Highfield or is it Southfield?
28 May, 2012
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The Creepies at Highfield
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Littleacre at Highfield
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Old Kersland Colliery site above Highfield
Highfield is a small village or hamlet situated between the settlements of Barkip and Dalry on the A737 at a junction with the B777. It lies in the lands of the old Barony of Kersland, the ruins of old Kersland Castle or manor house and East Kersland Mill being situated nearby at East Kersland.
Highfield is a hamlet of around twenty-five households. A pub was once located here known as Highfield Cottage. A part of the settlement on the B777 road to Kilwinning is known as the 'Creepies' or 'Little Acre.' Creepie is a Scots work for the hedge sparrow.
Southfield, once the name of the whole settlement of 374 inhabitants in the 19th century, is now the area of the settlement to the north of the A737, with a lodging house and a small surviving building that was a wash-house for the residents. A lane, later reduced to a footpath, ran from the crossroads to the old Kersland pit. Pastureland Farm no longer exists, however Pastureland Cottages are present on the A737.
In 1747 the settlement of Hie Field is marked on Roy's map. In 1775 a substantial property, Highfield, is shown on Armstrong's map. Thomson's map of 1832 shows Highfield and the dwelling of Pastureland Farm is shown off the old road; the new turnpike is now present.
The 1890 OS map refers to the settlement as 'Southfield'.
Coalheugh glen lies nearby on the road to Dalry, a limekiln and associated quarry lay above Highfield Farm, as did the small Kersland Colliery and coal pits. An air vent is shown in the field near Coalheughglen Farm. In 1857 the OS maps show the presence of a weighing machine near Southfield and a freestone quarry was located near Littleacre.
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