List of Ayrshire place-names beginning with 'K'
Kayshill
Ochiltree (OCH)
Classification: Settlement
Grid reference: NS453172
Certainty: 1
Altitude: 144m
Elements: pn Kay + SSE hill
Description:
‘A hill associated with an individual or family called Kay’. This is considerably more likely than that the first element is Sc kae or kay ‘a jackdaw’, especially as the surname Kay occurs in the parish. For example in 1838 one Alexander Kay was killed by a falling tree at the age of 65 (Love 2021, 46). There is a Keyshill in Stair parish (STA), formerly OCH, which probably contains the same surname. There is also a Kayshill in Lesmahagow parish LAN. The OS Name Book gives no clue as to the origin of either place-name.
RN
Keirs Bridge
Dalmellington (DAL), Straiton (STT)
Classification: Other
Grid reference: NS434088
Certainty: 1
Altitude: 158m
Elements: en Keirs + SSE bridge
Description:
Keirs Bridge crosses the River Doon to the north-east of the settlement of Keirs STT, from which it takes its name. It also crosses the parish boundary between Dalmellington and Straiton parishes. The entries for the bridge in the OS Name Books for the two parishes are almost identical citing the same three individual authorities. That for Dalmellington parish reads: 'A small wooden bridge in bad repair. Private - built over the River Doon' (OS1/3/21/30).
Keithstoun
Auchinleck (AUK)
Classification: Settlement
Grid reference: NS552216
Certainty: 1
Altitude: 140m
Elements: pn Keith + Sc toun
Description:
'The toun or farm associated with the Keith family'. It is not known who the eponymous Keith family was. This was the name of the settlement at Auchinleck old kirk, and the name was probably superseded by Auchinleck when the planned village was laid out c.1756 (Love 2015, 60). For the creation of Keithstoun into a free burgh of barony in 1507 see the charter reproduced in Love 2015, 30-1. The provenance of this charter has still to be established.
Love, Dane, 2015, The History of Auchinleck Village and Parish (Auchinleck) (1st edn 1991).
Kello Water
Kirkconnel (KCL), New Cumnock (NCU), Sanquhar (SAN)
Classification: Water
Grid reference: NS746116
Certainty: 1
Altitude: 149m
Elements: G coille + G -ach
Description:
Kellow may derive from G coille, OG caill ‘a wood; woodland’ with the place- and river-name suffix -ach or -och, so referring to a water-course which flows through woodland for a significant part of its course.
It forms the county boundary between Ayrshire (New Cumnock) to the west and Dumfriesshire (Sanquhar and Kirkconnel) to the east.
Kemp's Castle
Ochiltree (OCH)
Classification: Other
Grid reference: NS495232
Certainty: 1
Altitude: 106m
Elements: Sc kemp + Sc castle
Description:
‘A mighty warrior's or giant’s castle’, Sc kemp ‘a champion; a fighter of mighty stature and great strength’ (DOST); ‘a champion, a warrior, a hero’ (SND). The OS Name Book interprets kemp as a robber. OSA Dollar CLA in reference to Kemp’s Score in Dollar Glen renders the word as 'giant robber' (see Place-Names of Clackmannshire, 402).
The OS Name Book describes the feature as: ‘A large freestone rock on the South bank of the Lugar, about twenty feet Square, rising perpendicular from the edge of the river. Its north, east & west Sides are about Sixty feet high, and its South Side, from where the Sloping bank meets it is about twenty feet. Whether the name is derived from its peculiar shape or from its having been the retreat of a robber is not Known’ (OS1/3/51/1/8). A photo of the feature can be found here:
Kessisock Knowe
New Cumnock (NCU)
Classification: Relief
Grid reference: NS626061
Certainty: 1
Altitude: 394m
Elements: ? + SSE knowe
Description:
The first element is obscure. The OS Name Book gives no clue as to its meaning, writing simply: ‘A Knowe near the source of Slippery Burn’ (OS1/3/49/191).
Killoch
Ochiltree (OCH)
Classification: Settlement
Grid reference: NS479202
Certainty: 1
Altitude: 154m
Elements: G coille + G -ach
Description:
‘A woodland place, a wooded place, a place in or beside a wood’? G coille 'a wood' often appears as Kil- Scottish place-names. The ending -ach is probably functioning as a place-name forming suffix.
Killoch Colliery was opened just to the north of the farm, on its lands, in the second half of the 20th century. ‘Sinking of the twin shafts for this “super pit” began in December 1952 and when complete Killoch was the most modern colliery in Ayrshire with a well designed surface layout and other up-to-date features. It was designed to deal with an annual output of 700,000 tons and at peak production employed 2100 men. It was planned to have a life of 50 years but closed after 36.’ (https://www.futuremuseum.co.uk/collections/life-work/key-industries/mining-quarrying/coal/national-coal-board-coat-of-arms-from-killoch-colliery: this website shows the coat of arms from the colliery. For a full account of this colliery, see Love 2021, 241-6.
Killoch East Wood
Ochiltree (OCH)
Classification: Vegetation
Grid reference: NS478204
Certainty: 1
Altitude: 156m
Elements: en Killoch + SSE east + SSE wood
Description:
This is one of two plantations of trees standing to the north of the farm of Killoch. Already marked on the OS 6-inch 1st edn, they are not named there. They disappeared under the vast edifice of the Killoch Colliery.
Killoch West Wood
Ochiltree (OCH)
Classification: Vegetation
Grid reference: NS475203
Certainty: 1
Altitude: 157m
Elements: en Killoch + SSE west + SSE wood
Description:
This is one of two plantations of trees standing to the north of the farm of Killoch. Already marked on the OS 6-inch 1st edn, they are not named there. They disappeared under the vast edifice of the Killoch Colliery.
Killochside
Ochiltree (OCH)
Classification: Settlement
Grid reference: NS473201
Certainty: 1
Altitude: 149m
Elements: en Killoch + SSE side
Description:
A separate farm from Killoch itself, its name indicates its position well.
Killochside Belt
Ochiltree (OCH)
Classification: Vegetation
Grid reference: NS476199
Certainty: 1
Altitude: 152m
Elements: en Killochside + SSE belt
Description:
‘Belt’ here has the sense of a plantation of trees, in this case leading south towards the circular plantation at Provost Mount (q.v.). The plantation had disappeared by 1950.
Kiln Burn
New Cumnock (NCU)
Classification: Water
Grid reference: NS663132
Certainty: 1
Altitude: 179m
Elements: SSE kiln + SSE burn
Description:
‘A burn associated with a kiln or kilns’. The OS Name Book entry gives no clue as what kind of kiln is involved, describing it simply as ‘a small burn’ (OS1/3/49/116), nor does the OS map itself.
King's Burn
New Cumnock (NCU)
Classification: Water
Grid reference: NS517090
Certainty: 1
Altitude: 297m
Elements: SSE king + SSE burn
Description:
‘A burn associated with a king’. What this association is, is unknown. The OS Name Book is no use in this regard, having only: ‘A small Streamlet at the source of Beoch Lane Burn’ (OS1/3/49/146).
Kintar Knowe
Dalmellington (DAL)
Classification: Relief
Grid reference: NS495012
Certainty: 1
Altitude: 283m
Kirk Syke
Auchinleck (AUK)
Classification: Water
Grid reference: NS714194
Certainty: 1
Altitude: 341m
Elements: SSE kirk + SSE syke
Description:
This burn, and its companion Little Kirk Syke, seem unlikely to be named from the presence of a church anywhere nearby; nor are they obviously on church land. The origin of the name must remain uncertain.
Kirkland
Auchinleck (AUK)
Classification: Settlement
Grid reference: NS551215
Certainty: 1
Altitude: 142m
Elements: SSE kirk + SSE land
Description:
A house or houses within the domain of the church of Auchinleck. In the OSNB in 1855-57 (OS1/3/3/84), it was noted that ‘These houses adjoins the parish church’. Earlier, The Correspondence, App. 1 (p.217) notes that Kirkland was among the rented lands of the Barony of Auchinleck, having been ‘acquired with Waterside … in 1740-49.’ OSNB also notes a nearby Kirkland Well, though this is simply labelled as ‘well’ on the 1st edn.
Kirn Bridge
Dalmellington (DAL)
Classification: Other
Grid reference: NS488052
Certainty: 1
Altitude: 213m
Kirn Bridge T.P.
Dalmellington (DAL)
Classification: Settlement
Grid reference: NS487053
Certainty: 1
Altitude: 202m
Knagshill
Auchinleck (AUK)
Classification: Settlement
Grid reference: NS534224
Certainty: 1
Altitude: 153m
Elements: ? + Sc hill
Description:
The erratic early forms of this name make it difficult to be certain what the first element is. The current form would suggest a surname, Knagg, but the earliest form suggest a different name, *MacCnaig?
Knagshill (with variant spellings) is listed among the rented lands of the Barony of Auchinleck in The Correspondence, App. 1(p. 217).
Knagshill Moss
Auchinleck (AUK)
Classification: Vegetation
Grid reference: NS530229
Certainty: 1
Altitude: 131m
Elements: en Knagshill + SSE moss
Knagshill Plantation
Auchinleck (AUK)
Classification: Vegetation
Grid reference: NS533226
Certainty: 1
Altitude: 149m
Elements: en Knagshill + SSE plantation
Knipe Hill
New Cumnock (NCU)
Classification: Relief
Grid reference: NS539086
Certainty: 1
Altitude: 343m
Elements: Sc knipe or Sc knap or Sc kneep + SSE hill
Description:
Sc *knipe appears to be a very localised word for a rounded hillock of some sort. It is written with an asterisk in front because it is not found in any dictionary. It occurs only in the New Cumnock area and in a few parishes in northern Dumfriesshire. Robert Guthrie has a very detailed discussion of this element with a useful distribution map of its twelve or so occurrences (the Knipe, Knipe hill – NEW CUMNOCK HISTORY). There are two places in Cumbria (Westmorland) in North-West England called Knipe, namely the farms of High and Low Knipe and Knipe Tarn, which contain the Old Norse gnipa ‘jutting crag, rocky summit’ (Whaley A Dictionary of Lake-District Place-Names, 2006, 200). It is quite possible that this was borrowed into the Scots of south-west Scotland. If so, then the meaning has been rounded somewhat, losing its craggy, jagged edges.
Alternatively it may be a local dialect form of Sc knap ‘(3) a small hill, hillock, knoll, mound, a rise in the ground’, recorded in eastern Scotland from Fife to Orkney (SND).
A third possibility is that is derives from Sc kneep or knipe meaning simply ‘a lump’ (SND). However, if this is the case, it is difficult to explain why it is not more widespread as a place-name element throughout Scotland.
It is described in the OS Name Book simply as: ‘An eminence on the Nith South East of Meiklehill’ (OS1/3/49/147).
The element hill will have been added after Knipe was no longer understood as referring to a relief feature.
Knockbreck
Auchinleck (AUK)
Classification: Relief
Grid reference: NS650228
Certainty: 1
Altitude: 322m
Elements: G cnoc + G breac
Description:
The modern Gaelic name would be Cnoc Breac.
The form from Blaeu suggests that perhaps it was called *Beinn Breac at an earlier time.
Knockburnie
New Cumnock (NCU)
Classification: Settlement
Grid reference: NS562104
Certainty: 1
Altitude: 239m
Elements: G cnoc + G braonach
Description:
'Wet or well watered knowe or small hill'. This assumes that the second element is G braonach 'showery, drizzly, oozy', Old Gaelic bráenach ‘wet, moist, well watered’. Note the early forms Knypbyrny and Knapbyrny, in which the first element has been replaced with the Scots element found in The Knype and Knype Hill, both in the parish of New Cumnock.
RN
Knockburnie Bridge
New Cumnock (NCU)
Classification: Other
Grid reference: NS563105
Certainty: 1
Altitude: 237m
Elements: en Knockburnie + SSE bridge
Description:
Knockburnie Bridge takes its name from its location beside the settlement of Knockburnie. It carries the B741 road from New Cumnock to Dalmellington across Knockburnie Burn.
Knockburnie Burn
New Cumnock (NCU)
Classification: Water
Grid reference: NS572111
Certainty: 1
Altitude: 213m
Elements: en Knockburnie + Sc burn
Knockburnie Cottage
New Cumnock (NCU)
Classification: Settlement
Grid reference: NS557105
Certainty: 1
Altitude: 262m
Elements: en Knockburnie + SSE cottage
Knockburnie Glen
New Cumnock (NCU)
Classification: Relief
Grid reference: NS562096
Certainty: 1
Altitude: 343m
Elements: en Knockburnie + Sc glen
Description:
The glen takes its name from the Knockburnie Burn, which flows through it.
The NGR is roughly the highest point mid-point of the glen.
Knockdon
Old Cumnock (OCU)
Classification: Settlement
Grid reference: NS536147
Certainty: 1
Altitude: 336m
Elements: G cnoc + G donn
Description:
'Brown hillock'.
Knockdunder
Old Cumnock (OCU)
Classification: Settlement
Grid reference: NS533160
Certainty: 1
Altitude: 267m
Elements: G cnoc + ?
Description:
The form of the name suggests that it is a Gaelic coining, the first element being the common G cnoc ‘hill, knowe’. The second element is obscure. The OS Name Book is not a help in this regard.
Knockdunder Wood
Old Cumnock (OCU)
Classification: Vegetation
Grid reference: NS528159
Certainty: 1
Altitude: 264m
Elements: en Knockdunder + SSE wood
Knockenlee
New Cumnock (NCU)
Classification: Settlement
Grid reference: NS540094
Certainty: 2
Altitude: 309m
Elements: G cnocan + G liath
Description:
'Little grey knowe or hillock'.
Knockenlee Burn
New Cumnock (NCU)
Classification: Water
Grid reference: NS537092
Certainty: 1
Altitude: 276m
Elements: en Knockenlee + SSE burn
Knockgirran
Dalmellington (DAL)
Classification: Relief
Grid reference: NS500060
Certainty: 1
Altitude: 341m
Knockguldron
Ochiltree (OCH)
Classification: Settlement
Grid reference: NS481135
Certainty: 1
Altitude: 308m
Elements: G cnoc + G an + G cùil + G ràith
Description:
This is a difficult name, but is one of a very few in Ochiltree attested fairly early, in the first decades of the 14th century. It is clear that the main generic here is Gaelic cnoc, ‘hill’. The majority of the forms, from the 16th century on, give the impression that the second main element was something like gulrane (later developing into guldron) which is difficult to make sense of in either Gaelic or Scots.
However, we are fortunate to have a few forms from the early 14th century which potentially make the name a bit clearer: Cercnokenculrath and Knokinculrath. This suggests that the final part of the name in medieval Gaelic was originally something like cúil raith (but see below for other possibilities). Other early forms end in -rane, -rene, and this might suggest the final segment here was instead cúil raithin, or similar, affected in slightly different ways in different transcriptions (losing the final syllable in some; being syncopated in others). This is the same derivation as the name of the town of Coleraine (Cúil Raithin), in Co. Antrim in Ireland, attested as early as AD 731 in the Annals of Ulster, usually translated as ‘the nook of ferns’, or ‘corner of bracken’ (e.g. Flanagan and Flanagan 2002: 194). This is presumably also what lies behind Cùil-Rathainn (and the related Allt Cùil-Rathainn) in Contin parish, Ross & Cromarty (NH176455). This would seem an appropriate enough name for a fairly rough and underdeveloped area, and would help to explain the endings of the two sets of early forms (in -rath, and in -rane/rene)
This is not completely conclusive, however, and it may be worth lodging some other possibilities. The segment -culrath has other solutions. As well as EG cúil ‘nook, corner’ there is cúl ‘back, hindpart’; and alongside raith ‘fern, bracken’ we should put ráth, ráith ‘fort’. A compound such as cúl-ráith ‘back-fortress’ seems plausible. This is not a term elsewhere attested, as far as we are aware, but cùl, ‘back, hind’ is quite commonly found prefixed to other nouns. However, there is no known presence of a fort or similar in the area. There is a word in Early Gaelic, cúlráith, a legal term, literally ‘back-surety’, perhaps someone who provides a fall-back surety for a claim. This is an unusual word in the first place and would be unusual to find in a place-name (though see comments on the possible presence of the word mach ‘surety’ in Treesmax OCH). We could also posit a diminutive of ráith, ráithín, and hence both cúl-ráith and a variant cúl-ráithín.
Another problem of the name is the change of c- to g- (-culrath v gulrane). This is not clearly motivated. The most likely explanation is a feature we see a lot in SW Scotland, where we get c- > g- as a result of what is called eclipsis following a genitive plural definite article. This, however, would mean we would have to take the final segment as genitive plural, so e.g., *cnoc na gcúil raithin ‘the hill of the ferny nooks’, but this does seem a bit odd. Could it be that the name contained the preposition i ‘in’, which nasalised in medieval Gaelic, hence *cnoc i gcúil raith(in) ‘(the) hill in Cúil Raithin’? This might make some sense of the earliest attestation Cercnokenculrath, perhaps *Cerr-chnoc i gCúil Raith(in) ‘the crooked hill in...’ or *Cíar-chnoc i gCúil Raith(in), ‘the dark hill in ...’. In most later forms this would then have been truncated.
Only the earliest form contains this first element, represented by Cer-. It may be a preposed adjective as the examples just noted. On the other hand, it could be some sort of generic element, i.e. ‘the *Cer of Knokenculrath’. It’s not clear what this would be. The word cair ‘fort’ might be an option, but it would seem unusual to preface such a full existing name, and also, as mentioned, there is no known fort in the area. The Gaelic element ceathramh ‘quarter(land)’ sometimes truncates to cer- / ker-, although it would perhaps be surprising to see it do so as early as this.
The final phase in the name’s evolution looks like a simple phonetic adaptation of some sort, from gulrane to guldran, guldron, gulderon etc.
Although now forested upland, this must have been a significant property in the middle ages and early modern period, given its prominence in the documentary history, perhaps because of its border location, perhaps because of resources. Love (2021, 122-4, and elsewhere) provides a good account of the background. It may have referred to a much larger area than the current hill that bears its name. It was one of a number of properties, including also Shield OCH (q.v.), given early in the 14th century to one Albin of Ayr, and confirmed to his children, later passing to the Crawfords of Drongan. The earliest grant mentions also ‘Autitigill’. Given its proximity this may be Auchingee OCH. For a discussion of the problems this creates for that name, see under Auchingee. In the 16th century there is mention of ‘Laglane’ on the lands of Knockguldron, but this name appears not to have survived, unless it is Lane OCH (q.v.).
Knockkippen Hill
Dalmellington (DAL)
Classification: Relief
Grid reference: NS444103
Certainty: 1
Altitude: 319m
Knockkippen Moss
Dalmellington (DAL)
Classification: Vegetation
Grid reference: NS447103
Certainty: 1
Altitude: 331m
Knocknaib
Old Cumnock (OCU)
Classification: Settlement
Grid reference: NS597210
Certainty: 1
Altitude: 194m
Elements: G cnoc +
Description:
The structure of the name is Gaelic, with the first element G cnoc ‘hill, knowe’. The second element may be G cnap ‘a knob, button or lump’, used also topographically to refer to a small hill (Dwelly), presumably one that is reminiscent of a knob or lump. However, to find a name with two G elements meaning similar things would be unusual. There is also Sc knap with very similar meanings (‘lump, bump, rounded knob’, hence ‘hill, hillock, knoll, mound’ (SND)).
Alternatively, the second element may be Sc neb ‘nose; a pointed or nose-like landscape-feature’.
Local knowledge would help here. ‘Ploughing up the Past’ mentions in connection with Knocknaib: ‘Geological feature - a cliff face, only type showing rock formation’ (Ploughing Up Our Past – Blog – Cumnock History Group accessed 27 05 22).
RN
Knocknarran Hill
New Cumnock (NCU)
Classification: Relief
Grid reference: NS569101
Certainty: 1
Altitude: 305m
Elements: G cnoc + G an + G earrann + SSE hill
Description:
‘Knowe or hill of the share’ (Cnoc na h-Earrain). G earrann ‘a share, a portion’ frequently refers to a portion of land belonging to the Church. It may be significant that it lies beside the farm-steading of Dalleagles, a Gaelic name meaning ‘haugh or holm (level land by water, water-meadow) associated with a church’. For photographs and more discussion see knocknarran hill – NEW CUMNOCK HISTORY.
Knocknide Hill
New Cumnock (NCU)
Classification: Relief
Grid reference: NS595097
Certainty: 1
Altitude: 343m
Elements: G cnoc + G nead + SSE hill
Description:
'Knowe or hill of a nest or nests'? This probably contains G nead (genitive singular nid, plural nid) 'a nest'. Guthrie perceptively points out that it may not be coincidence that this hill lies beside Blarene Hill, which name probably contains G eun 'a bird' (KNOCKNIDE HILL – NEW CUMNOCK HISTORY).
Knockroon
Auchinleck (AUK)
Classification: Settlement
Grid reference: NS552210
Certainty: 1
Altitude: 119m
Elements: G cnoc + G cruinn
Description:
The modern Gaelic name would be Cnoc Cruinn.
It is not clear from the topography precisely what was ‘round’ about Knockroon, although the OS 6-inch 1st edn shows a semi-circle of trees around the site of the farm, and perhaps these respected an earlier aspect of the landscape.
The Correspondence, App. 1 (p.217) notes this property among the rented lands of the Barony of Auchinleck: “Knockroon which included Braehead of Knockroon, was acquired with Underwood from John Boswell in 1790.” By the late 19th century it was in the lands of the Marquis of Bute (owners of Dumfries House) (see further sources cited in Ploughing up Our Past: https://cumnockhistorygroup.org/ploughing-up-our-past/ploughing-up-our-past-blog/ ).
The name has lately been transferred to the new housing development of the Prince’s Foundation, about which see: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knockroon.
Knockroon Wood
Auchinleck (AUK)
Classification: Vegetation
Grid reference: NS554209
Certainty: 1
Altitude: 114m
Elements: en Knockroon + SSE wood
Knockshiffnock
Ochiltree (OCH)
Classification: Settlement
Grid reference: NS512180
Certainty: 1
Altitude: 184m
Elements: G cnoc + G *sibhneach
Description:
The first element is G cnoc ‘a hill, a knowe’. The second element is uncertain, but a good possibility is Early Gaelic simnech ‘rush-grown, rushy’ (dil.ie/37560), an adjective from the word simin(n), seimin(n) ‘rush, reed’, which also occurs as sifinn. This word is known from Scottish Gaelic also, as sibhin, ‘rush, reed’. Although the adjective from this word, in ScG probably *sibhneach, does not seem to be attested in dictionaries, the Early Gaelic word existed, and in any case sibhin > sibhneach would be a regular transformation of a noun to an adjective meaning ‘reedy, rushy, full of reeds or rushes’. The likely meaning of Knockshiffnock then is ‘rushy hill; knoll full of reeds’. There is nothing in the current topography to support this, but it may reflect different conditions in the middle ages.
Knockshiffnock Belt
Ochiltree (OCH)
Classification: Vegetation
Grid reference: NS511179
Certainty: 1
Altitude: 184m
Elements: en Knockshiffnock + SSE belt
Description:
‘Belt’ here has the sense of a plantation of trees, in this case a rectangle stretching between Knockshiffnock Farm and Hillhead. It is partly still extant.
Knockshinnoch
New Cumnock (NCU)
Classification: Settlement
Grid reference: NS607125
Certainty: 1
Altitude: 198m
Elements: G cnoc + G sionnach
Description:
‘Hill or knowe associated with foxes’.
The site of the old tower house is marked Site of Tower as an Antiquity on OS 6 inch 2nd edn AYR sheet XLII.SW (1897) at NS608125 and on OS 6 inch 1st edn AYR sheet XLII (1860).
Knockshinnoch Lagoons Nature Reserve
New Cumnock (NCU)
Classification: Other
Grid reference: NS611134
Certainty: 1
Altitude: 189m
Elements: en Knockshinnoch + SSE lagoon
Description:
Established in the 1990s, ‘the area comprises three lochs: Black Loch, Creoch Loch and Loch o’ th’ Lowes – along with extensive water meadows on the floodplain of the upper River Nith to the east of New Cumnock and, to the west, mining subsidence lagoons fringed by reedbeds and a small area of heather moorland (Yellow Moss)’ (Knockshinnoch Lagoons | Ayrshire Birding (ayrshire-birding.org.uk accessed 01 08 24).
Knockskae
Dalmellington (DAL)
Classification: Relief
Grid reference: NS496050
Certainty: 1
Altitude: 340m
Knockterra
Old Cumnock (OCU)
Classification: Settlement
Grid reference: NS544183
Certainty: 1
Altitude: 203m
Elements: G cnoc +
Description:
The second element of this name may be a form of G tioram ‘dry’, which in Old Gaelic is tír (adj.). The ending may represent a place-name forming suffix. It would thus mean something like ‘place of the dry hillock or knowe’.
Local knowledge will help to establish if there is anything characteristically dry about it.
Knockterra Cottage
Old Cumnock (OCU)
Classification: Settlement
Grid reference: NS546181
Certainty: 1
Altitude: 201m
Elements: en Knockterra + SSE cottage
Knockterra Mount
Old Cumnock (OCU)
Classification: Relief, Vegetation
Grid reference: NS540184
Certainty: 1
Altitude: 202m
Elements: en Knockterra + SSE mount
Description:
This former plantation is shown but not named on the OS 6 inch 1st edn map. It was situated near to the settlement of Knockterra, from which it took its name.
Knockterra Pit
Old Cumnock (OCU)
Classification: Other
Grid reference: NS545189
Certainty: 1
Altitude: 171m
Elements: en Knockterra + SSE pit
Knockterra Plantation
Old Cumnock (OCU)
Classification: Vegetation
Grid reference: NS540182
Certainty: 1
Altitude: 201m
Elements: en Knockterra + SSE plantation
Knockterra Quarry
Old Cumnock (OCU)
Classification: Other
Grid reference: NS546186
Certainty: 1
Altitude: 185m
Elements: en Knockterra + SSE quarry
Knowe
Auchinleck (AUK)
Classification: Settlement
Grid reference: NS516222
Certainty: 1
Altitude: 124m
Elements: SSE knowe
Description:
The Correspondence, App. 1 (p.217) notes this property among the rented lands of the Barony of Auchinleck: “Knowe which included Corse and part of Burn, was let to Alexander Pedin n 1782, to Alexander and William Pedin in 1787, to William Pedin in 1792, the same year he was ordained elder, and to William and James Pedin, later in Tenshillingside, in 1798.” Neither Corse nor Burn survive as independent names.
Knowe Plantation
Auchinleck (AUK)
Classification: Vegetation
Grid reference: NS522223
Certainty: 1
Altitude: 128m
Elements: en Knowe + SSE plantation
Knowebirnie
Auchinleck (AUK)
Classification: Relief
Grid reference: NS597225
Certainty: 1
Altitude: 191m
Elements: Sc knowe + Sc birnie
Description:
This is an ephemeral name for a landscape feature along the railway cuttings. It lies 2 km east of Birnieknowe and seems likely to be somehow connected to it as a name. The OSNB describes it as ‘A Small eminence on the S [South] side of Drove Road.’
While the usual Scots word-order is specific element first, generic element second, the reversal of this pattern is found in a significant minority of Scots names.
Knowhead (Ruin)
Old Cumnock (OCU)
Classification: Settlement
Grid reference: NS568171
Certainty: 1
Altitude: 225m
Elements: SSE knowe + SSE head
Description:
‘Head or end of a knowe, knoll or hillock’. According to Ploughing Up Our Past it is first mentioned in 1807 (no form given) and was also known as Knowhead of Glaisnock, lying as it did on the lands of Glaisnock. Ploughing Up Our Past – Blog – Cumnock History Group.
Knox's Burn
Carsphairn (CPH), Dalmellington (DAL)
Classification: Water
Grid reference: NX509992
Certainty: 1
Altitude: 214m
Elements: pn Knox + SSE burn
Kyle
Auchinleck (AUK)
Classification: Settlement
Grid reference: NS651191
Certainty: 1
Altitude: 253m
Elements: G cabhail or Sc cavill
Description:
The interpretation of this name is uncertain, but what is abundantly clear is that it does not contain the name of the district of Ayrshire it sits in, Kyle. This is despite its tempting position at the boundary of King’s Kyle and Kyle Stewart. ‘Kyle’ seems to be a late adaptation of its original name, which contains instead an element *cavill or *cauill. If this is a Scots term, the most likely is cavill, “‘a piece of wood used in casting lots; division by lot’, and therefore ‘land divided or apportioned to tenants etc. by lot’ (see PNF5, 325, under cavel, where it is also noted that this term is found in northern England).
Perhaps more likely is that the castle was named from the original name of the site, *cavill or *cauill. If so, Gaelic cabhail ‘1 basket 2 creel, fishtrap (esp. in a fishing weir) 3 (naturally) narrow part of stream (where fish are caught), (artificial fishing) weir’ would potentially suit the site, at a promontory where the Guelt and Glenmuir waters meet. It is worth noting that this word is not known in Early Gaelic, and hence may be a loan-word from Brittonic, comparing Welsh cawell ‘basket, pannier; cradle; fish-trap, creel, cage’, itself apparently a loan-word from late Latin cauella.
Kyle Castle (rems of)
Auchinleck (AUK)
Classification: Antiquity
Grid reference: NS647192
Certainty: 1
Altitude: 238m
Elements: en Kyle + SSE castle