Lands of Morishill

The lands of Morishill,<ref name=onn>Dobie (1896), Page 199</ref> Morrishill,<ref name=m>Thomson's Map Retrieved : 2013--06-25</ref> Moorishill<ref name=tos>Dobie (1896), Page 216</ref> or Moricehill<ref name=tos/> were part of the holdings of the Barony of Beith, Regality of Kilwinning and Bailiary of Cuninghame. The name may have derived from large shiellings or huts that were once erected at the site.<ref name=tos/>

The History of the Lands of Morishill

In the early 17th century Robert Peibles held Moreisheills, Pedderland and Maynshill. In 1637 the lands of old extent of 'Morishill' were held by James and Janet Stewart.<ref name=tos/> By 1748 the Adam family had held the 20/- Land of old extent of Morishill for several generations, acquiring it through the marriage of Henry Adam with Margaret Stewart, daughter of John Stewart of Morishill.<ref>Dobie (1896), Page 67</ref> Robert Shedden of Marshalland purchased the property from William Adam upon his return from Virginia where he had prospered as a merchant.<ref name=onn/> He was born on 5 October 1709 as the second son on John Shedden of Marshalland.<ref name=onn/> Robert also purchased the Longcroft, Hillhead, the Shortback of the hill and other lands at Townhead of Broadstone.<ref name=2zz>Dobie (1896), Page 200</ref>

William Adam was rather too fond of drink and as a result he failed to manage the lands of Morishill and was advised to sell. Robert Shedden in 1748 purchased the property and this gave rise to this short ditty<ref>Dobie (1996), Page 69</ref> -

William Adam of Morr'shill Spent it a' in penny yill; While Robert Shedden, as I'm told, Bocht it wi' Virginia gold.

James Dobie was of the opinion that the name 'Morishill' was derived via the old name 'Moreishiels' from the large shielings or temporary summer dwellings for shepherds erected on the site.<ref name=tos/>

The Lairds

After the Adam family the Sheddens obtained the property and Robert Shedden married Margaret Simson of nearby Willowyard and secondly Elizabeth Moore of Bruntwood, with whom he had seven children. he died in 1759 and his widow married James Wilson, the master of the parish school.<ref name=tzo>Dobie (1896), Page 201</ref> The eldest son by this marriage became an eminent surgeon in London.<ref name=tzo/> John Shedden, born 1753, inherited in 1760 and after a spell abroad as a merchant he returned and in 1787 married his cousin Barbara Wilson of Kilmarnock and secondly Janet Simson of Willowyard. He had six children and died at Morishill in 1833.<ref name=toe>Dobie (1896), Page 208</ref>

Alexander Shedden inherited in 1833 and in 1842 he also inherited the Willowyard Estate from Mr Wilson of Crummock.<ref name=tt>Dobie (1896), Page 210</ref> Alexander married Jessie Glasgow and had a daughter Jessie Caldwell Shedden; he married secondly Martha Wilson in 1851 with no offspring and died in 1867.<ref name=tt/> Jessie Shedden inherited Morishill, Willowyard, Ferguslie and the Superiority of Drums. Jessie died aged 27 of measles and diphtheria, the whole being acquired by Mrs Shedden-Dobie who died in 1883, aged 97.<ref name=te>Dobie (1896), Page 211</ref> John Shedden-Dobie succeeded his mother.

In 1938 Morishill was the home of Colonel and Mrs Hope Murray.<ref name=ns>Reid (1999), Page 97</ref>

The Case of James Montgomery

The first case in Scotland of a runaway slave attempting to gain their freedom was that of Jamie or James Montgomery, later named 'Shanker' by Robert Shedden or later still as James Montgomery Shedden. Jamie had been purchased by Shedden from Joseph Hawkins, a slave trader in Fredericksburg, for £56 12s 6d in 1750. Jamie had been baptised as 'Jamie Montgomery' by none other than the Reverend John Witherspoon in Beith. Robert Shedden objected to this as slave owners usually did not allow their slaves to be baptised or to take a Christian first name and surname.

The name 'Shanker' used by Robert Shedden was to reinforce the impression that Jamie was mere property. Shedden claimed that the baptism was solely undertaken by Jamie so that he could unlawfully free himself as a slave! Jamie was dragged in chains behind a horse to Port Glasgow and put him on board a ship bound for Virginia, however on 21 April 1756 Jamie managed to escape with the help of others and made his way to Edinburgh where he was eventually recognised as a runaway slave and placed in the tolbooth following the placing of descriptions of him in the local newspapers.<ref name=s/>

Shedden had Jamie apprenticed to a wright or joiner<ref>Scottish Education Retrieved : 2013-06-26</ref> so that as a skilled person he would fetch a much higher price back in Virginia, delivering a handsome profit to his owner.<ref>The Scottish Government Retrieved : 2013-06-26</ref> Shedden even petitioned for a quick trial as he had to pay for Jamie's keep in the tolbooth and because Jamie was not well. Jamie died in the Edinburgh tollbooth before the case could be concluded,<ref name=s>National Archives of Scotland Retrieved : 2013-06-26</ref> however it is said that the Lords were going to find in fasvour of Robert Shedden.<ref>Judge & Jurist Retrieved : 2013-06-26</ref>

The appellation 'Shanker' appears to be an insult as this word is a variant of 'chancre' which is the name for a sore or ulcer caused by syphilis.<ref>Think Exist Retrieved : 2013-06-27</ref>

Morishill House and grounds

A gatepier from the old estate entrance.

After several years in the West Indies and America as a merchant John Shedden returned to Morishill and made a number of improvements.<ref name=tzo/> Alexander Shedden in the 1830s improved the old house and offices at Morishill and also erected a gatehouse and gates, together with many improvements to the gardens which eventually covered fourteen acres.<ref name=tzn>Dobie (1896), Page 209</ref> A new house was completed by 1842 and a two storey detached octangonal tower to the north with a walled garden. The marsh fed by 'Tams Well' was converted into an ornamental lake with three islands.<ref name=tzo/>

In the 1870s a new road was made to the stables and in 1888 the original house was unroofed and modified to become an ivy clad garden feature. This old house had been much altered and improved over the years, serving latterly as a coachmans' quarters. It carried a marriage stone dated 1752 which commemorated the union of Robert Shedden and Margaret Simson, as well as a date stone of 1887 with the initials 'J.S.-D' in relief.<ref name=tos>Dobie (1896), Page 216</ref> A summerhouse and dovecote were present<ref name=ns/> as was a walled garden. A rookery was established at the estate by tying small bundles of sticks in the forksw of the trees upper branches.<ref name=tos/>

A feature of the grounds was a copy of the principal pinnacle of the monument in the Skelmorlie Aisle at Largs which had been made by Mr Logan of Beith, a local sculptor. This had been moved here from Grangevale and stood on a wall that linked the house to the laundry; it bore the inscription Designed for Elizabeth by W. Dobie, 24th May 1845.<ref name=tos/>

In 1865 the Lands of Morishill extended to 272 acres.<ref>A Vision of Britain Retrieved : 2013-06-26</ref>

The house was demolished in early 1980s and a housing estate named Morishill Manor was built at the site.<ref name=ns/> A large number of the old trees were kept and still grace the estate today (2013).

Curling

An asphalt artificial curling rink was made for Alexander Shedden at Morishill for playing during the summer months. This game used a 10 inch and 23 lb ball made from lignum vitae covered in copper and previously balanced in a bath of mercury. The ball had a handle which could be pulled out with a hook for use, which then quickly sprung back into place upon release.<ref name=tt>Dobie (1896), Page 210</ref>

The Morishill 'Pleasure pond' otherwise known as 'Beith Loch' was used for curling in the winter months and in 1892 on 27 December the Glasgow Herald records that a match took place between Beith and Morishill.<ref>Caledonian Curling Club Retrieved : 2013-06-24</ref> The Beith Morishill Curling Club is still in existence and plays at the Greenacres Curling Rink.<ref>Beith Morishill Retrieved : 2013-06-26</ref>

See also

• Lands of Marshalland
• Lands of Willowyard

References

Notes;

Sources and Bibliography;

1. Aitken, Robert (1827). Map of Beith Parish.
2. Archaeological & Historical Collections relating to the counties of Ayrshire & Wigtown. Edinburgh : Ayr Wig Arch Soc. 1880.
3. Archaeological & Historical Collections relating to the counties of Ayrshire & Wigtown. Edinburgh : Ayr Wig Arch Soc. 1882.
4. The Bellman. Beith Cultural and Heritage Society. Issue 12. January 2011.
5. Campbell, Thorbjørn (2003). Ayrshire. A Historical Guide. Edinburgh : Birlinn. ISBN 1-84158-267-0.
6. Coventry, Martin (2010). Castles of the Clans. Musselburgh : Goblinshead. ISBN 1-899874-36-4.
7. Davis, Michael C. (1991). The Castles and Mansions of Ayrshire. Ardrishaig : Spindrift Press.
8. Dobie, James D. (ed Dobie, J.S.) (1876). Cunninghame, Topographized by Timothy Pont 1604–1608, with continuations and illustrative notices. Glasgow: John Tweed.
9. Dobie, James (1896). Memoir of William Wilson of Crummock. Edinburgh : James Dobie.
10. Douglas, William Scott (1874). In Ayrshire. Kilmarnock : McKie & Drennan.
11. Kinniburgh, Moira & Burke, Fiona (1995). Kilbirnie & Glengarnock. Shared Memories. Kilbirnie Library. ISBN 1-897998-01-5.
12. Love, Dane (2003). Ayrshire : Discovering a County. Ayr : Fort Publishing. ISBN 0-9544461-1-9.
13. Murray, W. H. (1981). The Curling Companion. Glasgow : Richard Drew. ISBN 0-904002-80-2.
14. Paul, L. & Sargent, J. (1983). Wildlife in Cunninghame. Edinburgh : SWT, NCC, MSC, CDC
15. Reid, Donald (1999). Yesterday's Beith. A pictorial Guide. Beith : DoE.
16. Reid, Donald (2001). In the Valley of the Garnock (Beith, Dalry & Kilbirnie. Beith : DoE. ISBN 0-9522720-5-9.
17. Reid, Donald L. (2011). Voices & Images of Yesterday and Today. Beith, Barrmill, and Gateside. Precious Memories. Irvine : Kestrel Press. ISBN 978-0-9566343-1-3.
18. Robertson, George (1820). Topographical Description of Ayrshire : Cunninghame. Irvine : Cunninghame Press.
19. Strawhorn, John (1985). The History of Irvine. Royal Burgh and Town. Edinburgh : John Donald. ISBN 0-85976-140-1.
20. Strawhorn, John and Boyd, William (1951). The Third Statistical Account of Scotland. Ayrshire. Edinburgh : Oliver & Boyd.
21. The New Statistical Account of Scotland. 1845. Vol. 5. Ayr - Bute. Edinburgh : Blackwood & Sons.

External links

• Shedden Genealogy