List of Ayrshire place-names beginning with 'O'
Ochiltree
Ochiltree (OCH)
Classification: Parish (extant / non-extant), Settlement
Grid reference: NS505211
Certainty: 1
Altitude: 115m
Elements: Br uchel* + Br trev
Description:
A Northern Brittonic name meaning 'high farm, high settlement’ (*uchel + *trev). Its description as ‘high’ might refer to the fact that the settlement climbs relatively steeply from c.100m by the Burnock Water to c.140m. There are two other places called Ochiltree in Scotland: Ochiltree, Penninghame parish WIG (Uchiltre 1506 RMS ii no. 3018) and Ochiltree, Linlithgow parish WLO (Ockiltre 1211 x 1214 and Ouchiltre 1282 both St Andrews Liber. See MacDonald 1941 Place-Names of West Lothian, 61-2). The implication of the name is that the village started its life as a prominent farm or settlement, only later growing into the town, with its parish kirk. As the main settlement in the parish until recent times, Ochiltree has a long history. Dane Love’s 2021 book has a multifaceted account of the town.
The village itself is (or was) sometimes referred to as the Clachan, a Scots word (borrowed from Gaelic) meaning ‘a hamlet, village, generally containing a church; a small cluster of cottages’. A secondary meaning is: ‘A village ale-house, an inn’ (SND). The Kirkton of Cumnock is frequently referred to as the Clauchan etc. (see under Cumnock OCU).
The NGR is of the later parish kirk in the centre of the village. The medieval parish kirk, of which only the grave-yard remains, lay at the foot of the town beside the Lugar Water at NGR NS510213. It is not certain to whom the parish church of Ochiltree was dedicated, but the mention of rent being paid ‘on Saynt Connellis day at the parroche kirk of Ochiltre’ in the early 15th century might suggest St Conval/Connal, the same saint as is found in Cumnock.
Ochiltree House
Ochiltree (OCH)
Classification: Antiquity
Grid reference: NS510211
Certainty: 1
Altitude: 87m
Elements: en Ochiltree + SSE house
Description:
Ochiltree House was built on the site of the earlier castle. For an account of the house, which was replaced by a modern one in 1973, see: https://www.scottishcastlesassociation.com/news/past-present/ochiltree-house.htm ; and Love 2021: 115-20.
The castle occupied a prominent place on the bank above the Lugar.
Ochiltree Mains
Ochiltree (OCH)
Classification: Settlement
Grid reference: NS509207
Certainty: 1
Altitude: 106m
Elements: en Ochiltree + SSE mains
Description:
This was presumably originally the mains farm linked to Ochiltree House, but it had a separate existence from the 18th century on. See Love (2021: 327).
Old Burnfoot
Dalmellington (DAL)
Classification: Settlement
Grid reference: NS423097
Certainty: 1
Altitude: 158m
Old Coalburn
New Cumnock (NCU)
Classification: Settlement
Grid reference: NS569139
Certainty: 1
Altitude: 259m
Elements: SSE old + en Coalburn
Description:
The lands of Coalburn were divided into Old Coalburn and Laigh (Low) Coalburn, and take their name from the Coal Burn (which see). As the name implies, Old Coalburn was the site of the original settlement, shown on Roy’s map c.1750 simply as Coll Burn, a cluster of cottages.
It is described in the OS Name Book as: ‘A few cottages on Fardingreoch It takes its name from a Burn of that name’ (OS1/3/49/17).
Old Craigman
New Cumnock (NCU)
Classification: Settlement
Grid reference: NS540118
Certainty: 1
Altitude: 229m
Elements: SSE old + en Craigman
Description:
This was presumably the original centre of the lands of Craigman. The modern farmsteading of Craigman lies c.600m to the north-east. See Craigman for full analysis and early forms.
Old Cumnock Station
Old Cumnock (OCU)
Classification: Other
Grid reference: NS577204
Certainty: 1
Altitude: 156m
Elements: SSE old + en Cumnock + SSE station
Old Foundry (Ruin)
Auchinleck (AUK)
Classification: Settlement
Grid reference: NS641269
Certainty: 1
Altitude: 189m
Elements: SSE old + SSE foundry
Description:
Love (2015, 100-1) describes the ‘establishment of an iron works at Tarrioch’ on the River Ayr, which used the river in its workings. ‘[T]hese works were built by the Earl of Cathcart, probably around 1730…though one account puts the date as early as 1705. The ironworks stood on what is now known as Old Foundry Holm…. Here the remains of the lade, dam and race can still be made out on the ground, the buildings little more than piles of stone. The Tarrioch foundry converted pig iron into malleable iron, water power driving the bellows and hammers. Heat was provided by burning wood and peat, though the former became scarce and the latter was not obtained readily enough nor given enough time to dry. It was this problem with fuel which led to the closure of the works.’
Love (2015, 101) further notes the impracticality of the scheme, at least at the point in time when it was established: ‘even though the haematite ore was quarried on the slopes of Blackside, below Pennelburn Linn, in the [neighbouring] parish of Sorn, and had an iron content of up to 80%, it had to be taken on pack-horse to Ayr and then shipped to Bunawe, near Taynuilt in Argyll, where it was smelted by the Lorn Furnace Company. From there the pig-iron was carried back to Tarrioch, along with salt from Ayr. This inconvenience and additional expense was another reason for the foundry’s closure.’ See also on this: Lewis, J H. (1985a) 'The charcoal-fired blast furnaces of Scotland: a review', Proc Soc Antiq Scot, vol. 114, 1984. Page(s): 439, 464-5
Given all this, and its short life-span, it is remarkable that the enterprise has left its mark on the namescape, the feature being prominent on early maps, and enshrined in the name Old Foundry Holm. The still-visible earthworks have probably helped in this regard. For more information on them, see https://canmore.org.uk/site/44743/tarrioch-ironworks
Old Foundry Holm
Auchinleck (AUK)
Classification: Field
Grid reference: NS643270
Certainty: 1
Altitude: 186m
Elements: en Old Foundry + SSE holm
Old Manse
Auchinleck (AUK)
Classification: Settlement
Grid reference: NS559211
Certainty: 1
Altitude: 147m
Elements: SSE old + SSE manse
Description:
A former farm, the site is now subsumed in the housing estate called The Rigg. OSNB notes: ‘These houses formerly belonged to the original Secession Church’
Old March Burn
New Cumnock (NCU), Ochiltree (OCH)
Classification: Water
Grid reference: NS517135
Certainty: 1
Altitude: 278m
Elements: SSE old + SSE march + SSE burn
Description:
'A burn that flows along an old march or boundary'. This burn forms the north-east march of the lands of Beoch NCU. Part of this burn also forms the parish boundary between OCH and NCU. It is a tributary of the Black Water, which itself flows into the Burnock Water, one of the main watercourses of the parish. It is not clear what is old about it. Just over the watershed only about 150m to the south-east is the source of another Old March Burn, entirely in NCU.
The OS Name Book describes it thus: 'A small Burn which runs in a N.W. direction, it at one time formed a Boundary between Upper and Nether Beoch farms' (OS1/3/49/23). This cannot be correct. For a discussion of both Old March Burns, see OLD MARCH BURN – NEW CUMNOCK HISTORY.
Old March Burn
New Cumnock (NCU)
Classification: Water
Grid reference: NS531119
Certainty: 1
Altitude: 241m
Elements: SSE old + SSE march + SSE burn
Description:
'A burn that flows along an old march or boundary'. This burn forms the south-east march of the lands of Beoch NCU. It is described in the OS Name Book as follows: ‘A small Burn rising on the east side of Martyrs' Moss and running southwards jo[ining] Beoch Lane Burn. It was [a] Property march’ (OS1/3/49/28). It rises just over the watershed from another Old March Burn, which flows in a north-westerly direction into the Burnock Water and also forms the march of the lands of Beoch. Both are discussed on the New Cumnock History website under OLD MARCH BURN – NEW CUMNOCK HISTORY.
Old Polquhairn
Ochiltree (OCH)
Classification: Settlement
Grid reference: NS479157
Certainty: 1
Altitude: 218m
Elements: SSE old + en Polquhairn
Description:
This was presumably the original centre of the extensive lands of Polquhairn. The modern farmsteading of Polquhairn lies c.1km to the north-west. The shift of the centre seems to have taken place by the early 18th century. By the time of the OS in the 1850s Old Polquhairn’s demotion is complete: ‘Once a farmsteading but now merged into the farm of Polquhairn & occupied by Cotters. one storey high thatched & in bad repair. John Pettigrew Wilson Esqr. proprietor’ (OS1/3/51/1/60).
See Polquhairn for full analysis and early forms.
Oldbyres
Auchinleck (AUK)
Classification: Settlement
Grid reference: NS528215
Certainty: 1
Altitude: 141m
Elements: Sc auld + Sc byre
Description:
'Old byres, cow-houses, cattle-houses'. This does not necessarily mean that the byres themselves were old. There is a nearby settlement called *Byres (see for example Armstrong map 1775). So this might rather mean that Oldbyres is the site of an earlier settlement called simply Byres.
This farm is no longer extant. It became part of the site of the Barony Colliery, marked now by the Barony A-frame. In The Correspondence, App. 1 (p219) it is listed among the rented lands of the Barony of Auchinleck, noting ‘Old Byre or Oldbyer was let to James Peden, who also rented Barnsdale and an inclosure (sic) for hay in 1784 and 1786.’
Orchard
Auchinleck (AUK)
Classification: Settlement
Grid reference: NS558214
Certainty: 1
Altitude: 139m
Elements: SSE orchard
Description:
A no longer extant farm, amalgamated and buildings demolished in early 20th century.
In The Correspondence, App. 1 (p219) it is listed among the rented lands of the Barony of Auchinleck, noting, ‘Orchard or Orchyard was acquired with Birnieknowe from John Cochrane about 1740 and let in 1787 and 1789 to William Murdoch's uncle, Robert Murdoch, who also had Upper Rigg in 1779. Its house repaired in 1789 and 1792, was let to Robert Wallace in 1790 and 1795.’
Orchardton
Old Cumnock (OCU)
Classification: Settlement
Grid reference: NS525198
Certainty: 1
Altitude: 125m
Elements: SSE orchard + SSE town
Description:
‘Farm characterised by an orchard or orchards; farm specialising in fruit production’.
Printed erroneously as Ochardton on OS Explorer.
Orchardton Belt
Old Cumnock (OCU)
Classification: Vegetation
Grid reference: NS525194
Certainty: 1
Altitude: 143m
Elements: en Orchardton + SSE belt
Orchardton Bridge
Old Cumnock (OCU)
Classification: Other
Grid reference: NS528201
Certainty: 1
Altitude: 111m
Elements: en Orchardton + SSE bridge
Description:
Carrying the road between Ochiltree and Cumnock, this bridge takes its name from the settlement of Orchardton to its south-west.
Otter Sike
New Cumnock (NCU)
Classification: Water
Grid reference: NS515129
Certainty: 1
Altitude: 283m
Elements: SSE otter + SSE syke
Description:
'A syke or small stream associated with an otter or otters'.
The OS Name Book does not explain the name, describing it only as: ‘A Small Stream flowing in a NW direction into Broadhag Burn’ (OS1/3/49/22).
Over Cairn
New Cumnock (NCU)
Classification: Settlement
Grid reference: NS666129
Certainty: 1
Altitude: 222m
Elements: Sc nether + en Cairn
Description:
‘The lower division of the lands of Cairn’. This is a confused situation. The settlement called Over Cairn on OS Explorer map (2006) is Nether Cairn on OS 2.5 inch 1967 and on all maps prior to this. Over Cairn was previously situated at NS670130.
Just to confuse things even more, these lands march with those of Laigh Cairn, immediately east of which is High Cairn (formerly McCrierick’s Cairn) and Nether Cairn, all in Kirkconnel parish DMF.
Over Cairn
New Cumnock (NCU)
Classification: Settlement
Grid reference: NS670130
Certainty: 1
Altitude: 205m
Elements: Sc over + en Cairn
Description:
‘The upper division of the lands of Cairn’. The settlement known previously as Over Cairn is no longer named on the OS Explorer map (2006). The name has moved to the neighbouring farm of Nether Cairn so that what was Nether Cairn has become Over Cairn.
Over Glaisnock
Old Cumnock (OCU)
Classification: Settlement
Grid reference: NS575168
Certainty: 1
Altitude: 206m
Elements: Sc over + en Glaisnock
Description:
An upper division of the lands of Glaisnock. It was also known as Back Glaisnock, also appearing in the record as Black Glaisnock and also perhaps as Little Glaisnock (Ploughing Up Our Past: Glaisnock (farminginthecumnockarea.blogspot.com). Black is an unusual affix for a farm, as is any colour term, so it may well be an error for Back. Back Glaisnock would indicate that Over Glaisnock was regarded as lands lying at the back as seen from a more central place, in this case probably Glaisnock House.
Over Hill
New Cumnock (NCU)
Classification: Relief
Grid reference: NS509116
Certainty: 1
Altitude: 319m
Elements: Sc over + Sc hill
Description:
‘A hill lying over or above another hill’. It is probably named in relation to neighbouring Mid Hill NCU, which see for details. It is described in the OS Name Book as: ‘A Slight eminence on Beoch farm’ (OS1/3/49/43).