[Gazetteer of Scotland Contents]
DERVAL, or DERVILLE, a regularly built, prosperous, manufacturing village, on Irvine water, at the southern verge of the parish of Loudon, Ayrshire. It is 9 miles east of Kilmarnock, on the road between that town and Strathaven. In 1811, it contained about 400 inhabitants; in 1836, 150 houses, and 1,160 inhabitants. The lands of Derval anciently belonged to the Knights Templars, and were independent of tenure, not even holding of the Crown.
The Farm of Templehill Dervel (local pronunciation. Now Darvel) in the Irvine Valley Ayrshire Scotland. Was Headquarters of the Knights Templar and they owned the farm of Derval. 12 Knights were given an equal division of the farm which became the town of Derval (Hidden valley).