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Dalmellington
is a village in Ayrshire, southwest
Scotland, 16 miles east of Ayr.
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The village is popular for its 1100s
Motte, Old Graveyard, Dalcairney Water
Falls, Dark Sky Observatory, Loch Doon
with its impressive Ness Glen Walk, Hills
/ Mountains up to 2,600ft, Craigengillan
Estate for Fishing, Kayaking and Pony
Trekking, and Doon Valley
Railway 3 miles west for Steam
Trains.
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The Doon Valley Museum was in the
village centre, giving information on the
history of the area. The Museum was in
four cottages built in 1744, to house
Weavers and their families, now
closed.
There are two bars in the village
centre, popular for refreshments.
The Old Cemetery in Dalmellington
centre contains the Mausoleum of the
McAdam's, once owners of the vast
Craigengillan Estate, and relations of
John Loudoun
McAdam, the road surfacing
pioneer.
Some headstones in the Old Cemetery
date from 1682, with skull and crossbones
carved on them.
The Cemetery also has a Memorial in
honour of Covenanters from the area.
Also in the village centre is the
Motte from the 1100s. The top of the
fortification is about 70ft above the
village, with great views.
There was a Tower House on top of the
Motte and buildings around it, all
protected by wooden fences, ditches and
water.
It is believed the fortification was
built for Thomas Colville Le Scott, a
prominent land owner in the Dalmellington
area at that time.
Dalmellington Parish Church is on the
north side of the village. The church was
built in 1846 of local Dunaskin
sandstone.
The Church was originally known as The
Kirk o` The Covenant. The red doors are
believed to symbolize the blood of
Covenanting martyrs.
The large Cemetery at the church has
great views all around. The hill in the
distance is the 1,522ft Benbeoch,
a popular hike.
On the south side, high above the
village, is the War Memorial. In front of
the War Memorial is a smaller Mining
Memorial dedicated to Mineworkers of The
Doon Valley.
The Dalcairney Water Falls are 2 and a
half miles southwest of Dalmellington by
Dalcairney Farm. There is a small car
park by the Falls and a few walking
routes in that area. The Falls are famous
for freezing over in long cold spells,
allowing dramatic photos. Map.
The Scottish Dark Sky Observatory is
up on the hills in Craigengillan Estate,
close to Loch Doon, 4 miles southeast of
Dalmellington. This opened in 2012,
closed after a fire in 2021.
Loch Doon is about 5 miles southeast
of Dalmellington.
There is the Roundhouse
Cafe at Loch Doon Dam, popular for
snacks and has a telescope for viewing
the Ospreys in summer. The Cafe also has
a huge panoramic photo of all the hills
Mountains with heights on them.
The Ness Glen
walk departs from the Cafe, leading down
through a Gorge into Craigengillan
Estate. The sides of the Gorge are over
100 feet high in places, with the path
having bridges and walkways over the
narrowest points.
Loch Doon has a number of hills /
mountains around it from 1,200ft to
2,700ft, ideal far all levels of
hikers.
The loch is 7 miles long, with a
narrow road all the way to the south
side, popular with cyclists and for a
slow scenic drive, with Loch Doon Castle
at the south side.
There is also a forest road that leads
from the south side of Loch Doon to the
Stinchar Falls, 7 miles in distance,
popular for mountain biking, passing the
scenic Loch Riecawr.
Dalmellington History
The earliest history of Dalmellington
is of the Motte from the 1100s.
Dalmellington expanded over the
centuries as a market town.
1639, the Presbyterian's took control
of Scotland, leading to wars with
Anglican's in England. Many Dalmellington
Presbyterian's, known as Covenanters,
fought and died in the wars.
1740s, Cottages were built in the
village to house Weavers and their
families.
1800s, mining became the main industry
in the valley, with the Cottages occupied
by Miners and their families.
The Dalmellington Iron Works and Coal
Mining dominated the area from the 1840s,
until the Iron Works closed in the
1920s.
The last deep coal mine, Pennyvenie,
closed in 1978, and the Chalmeston Open
Cast Coal Mine closed in about 2010,
ending the coal era at Dalmellington.
Wind farms may now be constructed on
the sites of the mines.
Four of the miners cottages in the
village centre served as the Doon Valley
Museum, that has now closed.
Covenanters
Some headstones in the Old Cemetery in
Dalmellington date from 1682, with skull
and crossbones carved on them, some may
be of Covenanters.
The Cemetery also has a memorial
erected in 1929, in honour of Covenanters
from the area.
The Reformation of the late 1500s led
to Catholicism becoming illegal, being
replaced by Protestantism.
Protestantism split into many forms,
with Anglican adopted by many Churches in
England, with the King being the head of
these Churches.
Presbyterian was adopted by many
Churches of Scotland, with Elders being
the head of these Churches.
The Presbyterian Elders were basically
running Scotland from the 1630s. Their
followers were known as Covenanters.
Charles I, King of England and
Scotland, tried to force his Anglican
beliefs on the Scots, so he could have
more control over Scotland. This led to
the Wars of the
Three Kingdoms, between Scotland,
England and Ireland.
1687, James II, King of England and
Scotland, brought an end to the wars over
religion by allowing all to serve God in
their own way and manner.
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