Kilbirnie

History

Archaeological digs conducted in the 19th century have shown that the area was inhabited during the Bronze Age. A crannog with a connecting causeway was discovered in Kilbirnie Loch. In 1792 Mr Dickie, the miller at the Nether Mill, was building the road near the mill pond when he uncovered an empty stone coffin, 6.5 feet long by 2.5 feet wide. He is recorded to have broken up the coffin and used it in the road's construction. The earth mound known as the 'Miller's Knowe' has been identified as an 'ancient sepulchral tumuli', a burial mound, in the New Statistical Account of Ayrshire. The town derived its name from the parish church, the "Auld Kirk". In 1740 there were only three houses; the population grew to 959 people by 1801. Half a century later, the town had grown substantially; in 1851 Kilbirnie contained 5,484 people, due to the Industrial Revolution. Growth continued with the opening of Kilbirnie railway station in 1906. The 1913 networkers' strike in Kilbirnie was agreed at a National Federation of Women Workers meeting in late March. It lasted from April to September 1913, and was the longest recorded strike of women workers at that time. The strike, which enjoyed community support, was led by Kate McLean. In May 1913 there was a meeting in Kilbirnie where 10,000 supporters were present. The networkers' dispute was resolved on 2 September 1913 with improved wages and working conditions. The Decoy Bride, a film starring David Tennant and Kelly Macdonald, was partially filmed in Kilbirnie.