Greenhills is a small village or hamlet in North Ayrshire, Parish of Beith, Scotland. It lies between the settlements of Barrmill and hamlet of Burnhouse on a crossroads of the B706 and the lanes to Nettlehirst and Tandlehill via Thirdpart. It is named after the 'Green Hill' an artificial mound, a Moot, Law or Justice hill that once stood here. The settlement lay within the old Barony of Giffen; the castle no longer exists. The village lies within Barrmill and District Community Association's area and is also covered by Beith Community Council.
Greenhills
The village mainstreet looking towards the main road
Greenhills Public School WW1 Memorial, now located at Barrmill.
This small settlement is shown on General Roy's survey of 1747 - 55, under the name of 'Greenhill' in the singular and has two buildings indicated where the old school was situated.
The school
The school, built from Ballochmyle red sandstone, opened in the 1890s with Mr. Mudie as headteacher,[1] at the time that Hessilhead school closed. A temporary building in the playground was used as a dining hall. It was built on the site of the cart wheel workshop and was midway between Burnhouse and Barrmill. Greenhills closed in 1959, it was sold in 1964[1] and demolished in the mid-1980s; having been used for some years as a glue factory by Strathbond Ltd who still trade from the Willowyard Estate, Beith. Mr McGregor was the last headteacher and the sports field had been the field lying across the Barrmill to Burnhouse Road.[2] The Greenhills WRI originally met here, however after the school was demolished they moved to the Barrmill Community Centre.[1]
Industry
A smithy stood at the crossroads on the Borestone farm side of the hamlet. John Marshall and Francis Douglas at this site made ploughs that sold all over the country, known as the Douglas Grubber. A joiner's shop stood next to the smithy, its machinery being driven by steam. The wheel wright's factory site was later used for the school and more recently a private dwelling.[3] A limekiln was situated behind the school, made in the shape of a horseshoe with the opening facing the prevailing south-west wind. It was encased within a bank with a gap at the opening.[4] A limestone quarry existed close to the school site.
The Moot or Justice hill
Flower tub at Greenhills installed and maintained by the Barrmill Conservation group.
This artificial mound or moot hill was the site where proclamations of the Giffen Castle Baronial Court's judgements were made. For serious crimes the men were hung here and women were drowned a pit which would have been nearby. This situation, known as the feudal Barony right of 'pit and gallows' existed at many other sites, such as at Beith, Kilmarnock, Aiket, Ardrossan, and Dalry. Often the mounds were wooded and a Dule Tree may have been used as the gallows. Brehons or Judges administered justice from 'Court Hills', especially in the highlands. Auchenmade had a Law hill mound nearby, possibly destroyed by the railway. The 'Green Hill' stood near to Greenhill farm.[5] No sign of the moot hill seems to survive, however a bridge near to Greenhill is marked as 'Tappethillock', meaning a flat-topped hillock.
Cartographic evidence
Roy's map of 1747 records the settlement of Greenhill on the Beith to Burnhouse road.[6] Armstrong's map of 1775 shows the ruins of Giffin castle only.[7] The 1828 John Thomson's map gives the name as 'Greenhills' and marks Haghead, Borestone, Bank, and Thirdpart in the vicinity.[8]
greenhills, north, ayrshire, greenhills, small, village, hamlet, north, ayrshire, parish, beith, scotland, lies, between, settlements, barrmill, hamlet, burnhouse, crossroads, b706, lanes, nettlehirst, tandlehill, thirdpart, named, after, green, hill, artifici. Greenhills is a small village or hamlet in North Ayrshire Parish of Beith Scotland It lies between the settlements of Barrmill and hamlet of Burnhouse on a crossroads of the B706 and the lanes to Nettlehirst and Tandlehill via Thirdpart It is named after the Green Hill an artificial mound a Moot Law or Justice hill that once stood here The settlement lay within the old Barony of Giffen the castle no longer exists The village lies within Barrmill and District Community Association s area and is also covered by Beith Community Council GreenhillsThe village mainstreet looking towards the main roadGreenhillsLocation within North AyrshireOS grid referenceNS 37386 50820Council areaNorth AyrshireLieutenancy areaAyrshire and ArranCountryScotlandSovereign stateUnited KingdomDialling code01560PoliceScotlandFireScottishAmbulanceScottishUK ParliamentCentral AyrshireScottish ParliamentCunninghame SouthList of places UK Scotland 55 43 25 N 4 35 22 W 55 72351 N 4 589411 W 55 72351 4 589411 Coordinates 55 43 25 N 4 35 22 W 55 72351 N 4 589411 W 55 72351 4 589411 Contents 1 History 1 1 The school 1 2 Industry 1 3 The Moot or Justice hill 1 4 Cartographic evidence 2 See also 3 References 3 1 Notes 3 2 Sources and bibliography 4 External linksHistory Edit Greenhills Public School WW1 Memorial now located at Barrmill This small settlement is shown on General Roy s survey of 1747 55 under the name of Greenhill in the singular and has two buildings indicated where the old school was situated The school Edit The school built from Ballochmyle red sandstone opened in the 1890s with Mr Mudie as headteacher 1 at the time that Hessilhead school closed A temporary building in the playground was used as a dining hall It was built on the site of the cart wheel workshop and was midway between Burnhouse and Barrmill Greenhills closed in 1959 it was sold in 1964 1 and demolished in the mid 1980s having been used for some years as a glue factory by Strathbond Ltd who still trade from the Willowyard Estate Beith Mr McGregor was the last headteacher and the sports field had been the field lying across the Barrmill to Burnhouse Road 2 The Greenhills WRI originally met here however after the school was demolished they moved to the Barrmill Community Centre 1 Industry Edit A smithy stood at the crossroads on the Borestone farm side of the hamlet John Marshall and Francis Douglas at this site made ploughs that sold all over the country known as the Douglas Grubber A joiner s shop stood next to the smithy its machinery being driven by steam The wheel wright s factory site was later used for the school and more recently a private dwelling 3 A limekiln was situated behind the school made in the shape of a horseshoe with the opening facing the prevailing south west wind It was encased within a bank with a gap at the opening 4 A limestone quarry existed close to the school site The Moot or Justice hill Edit Flower tub at Greenhills installed and maintained by the Barrmill Conservation group This artificial mound or moot hill was the site where proclamations of the Giffen Castle Baronial Court s judgements were made For serious crimes the men were hung here and women were drowned a pit which would have been nearby This situation known as the feudal Barony right of pit and gallows existed at many other sites such as at Beith Kilmarnock Aiket Ardrossan and Dalry Often the mounds were wooded and a Dule Tree may have been used as the gallows Brehons or Judges administered justice from Court Hills especially in the highlands Auchenmade had a Law hill mound nearby possibly destroyed by the railway The Green Hill stood near to Greenhill farm 5 No sign of the moot hill seems to survive however a bridge near to Greenhill is marked as Tappethillock meaning a flat topped hillock Cartographic evidence Edit Roy s map of 1747 records the settlement of Greenhill on the Beith to Burnhouse road 6 Armstrong s map of 1775 shows the ruins of Giffin castle only 7 The 1828 John Thomson s map gives the name as Greenhills and marks Haghead Borestone Bank and Thirdpart in the vicinity 8 See also Edit Scotland portalBroadstone Castle and Barony Ayrshire Barony and Castle of Giffen Speir s school Giffen railway station Lands of Bogston Nettlehirst BurnhouseReferences EditNotes Edit a b c Jamieson Page 25 Reid Page 117 Jamieson Page 17 Jamieson Page 5 Dobie Page 163 Roy s Map Retrieved 2012 05 06 Armstrong s Map Retrieved 2012 05 06 Thomson s Map Retrieved 2012 05 06 Sources and bibliography Edit Dobie James 1876 Pont s Cunninghame topographized 1604 1608 with continuations and illustrative notices Pub John Tweed Jamieson Sheila 1997 Our Village Greenhills Women s Institute Love Dane 2003 Ayrshire Discovering a County Ayr Fort Publishing ISBN 0 9544461 1 9 Reid Donald L and Monahan Isobel F 1999 Yesterdays Beith a pictorial guide Beith DoE Award Scheme ISBN 0 9522720 5 9External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Greenhills Barrmill 1 Commentary and video on the history of Greenhills 2 Video the View From Greenhills 3 Video footage of Giffen Mill Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Greenhills North Ayrshire amp oldid 1040134859, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
