Origins of Kirn
Origins of the name "Kirn"
Information kindly supplied by John Stirling of Dunoon
(Visit CASTLEHOUSE MUSEUM)
From “The Place names of Cowal”, by Angus McLean.
“There is the CAIRN theory to explain Kirn as a corruption of “CAIRN”, but of the cairn, real or mythical there is no evidence”. It may find an explanation in CHURN”—- a quarry in the neighbourhood having got deepened and assumed the appearance of a Kirn… i.e. Churn. The quarry was styled the Kirn and in the course of time the name of a quarry hole became the name of a modern seaside town.
Another view maintains that it takes its name from “CAIRN”, a heap of stones. There is a possibility that the name may derive from the fact that “QUERNS” or stone hand mills for corn were made from one or other of the quarries in the neighbourhood. Kirn is an old Scots word, which not only means “CHURN”, but also the harvest home and the last handful of grain cut on the harvest fields. There were Crofts at Dalfauld and Dhailling, now part of Kirn. May also mean high ground from “CIREAN”, meaning a crest.
The Kirn can be a coastal name meaning a hole or cavity in the rocky coast, in which the surge of waves has suggested the churning of milk in a kirn or churn. Old Norse—- kirna – a churn. Old people supposed that the name was taken from an Eddy or hole resembling a churn at the point where a small stream entered the Clyde. In some early Charters of the Milton Estate there, is a mention of “the Kirn”.
There is no trace of any reference to Kirn until the beginning of the 19th Century. Certainty here is scarcely possible!!
FROM DICTIONARY OF THE CLYDE 1888.
A fashionable watering place consisting of superior villa residences and neat cottages on the Western shore of the Firth between Dunoon and Hunter’s Quay, with which places it is virtually one, although each has it’s own steamboat pier. Dunoon, Kirn and Hunter’s Quay were formed into a Burgh in October 1868.
The first feu at Kirn was granted to John Brown of Stronsaul. The same year, Hugh McEwing, ferryman at Dunoon, feued an acre of land at Dhailingmhor. To keep pace with housing development and growth of steamer traffic, a private company known as Kirn Pier Company was formed. It feued the ground from Hafton Estate by a Charter dated 25th June 1846 and further ground was purchase from the Crown in 1858.
From souvenir programme of Dunoon Civic Week 9th–15th September 1928. “Kirn New Esplanade” was formed in 1893. It was a much-needed improvement at Kirn, the shore at that part being unattractive. A new boat slip adjoining the Pier was built at the same time.
KIRN PARISH CHURCH & PROMENADE GARDENS.
Dedicated 25th September 1907 and built at a cost of £6,452.18. 6d
Unites St. Margaret’s, now Church Centre, 1859-1970 and St Andrew’s 1864—1969.