Monkredding House

Between 1539 and 1545, the Nevin family obtained the lands of East and West Monkredding from Alexander, Abbot of Kilwinning. Thomas Nevin was the first secular proprietor of the lands, "part of the ancient halydom of Kilwinning, which about this time was beginning to be parcelled out by the Abbots, to whoever would best remunerate them for the ostensible gift, foreseeing that their own possession was becoming doubtful and unsteady." Savio records that Thomas Nevin in 1539 feued the lands of East Monkredding; in 1543 those of Guslone and Bannach; and in 1545 those of West Monkredding and Gaitmureland. As well as security of tenure, feuing gave the right to the feuar to exploit any minerals…

The 1775 map shows a mansion house with substantial woodland policies, as does Thomson's map of 1820. In the 1920s a large beech tree fell at Monkredding and was found to be around 400 years old. Several large beeches still stand on the roadside opposite the old entrance, part of the old policies before the new road was built. The OS maps show that the first entrance off the Auchentiber Road, with its lodge, 'Golconda' was abandoned, probably due to limestone workings and the present day entrance with its Edwardian Monkredding Lodge was built to replace it. Before the turnpike road was built the entrance was off the ancient Kilwinning to Beith Road near Laigh Gooseloan that ran onwards via…