Barrhill ( sco, Baurhill) is a village in
South Ayrshire
South Ayrshire ( sco, Sooth Ayrshire; gd, Siorrachd Àir a Deas, ) is one of thirty-two council areas of Scotland, covering the southern part of Ayrshire. It borders onto Dumfries and Galloway, East Ayrshire and North Ayrshire. On 30 June 2 ...
,
Scotland
Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...
with a population of approximately 400 in 2001.
While the surrounding area is predominantly agricultural land, the main local employer is
Barr Construction Ltd
Barr Construction was a major Scottish contracting organisation operating throughout the United Kingdom.
History
The company started in the late 19th century as a joinery firm known as W & J Barr & Sons and gradually expanded into civil engine ...
. Local amenities include a village store and a Public House, "The Trout Inn", formerly known as "The Commercial Hotel". On Main Street, in the centre of the village is Barrhill Bowling Club, affectionately known to locals as "The BBC".
The Cross Water (a tributary of the
River Stinchar
The River Stinchar is a river in South Ayrshire, Scotland. It flows south west from the Galloway Forest Park to enter the Firth of Clyde at Ballantrae, about south-southeast of Ailsa Craig.
It is reputed poet Robert Burns
Robert Burns ( ...
– not to be confused with the Cross Water of Luce) flows through the village.
Barrhill Primary School serves the local population, providing education for 5–11 year olds. In the 2006/7 academic year it had a roll of 34 pupils.
Black Clauchrie House
Black Clauchrie House is a late Victorian architecture, Victorian manor house, located on the outskirts of the village of Barrhill, South Ayrshire, Barrhill in South Ayrshire, Scotland, adjacent to the Galloway Forest Park. It is protected as a l ...
is a manor house and former
hunting lodge, located just outside Barrhill. The house's architecture and decoration are a notable example of the
Edwardian Arts and Crafts Movement.
Kildonan House is an impressive early 20th century mansion and former
convent school
Catholic schools are pre-primary, primary and secondary educational institutions administered under the aegis or in association with the Catholic Church. , the Catholic Church operates the world's largest religious, non-governmental school syste ...
, located slightly north of Barrhill. Originally constructed as the home of
Euan Wallace
David Euan Wallace, MC PC (20 April 1892 – 9 February 1941) was a British Conservative politician who was an ally of Neville Chamberlain and briefly served as Minister of Transport during World War II.
Early life
Wallace was born on 20 Apr ...
MP.
Transport
Barrhill lies on the A714 road between
Girvan
Girvan ( gd, Inbhir Gharbhain, "mouth of the River Girvan") is a burgh and harbour town in Carrick, South Ayrshire, Scotland. Girvan is situated on the east coast of the Firth of Clyde, with a population of about 6,450. It lies south of Ayr, ...
and
Newton Stewart
Newton Stewart ( Gd: ''Baile Ùr nan Stiùbhartach'') is a former burgh town in the historical county of Wigtownshire in Dumfries and Galloway, southwest Scotland.
The town is on the River Cree with most of the town to the west of the river, and ...
. In addition,
Barrhill railway station
, symbol_location = gb
, symbol = rail
, image = Barrhill station - looking towards Stranraer.JPG
, borough = Barrhill, South Ayrshire
, country = Scotland
, coordinates =
, ...
, on the
Glasgow South Western Line
The Glasgow South Western Line is a mainline railway in Scotland that runs from Glasgow to Kilmarnock, and then either via Dumfries, or Stranraer via Ayr, with a branch to East Kilbride.
History
The line was built by several railway compan ...
is approximately southwest of the village.
This station featured in The
Five Red Herrings
''The Five Red Herrings'' (also ''The 5 Red Herrings'') is a 1931 novel by Dorothy L. Sayers, her sixth featuring Lord Peter Wimsey. In the United States it was published in the same year under the title ''Suspicious Characters''.
Foreword
The ...
, a 1931
Lord Peter Wimsey
Lord Peter Death Bredon Wimsey (later 17th Duke of Denver) is the fictional protagonist in a series of detective novels and short stories by Dorothy L. Sayers (and their continuation by Jill Paton Walsh). A dilettante who solves mysteries for ...
detective novel by
Dorothy L Sayers
Dorothy Leigh Sayers (; 13 June 1893 – 17 December 1957) was an English crime writer and poet. She was also a student of classical and modern languages.
She is best known for her mysteries, a series of novels and short stories set between th ...
.
Local history
In 1665, by the side of Cross Water in Barrhill, John Murchie and Daniel Mieklewrick were found by soldiers to be in possession of
Bible
The Bible (from Koine Greek , , 'the books') is a collection of religious texts or scriptures that are held to be sacred in Christianity, Judaism, Samaritanism, and many other religions. The Bible is an anthologya compilation of texts of a ...
s and assumed to be
Covenanters
Covenanters ( gd, Cùmhnantaich) were members of a 17th-century Scottish religious and political movement, who supported a Presbyterian Church of Scotland, and the primacy of its leaders in religious affairs. The name is derived from ''Covenan ...
and shot to death. They were buried on the spot, and a memorial was built, known as "The Martyrs' Tomb".
The Martyrs' Tomb
/ref>
"The Martyrs' Tomb Walk" is now a popular scenic walk which follows the banks of Cross Water for from the bridge in the village centre to the tomb itself.
References
{{Authority control
Villages in Carrick, Scotland