Barony of Kersland

About

The remains of the old castle of Kersland lie about 1.5 miles to the north-east of the town of Dalry in North Ayrshire, Scotland, in the old Barony of Kersland. The River Garnock lies nearby. The Barony of Kersland was once extensive, however after the days of the Kerrs the land was parcelled out and the mid-superiority purchased by John Smith of Swineridgemuir (sic) after having been held by the Kerr family for upwards of 500 years. In the 15th century the parish had four other baronies: Kelburne, Blair, Lynn and Pitcon. The Kerslands proper sat on a bank shelving towards the River Garnock, comprising the properties of Kersehead, the Coalheugh-glen, the Tod-hills, the Brown-hills, the Davids-hills, and Auchengree, amounting to about 700 acres of arable land. The ancient mansion or castle of Kersland stood on Easter (now 'East') Kersland Farm. The remains of the 'L-Plan' tower has been built into the farmhouse. The barmkin wall survives and has a surviving strong defensive corner tower. Paterson records that the house was almost entirely pulled down by the feuar, Robert Ker. The remaining two barrel vaulted chambers, later used as a dairy and stable, with walls 8 ft thick, until recently formed part of the offices attached to East Kersland. Over the main entrance door of the dwelling house is a carved stone removed from the old manor house bearing the arms of the Ker family, with an inscription "Daniel Ker Kersland - 1604". This date stone has been touched-up with paint. Karrisland (sic) is recorded on Timothy Pont's map c.1604, as are the placenames Karshead, Todsle, Dysil, and Achingry. In 1685 'Carsland' is shown. The property had been surrounded by trees and had an orchard of considerable extent. Kersland Mains was on the entrance lane from Dalry and became Wester Kersland Farm when the manor house/castle was demolished. Most baronies had a water mill which was under the control of the laird or lord and to which the tenants were thirled or obliged to go to have their grain ground into flour. A proportion of the grain was taken as payment. Thirlage ended in the late 18th century and resulted in a number of mills being abandoned once market forces took a hold. Kersland Mill on the Powgree Burn lies just downstream of the Tianna Falls in the Kersland Glen and is recorded on Timothy Pont's map c.1604. Robert Spier, writer and bank agent in Beith was descended from the Spier's of Kersland Mill which he purchased from his elder brother. In 1852 Captain John Russell of Maulside acquired Kersland Mill and the mill lands. A sawmill also existed at East Kersland with associated mill pond and settlement ponds and sluices. Originally the mill was fed by water from the old Kersloch near Kerselochmuir, carried to the site in an underground culvert and later by the muir alone. The mill had several dams and three mill ponds which have now been infilled. The place name 'Kerse' used for the farms and the bridge at the northern end of the loch refers in Scots to 'Low and fertile land adjacent to a river or loch'. The old Barony of Kersland was held by the Ker (latterly Kerr) family and the name of the barony derives from them. The Kers of Kersland appear to be the oldest representatives of the family in Scotland. The arms of the Kers of Kersland were a chevron, charged with three stars or mollets. The motto was "Praise God". The coat of arms were displayed at Dalry church. A local tradition suggests that two sons of Kersland were found guilty of, or at least being involved in the slaughter of a Laird of the Blair; they at first took refuge in England, but afterwards settled on the Border. One of these sons is said to have been Ralph Ker, who was founder of the Kers of Ferniehirst; while the other is stated to have been the founder of Kers

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