NEWMILNS AND DARVEL
Ayrshire Directory - 1837 - by Pigot & Co

Newmilns is a neat market and manufacturing town, and burgh of barony, in the parish of Loudoun and district of Cunningham; 24 miles s of Glasgow, 18 ne of Ayr, 7 e by s of Kilmarnock, and 16 n of Cumnock; situate on the bank of the river Irvine, about two miles e from the village of Galston. It was made a burgh of barony by King James IV, in 1490; and the charter was confirmed by Sir Matthew Campbell of Loudoun, in 1566. The bailies are competent to hold courts, from which there is no appeal, except to the courts of session; and in other respects their jurisdiction is as ample as that of most royal burghs. The weaving of muslins is carried on here extensively, one thousand hands being employed in this branch of manufacture. the places of worship are an established church, and a meeting-house of the united secession body. The parochial school, and a Sabbath evening school, are both well attended; in the latter, about three hundred children of the working classes receive instruction. The Marquess of Hastings, having marries the heiress of Loudoun, is the superior of the burgh; Thomas Brown Esq., of Waterhaaughs, also has considerable property, and is superior of a village adjoining, called Greenholm. The market is well supplied with the necessary articles of consumption. There are four annual fairs, namely, the the first Thursday in February, the third Wednesday in May, the fourth Thursday in August, and the fourth Wednesday in October.

DARVEL is a small village, in the same parish as New Milns. In this neighbourhood is Loudoun castle, the seat of the Marquess of Hastings, a mansion of modern erection and great elegance, in the castellated style of architecture, situate amidst some fine grounds near the Irvine river; the 'woods and braes' of Loudoun furnish a theme for one of Tannahill's best songs. The Marchioness of Hastings munificently erected a school in this village, which is still maintained by the family.

POST OFFICE, Main street, Newmilns, Nicol Brown, Post master - Letters from Kilmarnock &c arrive every morning at nine, and are despatched every afternoon at half past three.

NOBILITY, GENTRY AND CLERGY
Brown, Thomas, esq (of Waterhaughs), Lanfine/ Bruce, Rev. John, MA, Somervalbank/ Hastings the Most Noble the Marquess of, Loudoun castle/ Lawrie, Rev. Archibald, DD., Manse/ Patrick, Capt. Jas., Loudoun cottage/ Rogerson, Rev. Archibald, Darvel/ 

ACADEMIES AND SCHOOLS
Brown, James, Greenholm/ Haddow, Alexander, New Milns/ Marchoness of Hastings' School, Darval, - John Lyon Campbell, master/ Parochial School, New Milns - Andrew Campbell, master

AGENTS TO MANUFACTURERS
Brown, John, Main st/ Gemmell, James, Main st/ Hood, James, Greenholm/ Mair, Archibald, Main st/ Millar, William, Main st/ Morton, James, Main st

BAKERS
Richmond, John, Main st/ Smith, Alexander, Main st/ Smith, Hugh, Main st/ Smith, Hugh, Darvel

BLACKSMITHS
Bryson, Thomas, Darvel/ Morton, Alexander, Darvel/ Neil, James, New Milns/ Nisbet, Matthew, New Milns

BOOT AND SHOE MAKERS
Aird, John, Darvel/ Brown, Andrew, Main st/ Clelland, Gavin, Darvel/ Leaper, James, Darvel/ Morton, John, Darvel/ Morton, Robert, Darvel/ Richmond, Hugh, Main st/ Richmond, James, Darvel/ Torrance, David, Main st

CARPENTERS AND JOINERS
Hamilton, Thomas, Main st/ Hood, John, Main st/ Mair, John, Darvel/ Miller, Thomas, Main st/ Mitchell, Archibald, Main st/ Nisbet, Thomas, Main st/ Peden, Alexander, Greenholm/ Young, William, Darvel

CARTWRIGHTS
Bertram, John, Darvel/ Ellison, David, Greenholm/ Mair, James, New Milns

FLESHERS
Barrie, John, Main st/ Haddow, robert, Main st/ Reid, Alexander Boswell, Main st

GROCERS AND SPIRIT DEALERS
Boyd, Ann, Main st/ Brown, Nicol, Main st/ Fleming, James (& cheese dealer), Darvel/ Fleming, Thomas (& cheese dealer), Darvel/ Gemell, James, Main st/ Gibbie, Henry, Darvel/ Haddow, george & Co, Main st/ Hamilton, Thomas, Main st/ Hood, John, Main st/ Howie, Thomas, Darvel/ Laurie, Nicol Brown, Main st/ McPherson, James, Main st/ Morton, Alexander, Darvel/ Morton, James, Main st/ Morton, Robert, (& auctioneer), Main st/ Nisbet, George, Main st/ Reid, Alexander Boswell, Main st/ Richmond, John, Darvel/ Smith, George, Main st

INNKEEPERS AND VINTERS
Anderson, James, Darvel/ Gray, James, Main st/ McKenley, Samuel, Darvel/ Morton, Elizabeth, Main st/ Morton, James, Darvel/ Smith, Hugh, Main st/ Wilson, Robert, Darvel/ Wilson, William, (Black Bull Inn & posting house), Main st

LINEN & WOOLLEN DRAPERS
Haddow, George, and Co, Main st/ Lawrie, Nicol Brown, Main st/ Morton, Alexander, Darvel

MILLERS
Loudoun, James, New Milns/ Mitchell, James, Darvel mill

MUSLIN MANUFACTURERS
Cameron, James, Main st/ Mackay, Archibald, Main st/ Mair, Archibald, Main st/ Morton, Adam, Main st/ Morton, John, Main st/ Parker, John jnr, Greenholm/ Paton, Alexander, Main st/ Smith, James, Main st/ Young, William, Greenholm

STONE MASONS
Donaldson, Robert Carrick, Main st/ Moore, William, Main st/ Paterson, John, Darvel/ Richard, Joseph, Darvel/ Thom, Alexander, Darvel

TAILORS
Cameron, Nicol, Main st/ Campbell, John, Main st/ Goldie, Andrew, Darvel/ Kilpatrick, John, Main st/ Miller, John, Darvel/ Morton, Alexander, Darvel/ Waddel, William, Darvel

WRITER
Hendrie, Jno. (& town clerk), Main st

PLACES OF WORSHIP
Established Church, New Milns - Rev. Archibald Lawrie, D.D.
United Seccession, New Milns - Rev. John Bruce, A.M.
Reformed Presbytery, Darvel - Rev. Archibald Rogerson

COACHES
To Ayr, the "Marquess of Hastings" (from Edinburgh), calls at the Black Bull, New Milns, every afternoon at half past 2
To Edinburgh, the "Marquess of Hastings" (from Ayr), calls at the Black Bull, New Milns, every morning at half past ten

CARRIERS
To Glasgow, Alexander & John Mair, from New Milns, every Monday and Thursday, and Thomas Fleming, from Darvel, every Monday
To Kilmarnock, John Howie, from New Milns, every Tues and Fri, and Robert Taylor, from Darvel, every Fri
To Strathaven, Robert Taylor, from Darvel, every Thursday.

This transcript was kindly provided by Keith Muirhead from the Sunshine Coast of Queensland.