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Drongan, a former mining village, is situated on the western edge of
Ayrshire, some 6 miles from Ayr and 10 miles from Cumnock and has a population
of 3168.
The earliest references to Drongan lands are to be found in documents
dating to the 14th Century. In the 1390's these lands were granted to
the Craufurds whose stronghold for 250 years was Drongan Castle. The remains
of the Castle can be seen on Drongan Mains Farm. The estate passed from
the Craufurds to the Cunninghames, then to the Earls of Stair. About 1760
the Drongan Estate was purchased by the Smith family - who built Drongan
House, set up a pottery near Coalhall and introduced pioneering agricultural
improvements.
The village of Drongan (originally known as Taiglum) grew up near the
early coal mine and by 1900 consisted of 65 houses and a few shops. These
rows at Taiglum were demolished in the 1930's and the inhabitants were
housed in new housing schemes. In 1946 it was proposed that Drongan should
be developed as a "new town" and families from various small
mining communities were also re-housed there.
Like many other villages in this part of East Ayrshire, Drongan saw prosperity
when the Killoch and Barony pit mines were operational.
Like many small Ayrshire villages the love of football is strong with
several clubs winning different cups over the years.
The Drongan Centre, opened in 2002, provides Health, Local Authority
and Police services within a modern purpose built facility and received
funding from the Scottish Executive Health Department's Primary and Community
Premises Modernisation Fund.
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