Notes on the way through Ayrshire - 100 years ago

The town of DARVEL stands on the right bank of Irvine River, near the foot of Glen Water, one mile and a half east of Newmilns. It is largely in the form of one street, extending east and west to fully half-a-mile in length. It has a post office, a Union Bank, some good shops; Free, United Presbyterian, Secession, and Evangelical Union Churches ; a public school ; and thrives with lace factories. Population in 1871, 1729; in 1881, 1701.

Darvel 1846
DARVEL, a village, in the parish of Loudoun, district of Cunninghame, county of Ayr, 1½ mile (E.) from Newmilns; containing 1362 inhabitants. This is a considerable place, and it would seem that several lands here formerly belonged to the Knights Templars, as many of them still bear the name of Temple, and do not hold of any superior, not even of the crown.

A large part of the population is engaged in hand-loom weaving, the children assisting in the minor branches of the manufacture. The Reformed Presbyterians have a place of worship; and there is a school partly supported by the Marchioness of Hastings, and of which the master is allowed a dwelling-house and garden. Near the village is a place called Glen Chapel, but there remains no vestige of a religious edifice; and in the vicinity are the ruins of an ancient castle.

From:   A Topographical Dictionary of Scotland (1846)

This Link takes you to the MULTIMAP website where you will find a map of the town and the surrounding area as it is today. You can zoom in and out and move around in all directions.

This Link takes you to the STREET website where you will find a street map of the town as it is today. You can zoom in and out and move around in all directions.

Old Maps of Ayrshire Place Names

This link goes directly to the OLD MAPS website for an Ayrshire Index to detailed old maps of most Ayrshire Towns around 1860. You can explore out to all sides by using the arrows at the top of the page. These maps are ideal for finding the locations of areas such as farms.