Riccarton is a village and parish in East Ayrshire, Scotland. It lies across the River Irvine from Kilmarnock, this river forming the boundary between Riccarton and Kilmarnock parishes, and also between the historical districts of Kyle and Cunningham.Adamson, Archibald R. (1875). Rambles Round Kilmarnock. Pub. Kilmarnock. Pps. 49 - 47. The name is a corruption of 'Richard's town', traditionally said to refer to Richard Wallace, the uncle of Sir William Wallace.Wilson, Professor & Chambers, Robert (1840) The Land of Burns. Pub. Blackie & Son. London. P. 74. The parish also contains the village of Hurlford.

History The village became a Burgh of Barony in 1638, but its civic powers were never exercised. Riccarton is also sometimes called Ellerslie.The Clan Wallace. In 1875 Riccarton had a population of 1,889,Adamson, Archibald R. (1875). Rambles Round Kilmarnock. Pub. T. Stevenson. Kilmarnock. P. 54. but by 1951 that had increased to between 7,000 and 8,000; many of whom were employed at the Glenfield Works in Kilmarnock.Strawhorn, John & Boyd, William (1951) The Third Statistical Account of Scotland. Ayrshire. Pub. Oliver & Boyd. Edinburgh. P. 456.

Riccarton has effectively been absorbed into Kilmarnock, partly through the growth of council housing estates at Shortlees, Witchknowe and Burnpark, and later by the improvements to the A71 (T) road, the building of which, together with associated interchanges, effectively made the old village centre into a large traffic island.

The Barony of Riccarton The ancient 109 merkland barony included 54 separate landholdings, including the coalheughs of Riccarton and all the buildings, orchards, woods, mills, and fishings (salmon and others). Riccarton and Shaws mill were included. Also the £17 lands of Kaimshill, Auchindinane and Hunthall, oddly also the £5 land of Elderslie in Renfrewshire, the 4 merklands of Inchgotrig and the 2 merklands of Holme.Wallace & the Barony of Riccarton

The churches A pre-reformation Riccarton parish church stood in the centre of the old burial ground; first noted, as a chapel, in 1229, sub-ordinate to the church of Dundonald.Groome, Francis H. (1903). Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland. Pub. Caxton. London. P. 1379. It was granted by Walter, High Steward of Scotland, to the short-lived independent Gilbertine convent of Dalmulin. This convent was dissolved in 1238, and the 'chapel' given to the monastery of Paisley, becoming the parish church, which still belonged to the monks. The last patrons were the Cuninghames of Caprington, whose impressive memorial still stands; some of the Campbells of Treesbank are also interred here.Paterson, James (1863). History of the Counties of Ayr and Wigton. Pub. James Stillie. Edinburgh. Vol.1.-Kyle. P. 639.MacIntosh, John (1894) Ayrshire Nights' Entertainments. Pub. Dunlop & Drennan. Kilmarnock. P. 241 - 242.

The old cemetery has a number of interesting pre-reformation style gravestones, ornamented with scenes of men ploughing with oxen, one with a bodkin, shears and iron, another with millstones, wheels, and other gearing, and even a few with Garden of Eden scenes. The oldest discernible stone is marked 1641.Adamson, Archibald R. (1875). Rambles Round Kilmarnock. Pub. T. Stevenson. Kilmarnock. P. 51 - 52. Unfortunately many are very worn and heraldic devices, etc. can no longer be made out with any certainty.

From the presbytery records it would appear to have been rebuilt in 1725.Kilmarnock, Riccarton Parish Church. Canmore It was replaced by the present church (at NS 4282 3639) in 1823, which was built on the old Judgement or Moot hill of the barony of Riccarton. Of the old church in the small churchyard nearby, nothing now remains above ground, the stones being used to build a single story house close to the old bridge.Adamson, Archibald R. (1875). Rambles Round Kilmarnock. Pub. T. Stevenson. Kilmarnock. P. 53.

The manse no longer exists, however it had a claim to significance in that it had a mantelpiece in its kitchen which came from the dining room of Riccarton castle.Adamson, Archibald R. (1875). Rambles Round Kilmarnock. Pub. T. Stevenson. Kilmarnock. P. 55.

Sawney Moodie Alexander Moodie (1728–1799) was the Auld-Licht Protestant minister of Riccarton lampooned by Robert Burns. Burns has him preaching with hell-fire roaring, enough to send the Devil himself back to his hot hell in fright.Hogg, Patrick Scott (2008). Robert Burns The Patriot Bard. Edinburgh : Mainstream Publishing. . p. 80 - 81. He was educated at Glasgow University and starting his ministry at Culross in 1759. He was buried in the Riccarton churchyard, but the present church wasn't built until 1823.

Alexander had a hyperactive and deafening preaching style. Burns also references him in the Holy Fair with : His lengthen'd chin, his turned-up snout, His eldritch squeel an' gestures, O how they fire the heart devout..

This was followed by a lampooning in "The Kirk's Alarm" where his swarthy complexion earned him the title of Singet Sawnie. Burns wrote The Holy Tulzie in 1784 in response to a verbally violent dispute over parish boundaries between Alexander Moodie and the John Russel, minister of Kilmarnock's High Kirk.

Local worthies and eccentrics

Gilbert de Grimsby was born at Riccarton and would have known William Wallace during his childhood. Gilbert's Scots nickname was 'Jop' and as a man of great stature and generally impressive appearance he was chosen by Edward I to carry the sacred banner of Saint John of Beverley at the head of the English army at the Battle of Dunbar in 1296 after voluntarily joining the English army. He had served under Edward in Flanders and Picardy and had been selected as a pursuivant or herald. On hearing of William Wallace's insurrection Gilbert deserted Edward and joined William's rebellion, bringing invaluable intelligence about the English army and being rewarded with the position of standard-bearer.Mackay, James (1995), William Wallace: Brave Heart. Pub. Edinburgh: Mainstream Publishing. . p. 115.

The Rev. Alexander Moodie, minister of the parish, is buried in the old cemetery. Robbie Burns mentions him in The Holy Fair.MacIntosh, John (1894) Ayrshire Nights' Entertainments. Pub. Dunlop & Drennan. Kilmarnock. P. 242.

Sandy McCrone was a blind fiddler who is remembered for having climbed to the top of the new church when the scaffolding was still in place and placed a potato on the beak of the weathercock.Adamson, Archibald R. (1875). Rambles Round Kilmarnock. Pub. T. Stevenson. Kilmarnock. P. 50.

William Stevenson was a local beggar who came from Dunlop. About 1787 he separated from his wife and made the unusual pledge that if either of them were to make an attempt at reconciliation then that person was to pay the other a £100; a considerable sum in those times. When he died it was found that he was worth around nine hundred pounds. He set aside money for all the beggars in Ayrshire to come and see his body lying in state and then enjoy a great feast in his honour.Adamson, Archibald R. (1875). Rambles Round Kilmarnock. Pub. T. Stevenson. Kilmarnock. P. 52 - 53.

Sir James Shaw, Bart., a Lord Mayor of London was born at Mosshead farm on the Treesbank estate in 1764.Paterson, James (1863). History of the Counties of Ayr and Wigton. Pub. James Stillie. Edinburgh. Vol.1.-Kyle. P. 641 - 645. His statue now stands outside the Dick Institute in Kilmarnock.Strawhorn, John & Boyd, William (1951) The Third Statistical Account of Scotland. Ayrshire. Pub. Oliver & Boyd. Edinburgh. Sir James endeared himself to Scotland by the active part which he took in raising money in London for the widow and children of Robbie Burns.Sir James Shaw in Ayrshire Roots.

The Seat of Judgement The present 1823 parish church of Riccarton stands on a mound which is partly natural and partly artificial and which was formerly called "Seat of Judgement", having been a court or moot hill where justice was administered by the old baron court of Riccarton. Paterson in 1863 called it the "Moat."Kilmarnock, Old Street, Riccarton Parish Church. Canmore. Soil from the foundations of the new church on the old moot hill was used to fill up part of the river bed when its course was changed at East Shaw Street, and this area though north of the Irvine still lies in Riccarton parish.Strawhorn, John & Boyd, William (1951) The Third Statistical Account of Scotland. Ayrshire. Pub. Oliver & Boyd. Edinburgh. P. 456 - 457. Witchknowe is an area of Riccarton named after a low hill. No definite site for the 'Gallow's hill' associated with the Moot hill has been identified and this is a candidate, together with the 'Castle hill.'

The 'Castle Hill' in 1895 was a round-topped mound with an oval base close to Damhead House. It was 26 paces in its longest diameter at the base, high on one side and on the other. It was covered with trees and had a seat and a path to the top.Smith, John (1895) Prehistoric Man in Ayrshire. Pub. Elliot Stock. London. P. 130 - 131.

Riccarton Castle and the Sir William Wallace connection

The name Wallace was spelled in various ways, such as 'Waleys', 'Walensis', 'Walays', etc. The family were the barons of Riccarton and it is said that Wallace's father was born here. Some go so far as to suggest that William Wallace himself was born in Riccarton.Strawhorn, John & Boyd, William (1951) The Third Statistical Account of Scotland. Ayrshire. Pub. Oliver & Boyd. Edinburgh. P. 456. After his murder of Selby, Governor of Dundee, William Wallace first sought refuge in Riccarton castle; another time being after he had revenged his uncle's death at the Barns of Ayr.MacIntosh, John (1894) Ayrshire Nights' Entertainments. Pub. Dunlop & Drennan. Kilmarnock. P. 90.

A little below the watermeetingsAdamson, Archibald R. (1875). Rambles Round Kilmarnock. Pub. Kilmarnock. Pps. 49 - 50. of the Irvine and the Kilmarnock Water took place a pivotal incident in 1297Robertson, William (1908). Ayrshire. Its History and Historic Families. Vol.1. Pub. Dunlop & Dreenan. Kilamrnock. P. 61 - 63. which led to the Scottish Nation regaining its independence following what was effectively its conquest by Edward I of England.

Sir William Wallace was fishing on the Irvine at Monksholm also Maxholm farm,Adamson, Archibald R. (1875). Rambles Round Kilmarnock. Pub. T. Stevenson. Kilmarnock. P. 49. about half a mile to the west of old Riccarton castle,Wilson, Professor & Chambers, Robert (1840) The Land of Burns. Pub. Blackie & Son. London. P. 75. when a troop of English soldiers dismounted and demanded that he give up his catch. He offered to share, but this was refused and he was grossly insulted by the soldiers for his temerity. He had no weapons, however he used his fishing rod to disarm one soldier and then killed him with his own sword. He similarly dispatched two others and the remaining soldiers then fled. The Bickering Bush commemorated the site of the incident until the 19th century.

He went to his uncle's castle, the nearby Riccarton castle and took on the disguise of a woman working at her spinning-wheel, thereby eluding the vengeful English troops. In the following months an uprising slowly gained impetus through the example of one unarmed Scotsman killing three armed soldiers. A thorn tree called the "Bickering Bush" stood nearby and its site is marked on the 1860 OS map and a public house by that name used to stand in Riccarton, although another still exists in Bonnyton, Kilmarnock.Adamson, Archibald R. (1875). Rambles Round Kilmarnock. Pub. T. Stevenson. Kilmarnock. P. 49.Love, Dane (2009). Legendary Ayrshire. Custom : Folklore : Tradition. Auchinleck : Carn Publishing. . pp. 86 - 87