name was used to describe the surrounding area, as in this year aRoyal Chartergranted theLands of Lowdunto James de Lambinus.[5]At this time the family name was changed tode Lowdun,[6]with the Loudoun family building Loudoun Castle, Loudoun Kirk andThe Keep(in Newmilns) over the forthcoming centuries.
Subsequently, the Loudoun family married in to the Crawford family and in doing so, inherited the hereditary title, Sheriff of Ayr.[6]It has been put forward thatWilliam Wallacewas a relative of the Loudouns, through his mother Margaret Crawford (sister of the 5th Baron, Reginald Crawford),[6]although this claim has been disputed.
According toBlind Harry,Wallace is also said to have fought a battle at Loudoun Hill, during theScottish Wars of Independence.This claim is largely disputed by historians, with the realBattle of Loudoun Hillbeing fought between the Scottish forces ofRobert Bruceand the English forces ofAymer de Valenceon 10 May 1307. Bruce's forces prevailed and whilst the combined forces of both armies probably totalled no more than about 4,000 men, the result is seen as an important step towards Bruce's eventual victory in the Wars of Independence.
Further reading
[edit]- James Mair,A Pictorial History of Darvel,1989
- Craufuird C. Loudoun,A History of the House of Loudoun and Other Associated Families,1995
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^"Overview of Parish of Loudoun".The Editors of The Gazetteer for Scotland.Retrieved28 September2012.
- ^Craufuird C. Loudoun,A History of the House of Loudoun and Other Associated Families,1995
- ^abCraufuird C. Loudoun,A History of the House of Loudoun and Other Associated Families:pp13-4, 1995
- ^James Mair,Pictorial History of Darvel:p6, 1989
- ^Craufuird C. Loudoun,A History of the House of Loudoun and Other Associated Families:p16, 1995
- ^abcCraufuird C. Loudoun,A History of the House of Loudoun and Other Associated Families:pp17-9 & p102, 1995