The hamlet of Auchentiber (Scottish Gaelic, Achadh an Tiobair, meaning field of the well) is in North Ayrshire, Parish of Kilwinning, Scotland. Auchentiber is northeast of Kilwinning on the Lochlibo Road, from the hamlet of Burnhouse and from the village of Barrmill. Grid Ref. NS3647. Some new housing has been built, but the settlement is still very much a hamlet. The settlement is on the Lugton Water, which runs into the River Garnock after running through Montgreenan and Eglinton Country Park in Irvine.
Introduction Auchentiber lies on the old toll roads from Ayr () to Glasgow (), and Irvine to Glasgow with a junction for Kilwinning and a nearby country road leading to Bloak, Aiket Castle, Bonshaw, the Kilbrides and ultimately to Stewarton. The main part of the village is now on a "cul de sac", however previously lanes, footpaths and fords gave through routes to Fergushill Hall, the Stewarton road and back up to the Glasgow or "Lochlibo Road" via Bentfauld farm. A lane branches off at Bloak Road Bridge which runs via several farms, past Clonbeith and thence to Irvine via Sevenacres.
History Spelled "Auchintibber" in 1879, Ainslie'sAinslie, John (1821). A Map of the Southern Part of Scotland. map of 1822 marks the site of the settlement with the modern spelling of "Auchentiber". The name "Achertybry" is marked on Pont's map of 1604,Pont, Timothy (1604). Cuninghamia. Pub. Blaeu in 1654. and another similar name, Achyntybers' is marked in the Parish of Stewarton as part of the "Barony of Balgray". The Stewarton area farms of this name are still extant and Pont states that the "Achin-Tybers" are the inheritance of the Earls of Cassillis.Dobie, James D. (ed Dobie, J.S.) (1876). Cunninghame, Topographized by Timothy Pont 1604–1608, with continuations and illustrative notices. Pub. John Tweed, Glasgow. p. 50. Armstrong's map of 1775,Armstrong and Son. Engraved by S.Pyle (1775). A New Map of Ayr Shire comprehending Kyle, Cunningham and Carrick. shows Auchentiber, Wardlaw and Redwells. Bloak is spelt 'Bloate'. EtymologyThe name Auchentiber, is thought to be derived, according to Pont, from 'the field of the well'. In Gaelic an 'Achin' is a 'fauld' or 'field' created from the clearance of 'wild' land and a 'Tiber' is a well or spring. See Knockentiber.
In 1550, Gavin Hamilton of Raploch, Abbot of Kilwinning Abbey granted the lands of 'Auchintiber' and 'Airthmaid' (Auchenmmade) to Gavin of Raploch, at an annual rent of 16 bolls of beirLocal History Dictionary ('beir', 'bere' also 'bear' was the primitive indigenous form of one-sided barley. It gave a good yield on poor soils and its straw, used for thatching, was long and strong), 9 score 18 stones of cheese, and 7 stirks. This continued with Alexander Cunninghame, the commendator of the abbey in 1571 and third son of Alexander, fifth Earl of Glencairn. He was destined to be shot at his own gate on 1 August 1591 by Sir Robert Montgomerie of Skelmorlie, as part of the reprisals linked to the murder of the Earl of Eglinton, a Montgomery, at the Annick Ford on 18 April 1586.Dobie, James D. (ed Dobie, J.S.) (1876). Cunninghame, Topographized by Timothy Pont 1604–1608, with continuations and illustrative notices. Pub. John Tweed, Glasgow. p. 265.
In June 1590, Andrew Mure is recorded as being the heir to his late father John, in the 10s (Scots) lands of Over-Auchentiber in the Bailiary of Cuninghame, which he holds for the payment of 10 firlots and 2 pecks of oatmeal from the feudal lord. John Dene or DeyneDobie, James D. (ed Dobie, J.S.) (1876). Cunninghame, Topographized by Timothy Pont 1604–1608, with continuations and illustrative notices. Pub. John Tweed, Glasgow. p. 51. is recorded on the same date as heir to his father John of the 20s (Scots) lands of Over-Auchentiber for 41 stone of cheese (petrae casei). On 4 October 1671, Janet and Agnes Murchland, are recorded as heirs of their grandfather, John Murchland in Cavan Miln (mill), in a part of the 40s (Scots) of Nether – Auchentiber.
In 1640 Hew Montgomerie is recorded as owning 'Over-Auchentyber', with John Dean and his mother, Andro (Sic) Mure and Robert Mure residing there. In 1876 the Auchentibers belonged to Robert Bruce Robertson Glasgow of Montgreenan, William Gemmell, Hugh Fleming, and Robert Fleming.
StevenSteven, Rev. Charles Bannatyne (Revised 1842). Parish of Stewarton. Presbytery of Irvine, Synod of Glasgow and Ayr lists John & Alexander Ferguson, Alexander Wylie and Robert Duncan in 1842 as owners of the "Auchentibers".
The Cleikum Inn An Inn with this name is marked on the 1860 OS map on the right hand side of the road near Bentfauld farm. The 1895 does not name it as an inn, but does mark the inn at the position of the present day Blair Tavern; the 1925 OS marks the inn, but not the present day 'Blair Tavern'. The name CleikumScots Dictionary may be related to the 'Cleikum Inn' which features in Sir Walter Scott's novel 'St Ronan's Well', in which the 'Cleikum Club' met in the 'Cleikum Inn', so called from the sign-post showing the Saint catching the Devil. Meg Dods, landlady of the Cleikum Inn, is a formidable hostess, who runs a well organised hostelry with high standards of cleanliness and a distinct partiality regarding the social standing of her guests. This may explain why the name was taken up by many inns throughout the country. The name is derived from a unique ceremony the "Cleikum Celebrations". . . . According to the ancient story, St Ronan met the evil one and “” well and truly by the "hint leg" and vanquished him with the only weapon to hand, the Cleikum Crook, a replica of which is carried by the "Patron Saint" during these celebrations at Innerleithen, near Edinburgh. A boy takes the part of the Patron Saint. A 'Cleik' in Scots is a metal pole from which a pot was hung to heat over a fire.
Mistress DodsThe Cleikum Club was the landlady of the Cleikum Inn near Peebles which hosted the gatherings of the Cleikum Club. The aim of the club, which counted Sir Walter Scott among its members, was to celebrate our Scottish national literature. They certainly were among the first organisations to celebrate a Burns' Night. Mistress Dods was a superb cook and rigorous task-master. Staff ' and guests ' trembled before her! Her major publication 'The Cook's and Housewife's Manual' had the same iconic relationship to Scottish cuisine as that of Mrs Beaton to households south of the border. The name of the inn may reflect the popularity of Sir Walter Scott's novels at the time. The inn may have lost out to competition from the 'Blair Tavern' or to Burnhouse which had several inns at one time.
James Samuel Wyper was born on 24 October 1920, at Shettleston in Glasgow. When he was two years old he moved with his parents and sisters Violet, Margaret and Tilda to rural Auchentiber near Kilwinning in Ayrshire where their home was a former old coaching inn, the iron rings for tethering horses still embedded in the outer walls.'The Northern Times' 6 April 2007. James's sister Margaret remained at the Inn nursing both her parents until their death. She married her husband Duncan Hyslop at the nearby Benslie Parish Church and her daughter Margaret was born in the house. When her brother James sold the house Margaret and her family moved to Uplawmoor. A lay-by now exists at the site of the Cleikum Inn.
Jamieson records that the inn at Burnhouse was nicknames the 'Trap 'Em Inn', the one at Lugton was called the 'Lug 'Em Inn', that at Auchentiber the '', and finally the one at Torranyard was called the 'Turn 'Em Out.'Jamieson, Shiela (1997). Our Village. Greenhills WRI. Page 18
The local schools
In 1860 a school is shown on the OS map in the hamlet, but by 1879 it was moved to the other side of the Lugton Water, with accommodation for 110 children, and an average attendance of 50, and with a grant of £45 11s 0d. In 1881 the attendance was 73 pupils.Groome, Francis H. (1880–85) Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland: A Survey of Scottish Topography, Statistical, Biographical and Historical, published in parts by Thomas C. Jack, Grange Publishing Works, Edinburgh. A new Auchentiber school was built near the Bloak Road bridge and closed in 1954.Inglis, W.T.H. (5 August 1954). Director of Education, Ayr County Council. Education Committee. The building survives as a private house. A small school was also located for many years at the nearby hamlet of Bloak.
The Blair Tavern The 'Blair Tavern' is a prominent group of buildings, but it was not opened as a public house until the late 20th century, although the buildings are marked on the 1860 OS map and may be even older. The date 1834 in Roman numerals is above the entrance door of the tavern.
In the 1960s it was a garage, the Blair Garage, and prior to that it may have had some link with the Fergushill Hall. It was renovated in 2008–2009 and is now known as the 'Blair'.
Local place names The main road through the hamlet was not in existence in 1745, but when first built it is recorded as "Lochlibo Road". "Bloak Road Bridge" is the one near the entrance to Greenlea (previously Greenlee). Mosside was the farm near the Glasgow and Irvine milestones, now a ruin. Meg'swa's' is Megswells and is on the road to Irvine via Clonbeith, mentioned in the story Lady in the Peat. "Todholes" was a ruin as far back as 1860 and lay close to a small quarry on the Auchentiber moss side of the Kilwinning Road. "Waukmill" was a group of buildings near the ford off the old lane that came out on to the Stewarton road beyond Wardlaw farm. Satellite imagery shows up the course of the old waulkmill lade which came off the Lugton Water to power the waterwheel and returned just below the old ford. Twyford Cottage seems to be named after the ford which lay between it and the road to Wardlaw and Bloak.
Fergushill Hall A number of properties in the surrounding area have the appellation Fergushill, such as at Knockentiber; North & South Fergushills near Eglinton, also Hill and Hall of Fergushill at Auchentiber. A lane ran to Fergushill Hall from the buildings in Auchentiber which now form the Blair Tavern. This lane only exists in part as of 2007.
Robert Fergushill of Fergushill had a crown charter in 1633 of the lands of Middle Auchentiber. He was the last of the lairds and the Craufurds of Craufurdland appear to have inherited. He had married Marion Porterfield, daughter of Alexander Porterfield younger of that Ilk.Paterson, James (1899) History of the County of Ayr with a Genealogical account of the families of Ayrshire. Vol. 2. Pub. Thomas George Stevenson, Edinburgh. p. 504.
Mineral wells and the source of the Chapel Burn PatersonPaterson, James (1863–66). History of the Counties of Ayr and Wigton. V. – III – Cunninghame. J. Stillie. Edinburgh. (1866) states that there is a mineral spring near Stewarton, called the Bloak Well. RobinsonRobinson, Mairi (2000). The Concise Scots Dictionary. Aberdeen. gives the Scot's word 'blout' as meaning the 'eruption of fluid' or a place that is soft or wet. Both meanings would fit in this context. Blout and Bloak are very similar words, with a Bloak Moss not very far.
A well recorded as Bloak Well was first discovered in 1800,Smith, John (1895). Prehistoric Man in Ayrshire. Pub. Elliot Stock. around 1826Paterson, James (1863–66). History of the Counties of Ayr and Wigton. V. – III – Cunninghame. J. Stillie. Edinburgh. or 1810,Topographical Dictionary of Scotland (1846). p. 467 by the fact that pigeons from Lainshaw House and the neighbouring parishes flocked here to drink.