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Catrine, which was once affectionately known as the Queen of the South
West, is on the River Ayr in Sorn Parish. It was established in
1787 by Claude Alexander of Ballochmyle (who was the Paymaster General
in India) in association with David Dale (born in Stewarton) for cotton
manufacturing.
Completed in 1793 by Sir Claud, "The Chapel of Ease", now Catrine
Parish Church, was for the benefit of his employees. The chapel sat 754
but religious sectarianism was strong amongst the 19th Century villagers.
Seceders, Burghers, Anti-Burghers, Methodists, and Independents preferred
to walk, sometimes as far as Kilmarnock to Worship. The Church's architecture
is strikingly unusual and it remains an imposing building on its hillside
site.
There was no parish graveyard until the 1830's and this adversely affected
the population records. Parents often didn't register births and, because
people were buried elsewhere, there were no record of deaths. A quick
look at the inscriptions reveals the graves of the old carding master
and various managers of Catrine MIll. But most poignant is the number
of child graves. Three children here belonging to the Morton family are
all dead by the age of ten.
The village was built around the mill, its wheel once of national importance
and attraction. It has a population of 2150.
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