history - 2
The 'New' Village
For Eaglesham the great year of’ change was 1769, when the 10th Earl of Eglinton had the buildings of the Kirktoun of Eaglesham demolished and erected a new planned village. After his death in 1769 the village was completed by his successor the 11th Earl of Eglinton. The village was developed in the form of a letter A, a layout which was suggested to him during his travels on the Continent. The new village is not only a living monument to Alexander but also a striking example of Scottish domestic architecture of the period. Built on a slope it consists mainly of two rows of houses, all free stone, Montgomerie Street and Polnoon Street, with a public area of 15 acres between them. The village is approximately 2 furlongs in length, the rows at the top or west end 100 yards apart and those at the bottom or east end are 250 yards apart. The green is severed by the Lynn Burn which flows from Picketlaw east. No cattle are allowed on the ‘Orry’, which was used by villagers to bleach linen. The houses, mostly of two storeys, their original thatch roofs now replaced by slate, and each with a rood of ground for a garden, have a substantial and dignified appearance. The feuars have long leases of 900 years and pay merely nominal rents. They have certain rights in the large common, extending to 15 acres and claim half of the feu-duty for the ground on which the cotton mill formerly stood. Although the new development commenced in 1769, the building continued until 1797. This is clearly indicated by the lintel dated 1797 on the house at 66 Montgomerie Street, whilst 50 Montgomerie Street has a bridal lintel which carries the inscription James Kego and Jean Mitchell 1774. The delay in completing the village was partly due to the opposition to the Earl’s scheme by some of the old feuars of the Kirktoun.
Eaglesham Today
Due to its isolated position, the relatively poor communications, and the lack of natural resources, the village declined with the recession of the cotton trade. This drift away from the village continued into the 20th century when improved road transport facilities and the increasing growth in car ownership, resulted in a rise in popularity of the village as a residential area. Due to the difficulty of renovating the old property; the new residents tended to develop on the periphery of the old village, a factor which has contributed to the preservation of the original village form. The ‘A’ layout of the two streets—Polnoon and Montgomerie—with the intervening Common, is still easily recognisable on modern maps. Unfortunately other ‘planned’ villages of the same period have in the main been submerged by subsequent industrial and residential development. The restoration of the buildings has only been possible as a result of considerable private investment, and a concious effort by then Renfrew County Council, to encourage the restoration by a strict development control policy, and by means of grant incentives.
The whole of the original village has been listed by the Secretary of State as being of architectural or historic interest, and it is considered that the preservation of the village is of paramount importance. The implication of the listing is that no development which will affect the character of the building can be carried out without planning permission. Until recently this method of development control was the only procedure which the County Council could adopt to protect and preserve the village.
The Civic Amenities Act which came into force in 19ö7, represents a more comprehensive amid out ward looking approach to conservation and planning. In providing for the conservation of whole areas—as distinct from single buildings—of architectural or historic interest, the Act denotes a change in emphasis from merely negative planning control to positive measures for conserving and enhancing the quality of our environment. Renfrew County Council designated the ‘old village of Eaglesham’ as a ‘Conservation Area’ and will endeavour to preserve and enhance the village, by a policy of creative planning rather than merely negative control. Only with the co-operation of’ the residents will it be possible to achieve the full potential of this unique village.