Places: Ayrshire, Scotland
Includes: Dreghorn, Maypole

 

 
 

                            
                             Dreghorn is situated between Irvine and Kilmarnock.
                             Maybole is south of Ayr
 

Dreghorn is a small village near Irvine. It is the birthplace of John Boyd Dunlop, inventor of the pneumatic tire. Dreghorn is believed to be Britain's oldest continuously inhabited village after the remains of an ancient settlement were uncovered by builders.  Including the reminents of a 5,500-year-old well (one of only five to be found in Scotland) dating back to around 3500BC. Although other neolithic villages have been abandoned in Scotland, Dreghorn is thought to be the only village in Britain with a continual unbroken residence. The name Dreghorn may derive from hunting terminology and speaks a little bit about the character of the typical Dreghorn hunter. After a good long hunting session would follow a good long drinking session, where they would fill their hunting horns with ale and drink even the dregs! Another theory is that it's an old Scots name meaning 'farm at the bog'  or as in early charters, the name was written Dregern; and it probably derived from the British Tre-quern, which signifies the town or habitation by the swamp, or by the alder-trees. Springside is the next village along on the old Kilmarnock toll Road.

The village boasts a rather unusual parish church, now called Dreghorn and Springside Parish Church (Formerly Dreghorn and Perceton). It is built in the shape of an octagon.

Gavin Ralston (03RAG0) of Auchengrammont lived at Dreghorn for a time and like many other Ralstons, Robert (04RAR0) was born there. (10 Jun 1756).  Gavin Ralston (1764 - 1833) 04RAG0 was born and baptised in Dreghorn.

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