The Lands Of Ashgrove

The Lands of Ashgrove, previously known as Ashenyards formed a small estate in the Parish of Kilwinning, North Ayrshire lying between Kilwinning and Stevenston. The Georgian mansion house was demolished in 1960, the substantial walled garden survives. HistoryThe Kings' RoadPortencross Castle is said to have been the last mainland resting place for many of the former kings of Scotland between the reigns of Kenneth I (810–858) and Malcolm III (1030 /38-1093). The coffins of these kings were taken by road from Edinburgh via Kilwinning Abbey and what may be an old Roman road to the harbours at Portencross where they were put aboard a boat and taken to Iona in whose sacred grounds where they were laid to rest. Pilgrims would have followed the same route. This 'Avondale Roma Road' may have continued to a harbour at Little Brigurd Point near Hunterston. The 'Kings' Road' as it is traditionally known, ran from Kilwinning Abbey, through Byres, up through the lands of Ashgrove to take the 'Auld Clay Road' that branches off just before Lochwood. Armstrong's map of circa 1747 shows that the only direct inland Kilwinning to Portencross road ran along a route that has now largely been abandoned or is now used only by farm vehicles, etc. Armstrong's and other maps show that the route was as follows, modern spellings are in brackets: Kilwinning – Ashgrove – Bankend – the Old Clay Road – Muirhead – Darleith – Ettington (Itlington) – Knock – Edward (Knockewart?) – Newton – Springside – Kilbride (West Kilbride) – Arneal (Auld Hill) – Porting Cross (Portencross). It has been suggested that this road was of Roman origin, the 'Avondale Roman Road', known later as the 'Haaf Weg' translating as the 'road to the sea' a possible surviving reference being the 'Halfway Street' still to be found in West Kilbride.

The Lands of Ashgrove, previously known as Ashenyards formed a small estate in the Parish of Kilwinning, North Ayrshire lying between Kilwinning and Stevenston. The Georgian mansion house was demolished in 1960, the substantial walled garden survives. HistoryThe Kings' RoadPortencross Castle is said to have been the last mainland resting place for many of the former kings of Scotland between the reigns of Kenneth I (810–858) and Malcolm III (1030 /38-1093). The coffins of these kings were taken by road from Edinburgh via Kilwinning Abbey and what may be an old Roman road to the harbours at Portencross where they were put aboard a boat and taken to Iona in whose sacred grounds where they were laid to rest. Pilgrims would have followed the same route. This 'Avondale Roma Road' may have continued to a harbour at Little Brigurd Point near Hunterston. The 'Kings' Road' as it is traditionally known, ran from Kilwinning Abbey, through Byres, up through the lands of Ashgrove to take the 'Auld Clay Road' that branches off just before Lochwood. Armstrong's map of circa 1747 shows that the only direct inland Kilwinning to Portencross road ran along a route that has now largely been abandoned or is now used only by farm vehicles, etc. Armstrong's and other maps show that the route was as follows, modern spellings are in brackets: Kilwinning – Ashgrove – Bankend – the Old Clay Road – Muirhead – Darleith – Ettington (Itlington) – Knock – Edward (Knockewart?) – Newton – Springside – Kilbride (West Kilbride) – Arneal (Auld Hill) – Porting Cross (Portencross). It has been suggested that this road was of Roman origin, the 'Avondale Roman Road', known later as the 'Haaf Weg' translating as the 'road to the sea' a possible surviving reference being the 'Halfway Street' still to be found in West Kilbride.