Darvel

Darvel
Ayrshire
The Law Bridge over the Glen Water near Darvel
Location
Grid reference:	NS564375
Location:	55°36’36"N, 4°16’51"W
Data
Population:	3,361  (2001)
Post town:	Darvel
Postcode:	KA17
Dialling code:	01560
Local Government
Council:	East Ayrshire
Parliamentary constituency:	Kilmarnock and Loudoun

Darvel or Dervel is a small town in Ayrshire, at the eastern end of the Irvine Valley. It is sometimes referred to as The Lang Toon ("the Long Town").

The town is known for Darvel lace.

Geography

1832 map of Darvel, by John Thomson

Darvel is on the A71 road that runs from Irvine on the west coast to Edinburgh on the east. It is nine miles east of Kilmarnock and is the most easterly of the Valley Towns, the others being Galston and Newmilns.

The town was also once linked with Stonehouse (by way of Strathaven) by the Caledonian Railway. However, the line was closed by the LMS before the Second World War. The former Glasgow and South Western Railway branch line to Kilmarnock survived for much longer and was closed in 1964 as part of the Beeching Axe. Much of the route of both the old railway lines is still in existence, although the rails have long since gone and many road bridges have been removed. There was a large viaduct to the east of the town, in the lea of Loudoun Hill, which carried the railway line over the valley. This was however, demolished in 1986, and only the piers remain.

The River Irvine flows through the town and once powered local mills.

History

A view of the Glen Water at Law Bridge in Darvel

Although the modern town of Darvel is said to have been established in the late 18th century, Roman settlements have been found at the base of Loudoun Hill on Allanton Plain and visible at one point from the Winny Wizzen. The name Darvel was recorded in old charters as variations of 'Dernvale' or 'Darnevaill' and may derive from an old English word 'derne' which means 'hidden.'

Sir William Wallace, who fought King Edward I, has also been associated with the area. 15th century minstrel Blind Harry wrote in his poem The Actes and Deidis of the Illustre and Vallyeant Campioun Schir William Wallace that Wallace and his men defeated an English force at the hill in 1296 during the Wars of Scottish Independence. Blind Harry also tells of how the English general, Fenwick, who supposedly killed Wallace's father, was killed during the battle. Maps of the area now name a mound to the east of Loudoun Hill as 'Wallace's Grave'. A battle between Robert the Bruce and the English force was also fought there on 10 May 1307.

The land on which Darvel was built was owned by Earls of Loudoun and it was John Campbell, 4th Earl of Loudoun who began the modern town in 1754 as an income for the estate. By 1780, the population had increased to over 400. Loch Gate or Gait was once a significant loch close to the farm of that name, however it was largely drained for agriculture in the 19th century.

In 1876, the art of lace-making was introduced to the town and many mills were built to keep up with the demand. Market dried up in the 20th century and many factories were forced to close.

About the town

Also of note in the town is Scotland's only 24-hour telephone museum, run by retired engineer Max Flemmich.

There is a Town Hall, a Sports Centre (Gavin Hamilton Sports Centre), and two play-parks (Kirkland Park and Morton Park).

A Gala Day is held every two years, which attracts many visitors, as do the various festivals and open days held in the town.

There are a few pubs in Darvel - 'The Horseshoe', 'The Black Bull' and 'The Railway'. Until 2006 there was also The Turf Hotel, but it has now closed.

Monuments

The Darvel War Memorial is in Hastings Square in the centre of the town.

Alexander Fleming, the discoverer of penicillin, is commemorated memorial at Lochfield Farm, where he was born on 6 August 1881.

The SAS Memorial honours the men and officers of the 1st Special Air Service (SAS) Regiment who, under the command of Lt Col R B Mayne, were stationed in Darvel during the early part of 1944.

The Dagon Stone

The RCHAMS website lists this unhewn olivine monolith as a 'possible' standing stone. It is rather curious and its general size and shape suggest a prehistoric standing stone. It has twelve small connected depressions spread over three of its sides. These have been said to link the stone to astronomical observations and to the noon-day sun height at mid-summer. This would link the stone to life-giving powers, fertility and prosperity.

In 1821 a local blacksmith attached a round sandstone ball to the top of it with an iron bar. Who or why is unknown. It is 1.6m tall and its original position is also unknown. It used to stand in what is now the main street, at the end of Ranoldcoup Road as shown by an old photograph, and was moved to the town square (NS 563 374) when the road was widened.

The Dagon stone in Hasting's Square, Darvel, 2007

Documentation shows that prior to the 19th century messings-about, newlywed couples and their wedding parties marched around it for good luck, accompanied by a fiddler. Wedding processions also used to walk three times sunwise round the Dagon stone on the way to the bride's house.

The annual parade or "Prawd", originally held on old New Year's Day, headed by the village band used to walk sunwise round the Dagon stone as a mark of superstitious respect.

How the stone became named is unknown; Dagon is the name of a Philistine idol, who was half-man half-fish, but not known for devotions in Ayrshire.

Darvel Lace

In 1876 lace making was introduced to the Irvine Valley by Alexander Morton, and mills began to spring up in Darvel and nearby Newmilns. The valley's products were exported throughout the world, with India providing a particularly large market for lace, muslin and madras. Darvel became known as the "Lace Town" and Darvel Lace was known throughout the world.

Factories in the town also diversified into other textiles, until the late 1970s, when the industry struggled to compete with textiles manufactured in India, China and other Far East countries. The decline was swift. By the end of the 20th century, almost all the factories had closed. Many stood empty for some years, but almost all have now been demolished to make way for housing estates.

Lace is still made in the Irvine Valley, and locally made lace curtains used to hang in almost every window in the town. However, the last lace factory in Darvel has now closed, the looms were moved to nearby Newmilns, which is home to the last remaining lace factory in the area.

Sport

• Football:
  • Darvel FC (semi-professional) based at Recreation Park
  • Darvel Victoria, who play at the Gavin Hamilton Sports Centre
• Bowling

There are football pitches at the Morton Park and at the Sports Centre. There has been a new sports cage built, like the ones in neighbouring Newmilns and Galston etc., it is eligible for small-sided games of football and basketball, and is located between the Gavin Hamilton Sports Centre, and a skate park has been built which is very popular locally.

A speedway training track was built by local farmers (the Craig Brothers) on a coal bing (colliery spoil heap) near to the town in the early 1980s. A team representing Darvel raced in the Scottish Junior League with fixtures staged at Blantyre, Edinburgh and Berwick.

Darvel has a football team at Junior level, and an amateur team also, Darvel Victoria.

Outside links

• Darvel at East Ayrshire.gov.uk
• Darvel Musical Festival
• National Library of Scotland: Screen Archive (archive films about Darvel’s Lace Queen celebrations)
• Maps at the National Library of Scotland
• 1860 OS Maps
• General Roy's Military Survey map of Scotland