Location on OS 6 inch first edition
Kerrstown on the Roy map of 1755
Transferred from the parish of Stair to the parish of Ochiltree (Hay Shennan report 1889)
NOTE: there is also a Dickston in Auchinleck parish
Carstown is still a farm
Scotlands Places describes this in 1855.
Dickston - Once a farm steading but now merged into the farm of Carston and occupied by a cotter, one storey thatched and in bad repair the property of Alexander Oswald Esq.
Carston - A farm steading, dwelling and outhouses one storey all slated and in good repair, property of Alexander Oswald Esq.
As you can see from the locations link, the lands are situated close to Drongan Mains.
The History of Ochiltree Village & Parish - Dane Love
p312
Carston (Drongan)
Known as Kerrston up to 1919. Incorporated Dickston before 1855. 187 acres in 1871. 210 acres in 1881. 411 acres in 1919. 190 acres in 1959. 160 acres in 2010.
1797 James Murdoch
-1853 Drongan Estate - John Douglas (1771-1853)
1871 Drongan Estate - Hugh Douglas (1819-18 )
1878 Drongan Estate - James Mair
1881-1901 Drongan Estate - William Mair (1842-19 )
1914 Drongan Estate - James Mair (1886-19 ) &
Hugh Mair (1890-19 )
1919 Drongan Estate - James Mair (1886-19 )
1920-1930 James Mair (1886-19 )
1940 Daniel Wilson
-1959 Peter Wilson
1959- W. Mortimer
-2010
2010-
Census
1841 John Douglass 66, with Jannet (Brown) 60, John 30, Elizabeth 23, Hugh 20, Archibald 17 and Ann, 15
1851 John and wife Janet are farming 140 acres employing 3 men. Two sons, Hugh 29 and Archibald 27 and daughter Ann 24 and grandson John Douglas 10. Agnes Hutchieson 20 is a house servant.
1861 Hugh Douglas 40 is farming 148 acres with wife Margaret (Sloan)34. Janet Douglas 80, is widowed. John Douglas 20 and Robert Cochren 23 are ploughmen, James Eagleson 14 is an agricultural labourer and both Agnes Coldwell 30 and Elizabeth White 15 are domestic servants.
1871 Hugh Douglas 52, farmer of 187 acres with wife Margaret 43, widowed mother Janet 91 and servants Alexander McDonald 50, William Hannah 18, Janet Reid 18, and Mary Hay 13.
1881 William Mair 38 and wife Jeanie 28 with daughter Annie L under 1. The farm is 210 acres employing 1 man, 1 boy and 2 girls. Servants are Elizabeth McCallum 20, Annie More 16, and Thomas Hayle 15.
1891 William Mair 50 and wife Janie 39 with children Annie L 10, Jeanie 9, Margaret 7, Mary 7, James 5, William B 3, and Hugh 1. Annie Black 19 is a general domestic.
In 1891 the farm was in the parish of Stair, but the parish boundary was changed, bringing this farm into the area of our project.
1901 William Mair 59, wife Jeanie Boyd Mair 49 and 11 children.
Annie L 20, Jane W 19, Margaret 17, Mary 16, James 15, William B 13, Hugh 11, Agnes 8, Sarah M 6, John 5 and David 3. Hugh bought Drumfork. Mauchline before1925 and his son William J Mair (1925-2011) farmed Drumfork, and was born there.
1911 Carston Farm John Sturgeon 66 farmer born Dalrymple wife Annie, son Robert on farm Isabella daughter dairy and a grandson
 |
| The Scotsman November 1919 |
 |
| The Courier and Advertiser October 1928 John Mair ( b 1896) gained a BSC at Glasgow , and was a hydraulic engineer , working to Glenfield and Kennedy , Kilmarnock who had a branch in Bombay. He died in Surrey in 1959. |
Valuation Rolls
1865 Proprietor Alexander Haldane Oswald, tenant Hugh Douglas
1875 Land Carston, tenant Hugh Douglas
1885 Tenant William Mair Farm of Kerrston and Dickston and house Drongan
1895 tenant William Mair, Owner John Manners Yorke
1920 Proprietor/Occupier James Mair
In 2012 Mrs Mary Smith won the UK Wensleydale Sheep Outstanding Achievement Award after she had gained a Great Yorkshire Show hat-trick with her hogg-in-wool. The family had recently moved up to Ayrshire from Pateley Bridge to Carston Farm, with the Brimham flock of Wensleydales.
Wensleydale sheep are an endangered breed. The rams are often used as a cross to obtain market lambs, but it is primarily bred for its high quality, long staple wool.
