I often revisit New Cumnock and have a wander around the old place, mainly for nostalgic reasons. Every time I do it I am usually left wondering why I bother as I leave feeling pretty glum. The town is crying out for investment after suffering years of neglect by various councils and its pain is etched on the buildings such as the historic Castle Hotel. If I had the money I would buy the hotel and restore it, turning it into a museum for the miners and maybe a wee tea room. Donald McIver has the ability to fill a museum on his own as he has collected and stored many items of interest over the years.
What of the co-op and Trotters buildings? They served the town in its heyday but are no longer required due to the decrease in population since the closure of the pits. Can they be saved? I fear not!
The swimming pool – built in the 60’s and deserving a roof ever since but I doubt if it will ever see one.
Still there is hope. Many new houses have been built in Mansfield Road, Connelpark and now in front of Loch Park which will attract new life into the village and maybe one of these people will kick the old place into the 21st century.
The Boss
These excellent photos were taken in 2007 by Stephen Kennedy. The scenes in many of the photos have altered, especially those of Farden Avenue and reflect the changes to New Cumnock over a short period of time.
The Site Manager
Looking down Afton Bridgend toward the toll
Afton Bridgend looking towards Dumfries
New houses on the site of the old petrol station at Afton Bridgend
Hamilton Drive minus the prefabs that I spent much of my youth in
The old co-op store, Lime Road
My grans old house in the Lime Road.
Here sat 45 Lime Road. The house I was brought up in. Long gone
Once a pit, then a play park now.....nothing
Taken from the old farm road behind Farden Avenue showing the entrance to Greenhill. Lets play spot the house!
A couple of locals Beauty and Tina Lina the latter owned by Robert Strawhorn.
Wee horse
West Park Farm
Probably the future webmaster
Yours truly, the boss and webmaster at Danny\'s Brig
The Afton, looking upstream from Danny\'s Brig
Looking down stream from the brig
A quick trip into the cemetry to show Jordan where his great great grand parents are at rest
A bull and cows in a field on the Afton Road
I took this one of the wee shops next to the Afton Brig as they look like they are on their last legs
This was the Tallies when I was a lad
I offered a quiz under the Wullie Trotter pictures asking where Knockskae House was. Now you have the answer
Known as \'The Dookit\' or the pigeon club but originally The Avenue
Looking down Castlemains Avenue
The Spar shop which in my day was \'Schoulars\'
The ruins of what was once a barbers owned by Bert McCulloch and previous to that Geordie Black.
BT Exchange, The Rape Centre and the Doctors Surgery, I believe once a cafe/restuarant
Used to be Mary Mill\'s chippy, then Hunter\'s shop, now a beauty Parlour
New Cumnock Station looking south
Pathhead Bakery at the wee industrial estate next to the station. I am not being biased but this outfits pancakes etc are 2nd to none and must be sampled
Approaching the station
Taken from the Nith brig - the station and location of the Afton Buildings long since demolished
The Nith looking upstream from the village
It is hard to believe that the Afton Hotel sat just about where the tree is. The hotel was destroyed by fire 1963
I am not struck by the location but its wonderful to see new houses being built in front of Loch Park.
The Knipe range with low lying cloud covering the summit and windmills. If you have ever been up there its an earie place in these condition
Corcencon with its hat on. An old local tale meaning it was sure to rain.
McKechnie\'s garage on the left and the co-op on the right
Entrance to Loch Park home of the Glens. The new housing can be seen on the right
Over the years its been the Glens Bar and Macs Bar and I have never seen the inside. If anyone would like to buy me a Bacardi I am up for it
The space where two small white cottagas sat next to what was the co-op bakery on the right. John Walker used to dwell here.
Newish houses at Castle Place near the site of old gas works
The back of the Glens Bar. Macs Bar [or Kechie\'s as it was more commonly known] there was a garden which at one time contained a quoiting green.
Once a cobblers on the right(Bob Hoods and John Orr\'s) and Black\'s the painters on the right
From the right,Roger Hoods the cobbler, Mick Shanklands the plumber, McKechnie\'s papershop, which had previously been a vet\'s and then a hairdresser\'s, Rose Crawfords sweetie shop, Glendinnings Bakers and Hunters grocers shop all were located here
The Castle Hotel, The Chinese (Charlie Lucas\'s snooker hall) a florists (formally Lucas the bookies, Pathhead bakers used to be McKechnies paper shop and the bank. Sarah Logins had a sweetie shop at far end
A closer view of the row of shops and bank. All the shop fronts were the snooker hall apart from the bank
Probably the newest shops in the village built late 70\'s if I recall
The Castle Hotel. Once Rabbie Burns laid his head to rest here but it is sadly falling apart and with no investment will be lost forerver. The gap is where the picture house was
Trotters shop which also had a factory around the back and Turnbull\'s the barbers at the side. Lying empty and like the Castle Hotel would make a wonderful mining museum
Looking along the Castle towards the Toll
A Walk – Part 2
A Walk – Part 3
A Walk – Part 4
