Cumnock
The town is home to the Robert Burns Academy, a new educational campus housing the main Robert Burns Academy secondary school following the merger of Cumnock Academy and Auchinleck Academy, Lochnorris Primary School and Cherry Trees Early Childhood Centre. The campus is the largest educational establishment in Scotland.
The 2011 UK Census revealed that the Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock constituency, of which Cumnock is part, had an above-average unemployment rate at 5.6% compared to the Scottish average of 4.8%, with a significant proportion of residents living in local authority housing at 20.2% compared to the Scottish average of 13.2%. The constituency also had a high proportion of retired people and Church of Scotland Protestants at the Census relative to elsewhere in Scotland, with 19% of those living in the constituency retired (14.9% across Scotland) and 43.3% of constituents recognising their religion as Church of Scotland (32.4% across Scotland). 90% of residents identified their ethnicity as White British, with 99% recognising their ethnicity as White. On indicators such as health, educational attainment, income and social class however the area is more deprived than the national average.
History
Early Cumnock
Etymology
The origin of the name "Cumnock" has been debated over the years and several interpretations have been offered.
- Com-cnoc, (hollow of the hills)
- Com-oich, (meeting of the waters)
- Cam-cnoc, (crooked hill)
- Cumanag, (little shrine)
Early history
This part of Ayrshire has seen human settlement for over 5,000 years. There are many Bronze Age burial sites around the nearby area.
Medieval history
The patron saint of Cumnock is Saint Conval. It is believed that a place of worship has existed in Cumnock's Square for over 1,100 years, although the records do not begin until about 1275. James IV created the Burgh of Cumnock. Three castles existed in the parish of Old Cumnock, namely Borland, Terringzean and Lefnories or Lochnorris. Lefnories was the largest and was replaced as a dwelling by Dumfries House, with only the below ground foundations remaining, excavated by the Marquess of Bute in the late 19th century.
William Wallace allegedly spent three months in the seat of Patrick Dunbar ((New) Cumnock or Cumno in 1296), according to the poem The Wallace, by Blind Harry. Robert the Bruce, Robert I, was in Cumnock in 1307 being pursued by two of Edward I's men: Aymer de Valence, 2nd Earl of Pembroke, and John MacDougall of Lorn. The latter used Bruce's own bloodhound to track him. Bruce evaded capture and the bloodhound lost the scent when Bruce waded into a stream.
Industrial Cumnock
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The town has a strong socialist heritage due to its history as a mining centre. The father of the Labour Party, James Keir Hardie, lived in the town for a large part of his life, and his statue sits outside Cumnock Town Hall. The left-wing politician Emrys Hughes was local MP for a time in the mid-20th century, and also lived in the town.
Modern history
Whilst many traditional industries in Cumnock have declined, such as coal mining, common in many parts of East Ayrshire, the area has seen some revival to its economy. The development of Knockroon was expected to continue over a 25-year period, creating construction jobs in the local area, and was backed by The Prince's Foundation for the Built Environment, and is being designed on green principles. The first houses in the development were built by Hope Homes Scotland and ZeroC. Prince Charles has expressed a personal interest in the development. Construction started in April 2011.
In February 2019 The Scotsman reported that only 31 of the planned 770 homes had been built.
Emergency One, one of the largest producers of fire engines in the UK, is located in Cumnock, and is a major employer in the Cumnock and the surrounding areas. Like most communities affected by the decline in coal mining, Cumnock has shifted towards a more skilled base and services economy.
