[Gazetteer of Scotland Contents]
DREGHORN,1 a parish in the southern part of the district of Cunningham, Ayrshire. It is an irregular stripe, about 8 miles long, and from ¾ of a mile to 2 miles broad, stretching from south-west to north-east. On three sides its boundary is marked by streams; on the east by Garrier or Gawrier burn, which divides it from Kilmaurs; on the south by Irvine water, which divides it from Dundonald; and on the west and north-west by Annock water, which divides it from Irvine and Stewarton; and on the north-east the parish is bounded by Fenwick. At the south-west end – which is distant only a mile from the coast – the surface is a dead flat very slightly above sea-level; but it thence rises, in gentle undulations, toward the east and north-east, and both in the interior, and especially along the banks of the Annock, wears a pleasing appearance. In the flat grounds, the soil is sandy and gravelly; but in the other districts, it is a fine deep loam, remarkably fertile. The whole parish, except a few acres of meadow-land, is under cultivation, well-enclosed, and judiciously interspersed with plantation. Coal and limestone are worked; and freestone is found. The parish is intersected eastward by the road from Irvine to Kilmarnock, and north-eastward by the road from Irvine, through Stewarton to Glasgow; and is provided with numerous cross or subordinate roads. The village of Dreghorn is situated in the south-west district of the parish, on the first gentle acclivity above the flat grounds, and commands a fine view of the frith of Clyde, and the coast of Ayrshire. The houses stand in irregular lines, and, being interspersed with trees, and whitewashed, make a fine rural grouping to the eye. The village is 2 miles from Irvine, on the highway between that town and Kilmarnock; and has about 300 inhabitants. Population of the parish, in 1801, 797; in 1831, 888. Houses 149. Assessed property, in 1815, £11,895 Dreghorn is in the presbytery of Irvine, and synod of Glasgow and Ayr. Patron, the Earl of Eglinton. Stipend £176 13s. 10d.; glebe £3. Unappropriated teinds £826 14s. 10d. The church was built in 1780, and is situated in the village. Sittings 427. From a fourth to a third of the parishioners are Dissenters, most of whom are connected with congregations in Irvine. – Schoolmaster’s salary £29 18s. 10½d., with £60 other emoluments. There are 2 schools nonparochial. – Dreghorn, in its present form, comprehends the ancient parishes of Dreghorn and Pierce-town, which were united in 1668. The churches of both parishes anciently belonged to the monks of Kilwinning, and were served by vicars. In 1603, the patronage of the church of Pierce-town, with the tithes and church-lands, were granted to Hugh, the Earl of Eglinton.
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1 In early charters, the name was written Dregern; and it is probably derived from the British Tre-quern, which signifies the town or habitation by the swamp, or by the alder-trees.