Afton Bridge, Afton Bridgend

Place-name:	Afton Bridge
	Place-Name: Afton + SSE bridge ‘bridge’
	bridge over After Water
Place-Name	Afton Bridgend
Suggested Meaning:	Place-Name: Afton Bridge + SSE end ‘end’
	‘village’ at the end of the Afton Bridge
Blaeu Coila (1654):	N/A
OS Name Books (1855-57):	Afton Bridge and Afton Bridgend
Other Names:	Nithbridgend
Location:	Ordnance Survey (1896)

Early Forms

Aftonbridgend (OPR 1795-), Bridgend (1855-57), Afton Bridgend (1855-57)

Afton Bridge

Place-Name: Afton + SSE bridge ‘bridge’

The entry for Afton Bridge in the Ayrshire Ordnance Survey Name Books (1855-57) reads as follows –

A bridge of one arch of considerable span over the Afton at Afton Bridgend.
This is a county bridge

The ‘Authorities for Spelling’ were Mr. Johnston, N. Cumnock; Mr McKenzie, Afton Bridgend and Mr. Campbell, Rd. Maker.

Mr Johnstone was William Johnstone, teacher and he lived at New Cumnock Parish School school-house which was located on the west side of Afton Bridge. Mr McKenzie was James McKenzie, inn-keeper at Afton Bridgend. Mr Campbell was Thomas Campbell, road maker who lived at Afton Bridgend while in between times stayed in the manse of the Reformed Presbyterian Church. He was a son of William Campbell of Dalhanna and his eldest brother James was the renowned Road Survey of the Ayr Road Trust while another older brother worked on the Turnpike Roads [1].

It is not known when this bridge was built across the Afton Water. A bridge of over the Nith is shown on Roys’ Map (1752-57) but the crossing over the Afton is not noted (see Map 1 in table below).

The Ayr Road Acts of 1767 and 1774 heralded the Turnpike Road era where tolls were established to meet the costs of building and maintaining roads [1]. Armstrong’s’ Map of Ayrshire‘ (1775), show that both the River Nith and Afton Water were bridged on the turnpike road from Ayr by way of Ochiltree, Cumnock to New Cumnock, as far as the county march with Dumfriesshire, hence the reference to a county bridge in the OS Name Book Entry for Afton Bridge above.

At the time of the publication of J. A. McDerment & Sons’ map of ‘The Turnpike and Parish Roads in the parish of New Cumnock‘ (1852), it may be the case that the bridges over both the Nith and Afton had not been enhanced significantly since the time of Armstrong’s map.

Unfortunately, the Ordnance Survey Map – 25-inch 1st edition (1856), Ayrshire, XLII.10 (New Cumnock), which includes the Afton Bridge is not available on-line and the Six-inch 1st Edition (1857) is shown below. It gives the impression of an abrupt rise from a broader road surface to a narrower bridge crossing.

In 1862 money was earmarked to repair and widen the bridge over the Water of Nith and to repair the bridge over the Water of Afton [2]. However, a year later after closer inspection the Nith Bridge was considered to be ‘in a very dangerous state and that it might be swept away at any moment‘ and as such all available funds were reassigned to the Nith Bridge while ‘the repairing of the Afton bridge could be delayed for some time, with safety to the public‘ [3]. The rebuilding of the Nith Bridge* progressed with great urgency and the foundation stone was laid on Thursday 6th August 1863 [4,5].

The road surveyor of the Ayr Road Trust at this time was James Campbell, the eldest brother of William Campbell one of the aforementioned ‘Authorities of Spelling’ in the OS Name Book entry for Afton Bridge. Although he had inherited the lands of Over Dalhanna from his father, William Campbell, he and his family lived at Nursery Hall, St. Quivox.

However, the delay in repairing the Afton Bridge was prolonged for some 19 years! In May 1882 the call went out for contractors from the Trust’s, road surveyor, Allan Stevenson* [6] –

AYR DISTRICT ROAD TRUST.

Contractors Wanted.

TO BUILD ABUTMENTS, &C., for a Bridge over the Afton Water at AFTON BRIDGEND, New Cumnock. To provide and fit up IRON GIRDERS, &C., for same. Plans and Specification can be seen in the hands of ALLAN STEVENSON, Road Surveyor, 42 Newmarket Street, Ayr, who will meet intending Contractors at the BRIDGE ON THURSDAY, the 11th inst, at One o’clock to point out the work. Offers to be lodged with Mr C. G. SHAW, Clerk to the Trustees, County Buildings, Ayr, on or before 20th inst.

Ayr Advertiser – Thursday 04 May 1882

James Campbell, road surveyor had passed away in 1871 and his son William, also a road surveyor, inherited the lands of Over Dalhanna, and took up the family residence at Nursery Hall. William Campbell, had a strained relationship with the Ayr Road Trust, however he had brought to the attention of the Trust that the gradients of the bridge were very steep (almost one in fifteen) and ‘suggested that it would be better to build a new bridge, rather than just carry out repairs, since the bridge would be burdened with the bad gradients for a long time [6].

On the 15th July 1882 the memorial stone was laid with due masonic ceremony, overseen by Br. Dr. R.G. Herbertson, beforehand ‘the cavity in the stone had been filled with various articles including daily papers, coins, a tobacco pipe &c‘. In his speech to a large gathering made several references to the old bridge [8] –

‘When, or by whom, the old bridge was built are things now lost to memory or sight amidst the mist of antiquity. Ay, writings I have examined are silent on the subject; and even tradition is lost and bewildered amid the circling cycle of years which have come and gone since then.

Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald, Saturday 22nd July 1882

As was the norm in those days whether speaking at public events or, for example, the annual meetings of the New Cumnock School-Fellows Association, the history of the place was celebrated and the newspaper reports would inserts [Cheers] as appropriate. In this case Dr Herbertson offered that the old bridge may not been around in the at the time when ‘the brave Sir William Wallace was performing his exploits about the Black Boig Castle‘ (late 13th century) or when ‘the grim and cruel Claverhouse was pursuing and spilling the blood of our persecuted ancestors‘ (late 17th century). However, he was certain that the bridge was around by the late 18th century ‘it is impossible to forget that the immortal Robert Burns often passed and repassed the old bridge on his way to and from Dumfriesshire, it must have been when he passed this way, that he conceived and executed that sweet and ever living song which has made Afton immortal, and a familiar name to the ends of the earth’ [8,9].

The trustees, with their usual care and attention for the convenience of the public and the safety of the people, finding that the bridge which for unknown generations in the past has spanned the classic stream of the Afton, had not only become unsuited to modern necessities and mode of locomotion, but also to the heavier traffic of modern times ,wisely and considerately resolved to have the grey old structure removed, and one of greater convenience and more in accordance with our modern ideas of pentafacial architecture* and beauty built in its stead

Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald, Saturday 22nd July 1882

*pentafacial architecture?

The ‘old bridge’ or ‘grey old structure’ was no more. The Ordnance Survey map of 1895 shows a much broader bridge compared with that in the map of 1857 (Map 3 above). The gradient goes from 615 feet to 619 feet and back to 615 feet.

Postcard 1: ‘Afton Bridge, New Cumnock’ showing a view from south of the bridge with the Afton Water heading north to meet with the River Nith. The houses to the right, on the east side of the bridge are the single-storey houses at Afton Bridgend. The vertical post, that is barely visible, on the bridge where the iron parapet meets with the stone abutment is a gas street-light.

Postcard 2: ‘Bridgend, New Cumnock’ printed by J.P. Ballantine, Cumnock is one of the earlier images of Bridgend. The roof of the Reformed Presbyterian Church (built 1866) can be seen at the far end of the right-hand side (south) row of single-storey houses, with dormer windows. The gas-light on the right hand side of the bridge was erected in 1888/89 (see next postcard). On the left hand-side of the road (north) all the houses are single storey.

Postcard 3: ‘Afton Bridgend, New Cumnock’ notice how it shows that the width of the bridge matches that of the road, which then descends at reasonable gradient. The iron sides on the bridges probably replaced a stone parapet*. Gas street-lights had been erected in the town – one at Pathhead, two at Castle and, one at Afton Bridgend which can be seen on the left hand side of the road in the distance* . Another gas street-light was erected on the Afton Bridge at the New Year holiday of 1888/89 [10], which can also be seen on the postcard. The row of houses on the left-hand side now includes an impressive two storey house.

*Donald McIver in ‘Old New Cumnock’ explains the scene ‘Looking from Afton Bridgend towards the Coupla ca. 1905. In the distance on the left is the village lamplighter who can be seen checking one of the gas lamps. The bridge was a popular meeting place to have a blether when going on or off shift at the mines [11].

The challenge of photographing the Afton Bridge with the sun at your back!

Photo on left courtesy of George Gilbert (ca. 1940s) and on the right the shadow of Robert Guthrie (2024)

Some more photos of the bridge and footbridge.

Bridgend, Afton Bridgend

Place-Name: SSE bridge ‘bridge + SSE end ‘end’

Bridgend is a common place-name appearing in one (or more on occasion) in 19 of the Ayrshire parishes entries in the Ordnance Survey Name Books. The name comprises the two elements SSE bridge ‘bridge’ + SSE end ‘end’, referring to a place or farm etc. at the end of a bridge. The local pronunciation is Brig-en.

The entry for New Cumnock (villages) in the Ayrshire Ordnance Survey Name Books (1855-57) reads as follows –

This name applies to the five villages of Pathhead, Mansfield, Castle, Bridgend, and Couplagate

One of the ‘Authorities for Spelling’ is Mr. Johnstone, schoolmaster, Bridgend.

Place-Name: Afton Bridge + SSE end ‘end’

However, there is no specific entry in the OS Name Books (1855-57) for Bridgend, but instead the entry is under the name Afton Bridgend which reads as follows –

Afton Bridgend
A small village situated at Afton Bridge. Consisting of two rows of one story cottages.

The earliest reference to the name, found thus far, appears in the form Aftonbridgend in the following baptism record of the parish of New Cumnock –

• 1795, Sept. 6 Margaret, L. Daughter to John Howatson and Mary Gemmel, in Aftonbridgend

Coincidentally, the following baptism record was also found on the same page and date –

• 1795, Sept. 6 William, L. Son to Hugh McKenzie and Jean Stodhart, in Nithbridgend (see Bridgend Inn below)

It is probably the case that the pre-fixes of Afton and Nith were used to differentiate between the two Bridgends, both current at that time. Both Bridgends were located at that end of the bridge that was furthest from the Castle, the main village in the parish, i.e. Aftonbridgend is east of the Afton Water and Nithbridgend is north of the River Nith.

*Nithbridgend did not develop into a village and the name disappeared as an address and as such there is no entry of that name in the Ayrshie OS Name Books, New Cumnock (1855-57) [See Appendix].

The Name Book entry for Afton Bridgend also includes the following note to help clarify any confusion between the extent of Afton Bridgend and that of Couplagate.

Couplagate: This small village lies on the New Cumnock and Dumfries Road. And on the east side of Afton Bridgend. And although they appear to be one village they are named separately. “Couplagate” extends east from the R.P. Meeting House- and Afton Bridgend from the same House, west to Afton Bridge.

N.B. the school / schoolhouse lies to the west side of Afton Bridge and therefore falls outside the above definition of Afton Bridgend. Although the schoolmaster Mr. Johnson’s address was given as Bridgend in OS Name Book (1855-57) and as Afton Bridgend in the 1855 Valuation Rolls it was excluded from the Afton Bridgend addresses in the 1865 Valuation Rolls.

In his 1793 Statistical Account of the parish of New Cumnock the Reverend James Young gave an insight into the population of the parish and records that ‘two villages, having been built near the church, and on Afton-water, where there was but one house* in 1757’ [12]. The full extract reads –

According to the returns to Dr. Webster in 1755, the number of souls was 1497; though, when the present incumbent was settled, about 1757, the number was little more than 1000. It may now amount to about 1200, two villages, having been built near the church, and on Afton-water, where there was but one house in 1757. There may be 40 births, near as many deaths, and about 10 marriages per annum.

New Cumnock, County of Ayrshire, OSA, Vol. VI, 1793

* The ‘one house on Afton-water’ may be the house shown on Armstrong’s map (1775) above. which was later used as a school / schoolhouse.

Postcard 4: An earlier view of Afton Bridgend. On the right-hand side (south), beyond the end of the row of single storey houses, the roof of the Reformed Presbyterian Church built in1866 can be seen. On the left-hand side of the road all the houses are single storey. Some of the thatched houses on the near left. were advertised for sale in 1895 revealing that ‘The property is held on lease for 994 years from Martinmas, 1781’ [13], which gives 1781 as a good estimation of their year of construction.

The 1781 date for the construction of Afton Bridgend fits well no houses present in Armstrong’s map (1775) and the appearance of the baptisms of children born at Aftonbridgend, the first of which entries were the children of John Howatson and Mary Gemmell [Scotland’s People].

*There may be earlier baptisms at Aftonbridgend since the Old Parish Records do not always include the place of baptism. Note also the coincidence that one the children was baptised at Nithbridgend, a property near the Nith Bridge, a coincidence!

It should also be noted that it was around this time that baptisms were also being recorded in the two rows of cottages known as Greenhead, south of Afton Bridgend, the first of which was in 1786 ‘John, son of James Lennox and Betty Howatson, born 12th August & baptised 20th August’.

The photograph below shows one of the thatched Greenhead Rows (running from north to south) in the foreground while behind it are the two thatched rows of Afton Bridgend. In the background is the parish church built in 1832/33 and since there is no sign of the Town Hall, which stands adjacent to it today, the photograph pre-dates 1888 the year when it was built.

The number of baptisms recorded in Afton Bridgend in the late 18th and into the 19th century begin to blossom. These included the children of William McKnight, son of George McKnight in the Old Mill and Agnes Crichton, daughter of John Crichton, innkeeper. Together they had five children born between 1792-1803, the latter 3 were baptised at Aftonbridgend and although the place of baptism of the first two was not recorded, it may be assumed it was Aftonbridgend.

The family moved to Castle in 1804 where they had 7 other children. William served as Innkeeper at Castle In for 27 years before his death in 1831. The McKnight family had the Crown Inn built adjacent to the newly built parish church where Agnes served as innkeeper and in between times she had stayed at Afton Bridgend for a time [14].

In the 1845 New Statistical Account of the parish of New Cumnock, the Reverend Mathhew Kirkland provided some details on the population of the parish collated in 1831 [15]. Of particular note, he provided the population of the three villages in the parish, i.e.- New Cumnock, Afton Bridgend and Pathhead which pre-dates the naming of the five villages in the Ordnance Survey Name Books (1855-57).

The 1841 Census records for Afton Bridgend 73 households and 272 people, 131 male and 141 female. By the time of the Ordnance Survey Name Book (1855-57) the Proprietors and their Tenant (head of household) recorded in the 1855 Valuation Rolls read as follows –

The Rev. Mr Lorimer was William Lorimer, born at Couplagate in 1826, son of Robert Lorimer and Mary Fergusson. William chaired the first reunion of the ‘New Cumnock School-Fellows’ in 1860 and he later married Margaret Stitt, Sanquhar and in 1863 was ordained at the Free Church at Glencaple, Dumfriesshire [15]. The profession of the tenants included – James Wood, labourer; Henry Cowan (shoemaker); Robert Lambie, Grocer; John Reid, engine keeper; John Wilson, molecatcher; John Burgess, (labourer); David Harper, (agricultural labourer); Samuel Sharp (labourer -roads); Thomas Black, grocer; James McDonald, tailor and James McKenzie, innkeeper. N.B. Profession given in brackets from 1841 Census.

The 1895 Ordnance Survey map shows some changes from the 1856 OS Map.

1. Some houses on the left-hand side (north) row have been demolished and replaced with a large double story house. The inn at Bridgend now recorded as a Public House
2. The inn at Afton Bridgend now formerly recorded as a Public House
3. The Meeting House was replaced with the Reformed Presbyterian Church (1866) which later served as the Afton Free Church (1876) and then the Afton United Free Church (1900)
4. One of the houses on Mains Avenue (later Castlemains Avenue) was designated a ‘small-scale Post Office’, John Gibson, rural letter-carrier lived here at the time of the 1881 Census.

Postcard 5: ‘Bridgend, New Cumnock’ gives a good view of the neat row of houses on the right-hand side (south) of the road with the church in the distance. The clarity in this postcard also reveals the gable-end and chimneys of the church manse*, visible thanks to the gradient on the Afton Bridge at that time.

*Thank you to George Gilbert for spotting the manse.

The following newspaper extract gives a valuable insight of the household items of the time [16] –

SALE OF FURNITURE, &C,

There will be Sold, by Public roup, at AFTON BRIDGEND, New Cumnock, on SATURDAY, the 6th day of December,

A QUANTITY of Excellent HOUSEHOLD FURNITURE, and other EFFECTS, consisting of Chest of Mahogany Drawers, Kitchen Dresser, Kitchen Table with Drawer, Parlour Table, Cradle, chairs, 2 American Clocks (excellent time-keepers), Singer Sewing Machine medium size, nearly new; Pots, Pans, Delf and China Ware, with a variety of other articles, the property of a party leaving the country.

Hour of sale – Prompt at Two O’Clock, Afternoon.

A. B. TODD*, Auctioneer, Afton Bridgend, New Cumnock 27th Nov. 1884

Ayr Observer, Tuesday 02 December 1884

Adam Brown Todd was born in 1822 at Mauchline and later moved to New Cumnock in 1844 where he worked and then managed the Wellhill Tileworks. In 1863 he moved to Afton Bridgend for a short period before settling at Cumnock where, among other jobs, served as editor of The Cumnock Express. He was a poet and author with a particular interest in the Covenanters, he penned the ‘Homes, Haunts and Battlefields of the Covenanters‘. From the above extract he also played the role of auctioneer [17].

Postcard 6: ‘Afton Bridgend, New Cumnock’ presents a better view of the houses on the left hand-side (north) with the thatched cottages in the foreground. It also gives a good view of the houses in the distance at Couplagate. The postcard was printed by the aforementioned John Gibson, rural letter carrier, now the postmaster and stationer, living at Castle with his family.

Postcard 7: ‘Bridgend, New Cumnock’ presents a better view of the remaining thatched houses.

Afton Bridgend ( north of the Dumfries Road)

As discussed above some of the thatched houses were put up for sale in 1895, and a more detailed account is given below [13] –

AFTON BRIDGEND NEW CUMNOCK: FOR SALE, BY PRIVATE BARGAIN

THE THATCHED HOUSES at AFTON BRIDGEND, New Cumnock, with Garden pertaining thereto, which belonged to the late Mr William Cowan, Boot and Shoemaker, New Cumnock, and as presently occupied by Alexander White, James Kerr, James Wilson and Thomas Graham. Rental, £12 5s. Tack Duty, 7s 6d. Extent of Ground, 1 rood or thereby. The property is held on Lease for 994 years from Martinmas, 1781.

For further particulars apply to ARCHIBALD BRAKENRIDGE, Solicitor, Cumnock, who will receive offers till 13th July.

Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald, 5th July 1895

The Valuation Rolls of 1895 records that Mrs Susanna Hamilton or Cowan, widow was the proprietor of the aforementioned Thatched Houses and that she lived in one of them, with a garden at the rear. The other tenants were the aforementioned Alexander White, miner; James Wilson, residenter and James Kerr, miner while a new tenant Adam Blackley, labourer and his family had taken the place of the above Thomas Graham and his family.

Next door to Mrs Cowan properties were two houses owned by sisters, Margaret and Elizabeth Wood, both of whom lived elsewhere in Afton Bridgend. Their tenants were Alexander Gallocher, miner and his family and their neighbour Michael Stitt, engineman and his family.

Photographs of the Gallocher family were kindly provided by Elizabeth Johnstone (nee Gallocher), the great-granddaughter of Alexander Gallocher and granddaughter of Robert Gallocher, along with documents from her extensive family genealogy research.

Alexander Gallocher, miner lived at the Gatehouse, Connel Park and in 1879 married near neighbour Euphemia Williamson Brown. Together they set up home in Connel Park,living with Euphemia’s widowed mother, where five of their children were born – namely Hugh, David, John, Euphemia and Margaret. The family were still living there at the time of the 1885 Valuation Rolls while two years later in December 1887, a son Alexander was their first born at Afton Bridgend, while sadly Euphemia (‘wee Effie‘) passed away the following year. Six other children were born at Afton Bridgend – twins James & William, Jane, followed by a second set of twins Isabella & Robert, sadly Robert (‘wee Robert’) died in infancy and finally in 1896, another son Robert.

By the 1905 Valuation Rolls, Alexander and Euphemia and their family were still tenants of the Wood sisters, but now of both their adjoining properties – one at a rent of £7 per year and and the other at £6 per year. Sadly, in August 1907, Euphemia passed away in the Royal Infirmary, Glasgow, aged 52 years old.

LEFT: Alexander and Euphemia with their children ca. 1894 RIGHT: dates1903 to 1907 at latest, the year that Euphemia sadly passed away. Alexander (Photos courtesy of Elizabeth Johnstone nee Gallocher)

Matters changed again with Elizabeth Wood, spinster now the sole owner of the two properties having converted them into three. The Gallocher family lived in one of the properties which now included a field (rent £7 15s*) and Robert Pollock, miner and his family were tenants of the other two (rent £3 5s* & £3). This set-up prevailed until 1925 (or just before) when the three properties were reconfigured into two rather than three with the Pollock neighbours now tenants of one property (£6 5s*).

*5s=5 shillings=25p, 15s=15 shillings=75p

Both the Gallocher and Pollock families were still tenants of the thatched houses by the time of the 1930 Valuation Rolls, however they were now owned by ‘the heirs of the late Elizabeth Wood’, who had passed away the year before, aged 84 years old.

It would be around this time that the following photograph of the Gallocher family was taken at the doorstep of their thatched house at Afton Bridgend. In the photograph is Alexander Gallocher (with the cap on), his daughter-in-law Agnes McKenzie Campbell (wife of David Gallocher), his son Robert Brown Gallocher and daughter Margaret Gallocher and three of his grandchildren. Compare this photo with Postcard 7 above, which also shows the guttering above the front door of the house, while the photo also clearly shows the gable end on the left-hand side is exposed and therefore this is the thatched house that sits on the east bank of the Afton Water.

*The photographs were kindly provided by Elizabeth Johnstone (nee Gallocher), the great-granddaughter of Alexander Gallocher and granddaughter of Robert Gallocher, along with documents from her extenisve family genealogy research.

In November 1932 Alexander Gallocher, retired coal miner, passed away at Afton Bridgend, age 77 years old and it is likely that the Gallocher family were the last residents in the thatched house. The entry in the1935 Valuations Roll of the former properties of ‘the heirs of Elizabeth Wood’ and others, now identified ‘Ayr County Council (Housing 1930 Act) per James E. Shaw, County clerk, Ayr‘ as the proprietors of ‘houses, under erection‘. The Housing Act essentially required local Councils to clear old buildings, re-house inhabitants and build new houses.

By the time of the 1940 Valuation Rolls the Council had made substantial progress. There were 8 new homes carrying the address of Afton Bridgend where the thatched houses once stood. These were within 2 double storey houses each containing 2 homes on the ground floor and 2 homes on the upper floor. In addition there were 16 more double storey houses built on the land between Afton Bridgend and Castlemains farm, providing 2 homes on Castlemains Avenue, 26 homes on what was named Holm Road and 32 on what was named Glebe Road with 4 more homes ‘in course of erection‘.

The photo below dates from the 1950s by which time the house building had continued at a pace. The two double-storey houses (8 homes) in the foreground stood on the former site of the thatched houses. Further along the road, the older two-storey building is the one that is shown in several of the postcards above. To the left, are the back of the houses of Holm Road.

Donald McIver notes ‘A gala some time in the early 1950s. The pipe band was Muirkirk Boys’ Brigade. The footbridge over the Afton still has to be built and the man leaning on the dyke is at the entrance to the building known as the Old School [11].

The following map of 1961 shows the extent of the building since the 1935 Valuation Rolls.

Two more houses were built on Afton Bridgend near the corner with Castlemains Avenue with additional houses built on Castlemains Avenue extending towards Castle Mains farm, while the remaining houses at Glebe Street were completed. The next phase of building saw some 60 single storey houses built to the east of Castlemains Avenue. The map below names the streets at the time – as Nithsdale Avenue, Blackwood Drive and Westland Drive along with Cairn Avenue, Polquhirter Drive and Mansfield Drive. However, in later years the last three street names were dropped and the house addresses assigned to one of other three remaining street names.

Afton Bridgend (south of the Dumfries Road)

The row of buildings on the south side of the road essentially remained intact through the years possibly from the time of earliest baptism records of Afton Bridgend to the current day. Of course there have been structural changes most notably thatched rooves replaced by slate ones and many having dormer windows fitted. Furthermore there was a change in use of some of houses from residential only to residential & commercial. A constant throughout this period was the Bridgend inn, public house.

As discussed, Agnes McKnight, innkeeper lived in Afton Bridgend at the time of the 1841 Census, however this is a reference to her role as the innkeeper and owner of the recently built Crown Inn and is recorded as such in the 1837 Pigot Directory [18].

At the time of the 1851 Census 70-year-old Andrew Clarke, innkeeper and his daughter Margaret, were living at Afton Bridgend. He passed away there in 1858 at which time his occupation was recorded as shepherd, however prior to that James McKenzie had established himself as the innkeeper at Afton Bridgend by 1855, according to the Valuation Rolls.

Coincidentally, James was born at Nithbridgend in 1798, the son of Hugh McKenzie and Jean Stodhart. He married Mary Kerr, born at Afton Bridgend in 1801, daughter of Andrew Kerr and Agnes Murdoch. The couple initially lived at South Boig farm, where James worked as an agricultural labourer, and it was here in 1825 that their daughter Agnes was born. Two years later a son, Hugh was born at Afton Bridgend followed by siblings – Andrew (1830), James (1835), Jane (1838) and Mary (1842). Although James owned two houses there, he let them out, and instead he and his family lived in a house at Afton Bridgend owned by a Miss Janet Kerr, born at Guildhall, Kirkconnel. (N.B. the relationship, if any, between Miss Janet Kerr and Mary McKenzie nee Kerr has yet to be established.)

In December 1860 James McKenzie died, aged 62 years, after suffering 4 weeks of compound fracture of a leg, and his death certificate records his occupation as quarryman. In the following year his widow Mary McKenzie is recorded as innkeeper in the 1861 Census, and perhaps she had been in that role prior to her husband’s death. At that time Mary was living at the Reformed Presbyterian Manse, along with her daughter, also Mary, and grandsons William and James Campbell.

By 1865, the Valuation Rolls show that Mary owned a house in Afton Bridgend and let this out to ‘tenants under £4‘ while the family continued to be a tenant of Miss Janet Kerr. It is worth noting that the Reverend Matthew Hutchison was now resident in the manse.

In 1866 Mary’s daughter Mary, hand-sewer had married George Kerr, shoemaker, born in 1843 at nearby Couplagate, son of Robert Kerr and Mary Kellock. This created the unusual situation that Mary McKenzie (nee Kerr) had a daughter Mary Kerr (nee McKenzie). Of greater interest is that George Kerr was the nephew of Miss Janet Kerr but sadly she passed away the following year, aged 60 years. The year after that, Mary McKenzie (nee Kerr) died, aged 67 years.

At the time of the 1871 Census, George and Mary were living in a Public House at Afton Bridgend along with their infant daughter Mary. Although George’s occupation was given as coal pit labourer, it may be the case that both he and his wife also served as publicans.

The 1875 Valuation Rolls reveal that the houses previously owned by the late Mary Kerr (nee McKenzie) were now owned by her brother Hugh McKenzie, living in New Zealand. The house and public house where George Kerr, innkeeper and his family lived were one several Afton Bridgend properties now owned by Robert Lennox, farmer, Coylton [19]. By the 1881 Census the Kerr children now numbered four, i.e. Mary, Robert, Agnes and Jane, while George’s occupation was recorded as spirit dealer.

Sadly, George Kerr died in 1884, aged 41 years and his fellow innkeeper, James Young of the Castle Inn, penned the following tribute to ‘Bridgend’s brightest star‘ [20].

Photos courtesy of George Gilbert

Mary, aged 41, now a widow, took over the reins at Brigend Inn and a year later, in the 1885 Valuation Rolls, she is recorded as a spirit dealer and tenant of Public House & Store at 13 Afton Bridgend. In the 1891 Census the family record reads – Mary, 41, innkeeper; Mary, 22, domestic servant; Robert 19, grocer; Nancy (Agnes) 16, seamstress and Jane, 14, scholar. Two years later daughter Mary married Archibald Gilbert, ironmonger and set up home in the Neilson Buildings, Castle.

In the 1901 Census, Mary’s occupation is recorded as publican and so too that of her youngest daughter Jane (Jeanie), now aged 24. They continued to live and work together until 1908 when Mary Kerr (nee McKenzie), spirit dealer, passed away, aged 66 years.

Jane Kerr continued to live and work at Bridgend as publican, along with a teenage neice Mary Kerr. At the same time her sister Mary along with her husband Archibald Gilbert and their children Elizabeth and George moved into the premises at Bridgend, where Archibald worked as a spirit salesman. However, in 1913, Archibald took seriously ill and died at Victoria Infirmary, Glasgow, aged 41 years.

The 1920 Valuation Rolls recorded Jane Kerr, spinster and Mrs Mary Kerr Gilbert as co-owners of the Bridgend public house & store, while Jane Kerr, spirit dealer was also recorded as the tenant. A year later in the 1921 Census the family – Mary Gilbert, 54, head of household; Jane Kerr, 44, sister, spirit & wine merchant; George Gilbert, son, 23, motor driver, James Tweedie, motor agent s;

Together sisters Jane Kerr and Mary Gilbert continued as mine hosts at Bridgend Inn and by 1935, Mary’s son George Gilbert had taken on the role of public manager from his home at Afton Crescent (later renamed Afton Road). In 1939 Mary Gilbert died at Bridgend Inn, aged 69 years and two years later Jane Kerr, wine & spirit merchant, passed away at the Inn. George Gilbert took over as licensee at Bridgend Inn until his retirement in 1961 after which he sold off the property.

Bridgend Inn survives to this day and along with Munro’s Bar (formerly McKechnie’s) are now the only remaining public houses in the parish while long established inns – Crown Inn /Hotel (demolished), Castle Inn / Hotel (building currently being converted to budget accommodation facility), Afton Hotel (demolished) and Cross Keys Inn, Pathhead (demolished).

The major activity of the Ayr County Council Housing Association to the south of Afton Bridgend was the demolition of the Greenhead Rows and the construction of a new road, with houses on either side and named Mason Avenue, after local councillor Mr. James Mason.

• Map 8: Afton Bridgend (OS1895) | Reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland
• Map 10: Housing at Afton Bridgend (OS 1961) | Reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland

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All photos above (Robert Guthrie 2024)

Although the name Afton Bridgend was originally applied to a small village comprising ‘two rows of one story cottages‘ the moderns street name applies to thoroughfare that stretches from its junction with Castle, at the Old Mill, eastwards to the outskirts of the village.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Many thanks to Elizabeth Johnstone (nee Gallocher) for the photographs of her family along with records from her genealogical research

Many thanks to George Gilbert for photographs and information on his family and more can be viewed at New Cumnock Family Album

References

[1] New Cumnock Heritage | Campbells of Dalhanna, Road Builders

[2] British Newspaper Archive | Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald, Saturday 12th April 1862

[3] British Newspaper Archive | Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald, Saturday 11th April 1863

[4] British Newspaper Archive | Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald, Saturday 8th August 1863

[5] New Cumnock History | Buildings, Bridges, Nith Bridge

[6] British Newspaper Archive | Ayr Observer, Thursday 4th May 1882

[7] British Newspaper Archive | Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald, Saturday 8th August 1863

[8] British Newspaper Archive | Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald, Saturday 22nd July August 1882

[9] New Cumnock History | Buildings, Bridges, Afton Bridge [In Progress]

[10] British Newspaper Archive | Irvine Times Friday 21 December 1888

[11] Donald McIver, ‘Old NEW CUMNOCK’, Stenlake Publishing, Cumnock (1997)

[12] Rev. James Young | New Cumnock, County of Ayrshire, OSA, Vol. VI, 1793

[13] British Newspaper Archive |Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald, 05 Jul 1895

[14] New Cumnock Place-Names | Greenhead

[15] Rev. Matthew Kirkland |New Cumnock, County of Ayrshire, NSA, Vol. V, 1845

[16] British Newspaper Archive |Ayr Observer, Tuesday 02 December 1884

[17] AYRSHIRE NOTES, AYRSHIRE ARCHAEOLOGICAL & NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY in association with AYRSHIRE FEDERATION OF HISTORICAL SOCIETIES, Spring 2008 | Dane Love ‘Adam Brown Todd’

[18] National Library of Scotland © 2012 Scottish Post Office Directories Pigot Directory (1837)

[19] New Cumnock Place-Names |Greenhead

[20] British Newspaper Archive |Ayrshire Post, Friday 05 September 1884

Maps

Reproduced with the Permission of National Library of Scotland

https://maps.nls.uk/

Map 1: Roy Military Survey of Scotland, 1747-1755, Lowlands (1752-55)|Bridge on River Nith

Map 2: Andrew Armstrong, Andrew, A new map of Ayrshire (1775) |Afton Bridge and Nith Bridge

Map 3: James Macderment and Sons. Map of the turnpike & parish roads, [for parishes in central Ayrshire] New Cumnock (1852)|Afton Bridge and Nith Bridge

Afton Bridge

Map 4: Ordnance Survey Maps – Six-inch 1st edition, Scotland, 1843-1882 (1857) | Afton Bridge

Map 5: Ordnance Survey Maps – 25 inch 2nd and later editions, Scotland, 1892-1949 (1895) | Afton Bridge

Map 6: Ordnance Survey Maps – Six-inch 1st edition, Scotland, 1843-1882 (1857) | Nithbridgend

Map 7: Ordnance Survey Maps – Six-inch 1st edition, Scotland, 1843-1882 (1857) | Afton Bridgend and Couplagate

Map 8: Ordnance Survey Maps – 25 inch 2nd and later editions, Scotland, 1892-1949 (1895) | Afton Bridgend

Map 9: Ordnance Survey National Grid maps, 1944-1973 (1961) | Afton Bridgend Housing (north)

Map 10: Ordnance Survey National Grid maps, 1944-1973 (1961) | Afton Bridgend Housing (south)

Map 11: Ordnance Survey, 1:25,000 maps of Great Britain – 1937-1961 (1957) | ( Afton Bridgend street-name

Ordnance Survey Name Books

By Permission of Scotland’s Places

scotlandsplaces.gov.uk

Ayrshire OS Name Books (1855-57) Vol. 49| Afton Bridgend