alternate spelling Horsecleugh
The farmhouse stands, next to the bypass, but it is no longer a farm. The land was used for opencast mining but is now restored to a grass field. Merged with Bowes.
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| early 1990s, by Gregor Caldwell |
WILLS
Charles Campbell Laird of Horsecleugh 1602
OPR
1741 Janet Robb daughter lawful to Daniel Rob and (blank) in Horsecleugh was baptised 24 Sep 1741
1744
Daniel Rob son lawful to Daniel Rob and (blank) in Horsecleugh was baptised May 27th 1744
1760s John McLatchie was a gardener in Horsecleuch
Horse Tax 1797-98 James Houston, Horsecleughmains, 2 horses. Mains indicates that it is the home farm to a significant dwelling.
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| Caledonian Mercury 1797 |
1851 census shows Alexander Simpson 38 farmer of 100 acres employing 5 labourers and his wife Elizabeth (Taylor) and their two daughters age 2yrs & 1yr. There are also 2 female house servants and 1 male farm labourer.
1861 census shows Alexander Simpson farmer of 60 acres employing 1 boy (farm servant), 1 woman (dairymaid), wife Elizabeth, 5 daughters and 2 sons.
1871 census shows Alexander Simpson farmer of 60 acres arable , his wife Elizabeth, 3 daughters & 5 sons.
1881 census shows Alexander Simpson 68 and his wife Elizabeth 55 farming 60 acres employing 1 man and 2 women. Daughters Margaret 31 and Mary 24,sons John 24 and David 14 are living on the farm, and also son William A Simpson 17 who is a pupil teacher. Also resident are their married daughter Elizabet Henry and her husband James Henry who is a gamekeeper.
1891 census shows son John Simpson farming alone. He is unmarried an there is no mention of any other employees..
1901 census shows James Bain 37yrs farmer who is single and living in Horsecleugh Farmhouse. Also employed is John Harper a 16yrs old byre boy.
Valuation Roll (shown as Horsecleugh)
1865 prop Robert Campbell, tenant Alexander Simpson.
1885 tenant John Simpson.
1905 prop William Campbell, tenant Marcus Bain.
Probate: 10/1/1884 at Ayr
Conf of Alexander Simpson farmer Horsecleugh, Cumnock who died 17/11/1883 at Horsecleugh aforesaid instestate granted at Ayr to John Simpson farmer Horsecleugh aforesaid executor dative qua next-of-kin.
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| To let with Burnwelltrees Scotsman 1893 |
Report in Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald 25th Sept 1908 tells of there being a landowner's house at Horsecleugh of the Campbell family.
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| James Bain Farmer Netherthird obit CC 1934 |
Joe Panton (85) writes: When I was a teenager I worked at Horsecleuch during my summer holidays. Mr & Mrs Stoddart owned the farm and son Bert and daughter May pretty well ran the farm as their mum and dad grew older. I believe Mr Stoddart was a brother of Stoddart the baker in the town. The farm can still be seen from the Cumnock bypass ( see google earth ). During the years when I worked my summer holidays there were many changes. One Clydesdale horse was used to do all the heavy work.eg plough, harrow, reap hay and wheat, cart hay and wheat etc.Then along came the Massey Harris tractor. Initially the tractor still left lots of heavy work for the farm workers however with the improvement of tractor farm implements this then allowed the driver to back into the hay rick and lift it with the fork lift then drive off to the hay shed without getting off the tractor seat. The horses now took over some of the lighter jobs.
