Cowden Hall

A building may have stood on or near to the site prior to the seventeenth century as indicated by the name ‘Kouden’ that is recorded on Timothy Pont’s Renfrewshire map that dates from between 1583 and 1596. In 1695 the name 'Couldoune' is recorded on the Poll Tax Roll when Thomas Spreull lived at Smithhills of Couldoune (now Smiddyhill Farm?) with his three children; John Spreull lived here with his wife Margaret Gardiner; James Spreull lived at Knowglass (now Knockglass?) with his wife Margaret Dinsmuir; John Stewart lived at Couldoune Mill; Huw Cochrane lived in Couldoune. The name 'Cowden' may derive from the Gaelic 'Caltuinn' for 'Hazel' and valley. Although Cowden overlooks the…