Location as Montraw in OS 6 inch first edition
Montraw - A house at the western base of Cannock Hill, occupied by a shepherd
Authorities for spelling: John Craig, Esq., Polquheys, proprietor
James Thorburn, shepherd, tenant
No Farm Horse Tax found
Some Births & Baptisms
1728 19 March, Bessie daughter to Hugh Good & Kathrine Menzies in Monguthraw (OPR)
1733 8th April, Margaret daughter to Robert Ferguson & Agnes Hastie in Monguthrau (OPR)
1743 27th December, Janet daughter to Hugh Good & Catherine Menzies in Monguthrau (OPR)
1751 17th February, William son to John BROADFOOT and Agnes DALZELL, in Monguthrau.
1753 17th May, Jean daughter to John BROADFOOT and Agnes DALZELL, in Monquthraw.
From Ayrshire Roots baptismal register.
other spellings Monquhraw on an 1861 marriage certificate and Monthraw
1763 6th March, James son to John McErvail & Jean Graham in Mounthrau (OPR)
1763 23rd October, Hugh lawful son to John Brown & Margaret McCrone in Mounthrau (OPR)
1773 14th March, Agnes lawful daughter to John Carmichael & Agnes Ritchie in Mounthrau (OPR)
1802 born 9th September, Grizel daughter to John Crawford & Margaret Harkness in Mounthrau (OPR)
1804 born 31st January, William lawful son to John Crawford & Margaret Harkness in Mounthrau (OPR)
1809 born 19th December, Kathrine lawful daughter to John Murray & Margaret McDermit in
Mountthraw (OPR)
According to The Scottish Jurist 1830 Andrew Howatson MD of Cronberry (b1800 d1827) succeeded to the lands of Craigdarroch, Monthraw & Cronberry, burdened with heritable debts amounting to £4200 & personal debts to £2000.
The census for 1841 shows Monthiaw being occupied by James Thorburn 35 an agricultural labourer, Janet (McCallum) Thorburn 20, Ann Thorburn 3, Thomas Thorburn 1 and George McAllum 10.
The census for 1851 shows shepherd James Thorburn still living there with his wife Janet 33 and children Anne 13, Thomas 11, John 9, Elizabeth 7, Thomas 4, Mary 2 and Adam 11 months.
Daughter Anne married shepherd George Lammie.
The 1861 census shows Janet Thorburn 44 living there with children Thomas 21 who is a shepherd, Elizabeth 17, James 14 who is also a shepherd, Adam 11, Daniel Craig Thorburn 6, George 4 and William Oswald Thorburn 8 months. James White, a hawker, is lodging there.
By 1871 James Walls 37,another shepherd, now occupies Mountthraw with his wife Agnes (Hyslop) 33, son John 8, shepherd William Hyslop 15 and sister-in-law Mary Hyslop 24 who is a domestic servant.
The 1881 census for Monqubra shows James Walls 48, shepherd in charge of 2000 acres, living there with his wife Agnes 43, son James 16, daughter Mary 5 and nephew Joseph Hyslop 9.
The 1891 census for Monthraw Cottage shows the same family living there with the addition of Agnes Kirkpatrick 11 niece and mother-in-law Mary Hyslop 74.
The 1901 census shows Monquhra still being occupied by 68yr old shepherd James Walls, wife Agnes 63, mother-in-law Mary Hyslop 84, niece Agnes Kirkpatrick 21 who is a domestic servant and shepherd John McWatt 22 who is a boarder.
This was quoted in part in an article in the Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald of 1864. It formed part of a recounted story of covenanting times where a dragoon had been caught out in a winter storm and had been given shelter by the couple living at Monthraw. He later shot and killed a potential burglar who was after the resident's money, that the man had just paid him.
This was also made into a play, performed in Dundee in 1941 and reported in the Dundee Courier.
The house was also a useful stopping place in the smuggling days as recounted in the same article.
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| Robert Guthrie |
remote
Valuation Roll no entries. KM couldn't find any either
Could this perhaps be it? (RMcG)
1885 - Farm of House Craigdarroch & Mongahra (or Monquhia) - Proprietor James Craig
New Cumnock) - Tenant James Craig
1895/96 - House & Farm of Craigdarroch & Monquhra - Proprietor John Craig, Innergeldie, Comrie
New Cumnock per William Craig, Corrie, Muckloch,
by Dunkeld
- Tenant John Craig, Innergeldie per the said
William Craig
