XLNewCumnock

[Geoff]

WELCOME
The XLNC Forum has been set up to try and help New Cumnock fulfil its potential; to excel.

The community is proud of its mining heritage, but there is more to it than being "an ex-mining village", there's much, much more. New Cumnock has a mysterious past, in fact, we don't even know where the name of the town comes from.
So there's one thread straight away; What's in a name?

How can we help?
Where are new jobs going to come from?
New Cumnock was built on COAL so can we use coal and other minerals/materials to our benefit?
Who are todays local artists/craftsmen?
If there are none, can we train new artists/craftsmen?


Can we use the town's history in some way?
Was William Wallace an NCB (New Cumnock Boy)?
Why is the main street named "CASTLE"?
Could the Arthur Memorial church and other derelict sandstone buildings be used in any way to benefit the town?


Some people may simply want a chance to get things off their chests or perhaps get answers to niggling questions eg: Danny's Brig, over the Afton Water; Who was Danny?

Useful tips/links/etc

Help us to XLNC. Contact: [e-mail]

Cheers, Geoff

[Geoff]

We need people to stop and take a look at what New Cumnock has to offer, so why not give them something to arouse their interest as they reach the outskirts of the town?

Our main eyesore at the minute is the roundabout, including Tam o'Shanter's Cafe. If there was something attractive (not distractive) on the roundabout, people looking at that wouldn't pay quite as much attention to the eyesore.

Erect a monument in the centre of the roundabout. A sculpture representing three main themes: Wallace, Burns, Coal.

Quite simply, an Archer cut out of an octagonal sheet of lead, symbolising: the seal of Alan Wallace (father of William).

East Ayrshire Council spent a small fortune employing Dr Fiona Watson to search for the roots of William Wallace.
She shone the light once again on the Seal of William Wallace, which was attached to the Lubeck Letter of 1297. The Seal displayed the Wallace archer on one side and the king's lion on the other. Son of Aleyn Wallace.

The black octagon represents coal mining but also "Old King Cole", who is said by some to have given "Kyle" its name. William Wallace was nicknamed "King Of Kyle" by Patrick Dunbar de Comenagh.

Robert Burns wrote "O' Were I On Parnassus Hill" refering to Corsencon in the background; the longest covered conveyer belt in Europe snakes from behind Corsencon, to Crowbandsgate junction at the roundabout). The Archer could also represent Apollo slaying the giant Python of Parnassus. www.electricscotland.com/History/articles/images/python1.jpg

The Tam o'Shanter is the perfect place for an information centre.

It's then up to the rest of us to make it worthwhile for the visitors to spend their time and money in the vicinity.

[Geoff]

With all of the top four main Scottish Historic Icons:
William Wallace, Robert Bruce, Mary Queen of Scots, and Robert Burns, being associated with the Glen of Afton then there is potential for heritage tourism.


Quote from Blin' Hary's "WALLACE":

Prince Edward in Lochmabane tarry'd still,
And Wallace went to *Cumnock with good will.
Then with his Friends he met at the Black Bog,
And with them drank a blyth and hearty Cog.
www.mostly-medieval.com/explore/blharry41b.htm

It would cost a fortune but here's an opportunity in the town of New Cumnock for someone in the hotel business. The vacant Crown Hotel, 11 Castle, New Cumnock, (East) Ayrshire, Scotland could easily be renovated and renamed as:

Black Bog, Castle, or
The Black Rock, Castle,
The King o' Kyle, Castle, New Cumnock, Ayrshire, Scotland

*Cumnock = Comenagh 1296

There's a good old map of Nithsdale which shows Afton Water as being the northern border of Nithsdale with Kyle . www.nls.uk/maps/atlas/blaeu/page.cfm?id=112

The Kyle Archer's Plinth and The Python:
www.electricscotland.com/History/articles/images/python1.jpg
www.electricscotland.com/History/articles/images/python2.jpg
www.electricscotland.com/History/articles/images/python4.jpg
www.electricscotland.com/History/articles/images/python5.jpg

Copy and paste

[Geoff]

The new Robert Burns Statue in New Cumnock, Ayrshire will be unveiled at 11am on Saturday 5th March 2011 by NERV.
The Castle Mural at the Mary Morrison Memorial Garden is known all over the world through photographs on the internet and magazine covers. This will attract more attention to the town. Photos will be added soon.