On Monday I travelled down to nearby Ayr on behalf of a client to look at a gravestone. Whilst there, I took the opportunity to take some photos of the old Kyle Combination Poorhouse, located on Holmston Road. I spoke with the foreman of the renovations work there who advised me that the old poorhouse is being converted into accommodation, and that much of the interior had been destroyed by long term squatters. many of the outbuildings have already been fixed up, the main building is currently being worked on (there is more on the renovation work at https://www.ayradvertiser.com/news/18091888.hope-brand-new-homes-historic-holmston-house-ayr/).
Some images of the old poorhouse, which was built between 1857-1860:
For more on the poorhouse, visit Peter Higginbotham's website at https://www.workhouses.org.uk/Kyle/.
The poorhouse's surviving records are held at the new Ayrshire Archives (www.ayrshirearchives.org.uk) facility in Ayr, which I also visited and photographed:
Remember, if you need any look-ups, I am based just up the road in Ayrshire - details of my service are available at www.scotlandsgreateststory.co.uk!
Chris
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I grew up in Ayr, and frequently travelled along Holmston Road. So I must have passed the Kyle Combination Poorhouse countless times without ever wondering what was behind those high walls. This would have been in the mid to late 50s and early 60s - (50 or so years before I took an interest in genealogy!!). Times have changed remarkably, yet for some places time has stood still.
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