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{{Infobox UK place
| official_name= Highfield
| gaelic_name=
| scots_name=
| local_name= The Highfield
| country= Scotland
| population =
| population_ref =
| population_density=
| os_grid_reference= NS 30914 50223
| edinburgh_distance=
| london_distance=
| latitude=55.715847
| longitude=-4.693222
| post_town=
| postcode_area=
| postcode_district=
| dial_code=
| constituency_westminster= [[Central Ayrshire (UK Parliament constituency)|Central Ayrshire]]
| unitary_scotland= [[North Ayrshire]]
| lieutenancy_scotland= [[Ayrshire and Arran]]
| constituency_scottish_parliament= [[Cunninghame South (Scottish Parliament constituency)|Cunninghame South]]
|static_image= [[File:Highfield - looking towards Beith.JPG|250px]]
|static_image_caption=Highfield
}}

'''Highfield''' is a small village or hamlet in [[North Ayrshire]], Parish of [[Dalry, North Ayrshire|Dalry]], Scotland. It is situated between the settlements of [[Barkip]] and Dalry on the A737 at a junction with the B777. It lies in the lands of the old [[The Barony of Kersland|Barony of Kersland]], the ruins of Kersland Castle and East Kersland Mill being situated nearby at East Kersland.

== History ==
[[File:Highfield Pit site.JPG|left|thumb|200px|Site of the old Kersland Colliery.]]
A William Stewart of Hiefield is recorded in 1649.<ref>[http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=Be3G6J11IioC&pg=PA148&lpg=PA148&dq=Barony+of+Kersland&source=bl&ots=rZeAjI_Dc3&sig=si3OTY3fGQrnmVBXNHAX1MuhDFo&hl=en&sa=X&ei=YkbCT5rOLIy10QXqwp23Cg&sqi=2&ved=0CFkQ6AEwBw#v=onepage&q=Barony%20of%20Kersland&f=false Barony of Kersland.] Retrieved : 2012-05-27</ref>

Highfield is a hamlet of around twenty-five households at a crossroads on the old Beith to Dalry A737 turnpike, about half a mile from Dalry. A pub was once located here known as the Highfield Inn with a shop attached.<ref>[http://www.scran.ac.uk/database/record.php?usi=000-000-526-942-C Scran] Retrieved : 2012-05-22</ref><ref name=0zs>Dalry History Group, Page 106</ref> A part of the settlement on the B777 road to [[Kilwinning]] is known as the 'Creepies' or 'Little Acre.' Creepie is a Scots work for the hedge sparrow.<ref>[http://www.dsl.ac.uk/ Scots Dictionary] Retrieved : 2012-05-22</ref> The village had some miner's cottages at the 'Creepies', long since demolished.<ref name=0zs/>

Southfield, once the name of the whole settlement of 374 inhabitants in the 19th century,<ref>McMichael, Page 166</ref> is now the area of the settlement to the north of the A737, with a lodging house a surviving building that was a wash-house for the residents. A lane, later reduced to a footpath, ran from the crossroads to the old Kersland pit. Pastureland Farm no longer exists, however Pastureland Cottages are present on the A737.

===Cartographic evidence===
In 1747 the settlement of Hie Field (sic) is marked on Roy's map.<ref>[http://geo.nls.uk/search/roy/#zoom=14&lat=55.71983&lon=-4.71176&layers=0B000000TT Roy's Map] Retrieved : 2012-05-22</ref> In 1775 a substantial property, Highfield, is shown on Armstrong's map.<ref>[http://maps.nls.uk/joins/view/?rsid=74400204&sid=74400947&mid=797&pdesc=North%20West%20section Armstrong's map] Retrieved : 2012-05-22</ref> Thomson's map of 1832 shows Highfield and the dwelling of Pastureland Farm is shown off the old road; the new turnpike is now present.<ref>[http://maps.nls.uk/atlas/thomson/view/?rsid=74400168&sid=74400168&mid=547 Thomson's map] Retrieved : 2012-05-22</ref> The 1890 OS map refers to the settlement 'Southfield'.<ref>[http://maps.nls.uk/os/view/?sid=74488611 1890 OS Map] Retrieved : 2012-05-27</ref>

<gallery>
File:Highfield - The Creepies.JPG|The Creepies and the B777 running south
File:Highfield and the Creepies.JPG|The Creepies as seen from the east
File:Highfield Cottage.JPG|The old Highfield Cottage Inn
File:Highfiled - old wash-house.JPG|The old wash-house near Southfield
File:Highfield - rear of Southfield, etc.JPG|The rear of the Southfield houses
</gallery>

===Industry and businesses===
Coalheughglen lies nearby on the road to Dalry, a limekiln and associated quarry lay above Highfield Farm, as did the small Kersland Colliery and coal pits. An air vent is shown in the field near Coalheughglen Farm. In 1857 the OS maps show the presence of a weighing machine near Southfield and a freestone quarry was located near Littleacre.

The Highfield Inn, now a private house, stood near the lane down to Littleacre and had a small shop that also sold 'Spirits and Ales'.<ref>Dalry Remembered, Page 106</ref> An old photograph shows that Highfield Garage, now demolished with new housing on the site, stood on the Beith side of the road and sold Cleveland petrol with three pumps, a workshop, etc.

== References ==

===Notes===
{{Reflist|2}}

===Sources===
{{refbegin}}
* Dalry History Group (1985). ''Dalry Remembered''. ISBN 0-9510674-0-0.
* McMichael, George. ''Notes on the Way.'' Ayr : Hugh Henry.
{{refend}}

==External links==
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_AaKynFncM Video and commentary on Highfield Hamlet]
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MhXsVa_D2w Video and commentary on the industry and commerce of Highfield]

{{commons category|Highfield, North Ayrshire}}

{{North Ayrshire}}

{{Portal|Scotland}}

[[Category:History of North Ayrshire]]
[[Category:Demolished buildings and structures in Scotland]]
[[Category:Villages in North Ayrshire]]

Highfield - Revision history

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