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.[3]
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.[4] 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.
This part of Ayrshire has seen human settlement for over 5,000 years. There are many Bronze Age burial sites around the nearby area.[citation needed]
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.[citation needed] 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.[5]
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,[7] 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.[8]
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,[9] and is being designed on green principles. The first houses in the development were built by Hope Homes Scotland and ZeroC.[10]Prince Charles has expressed a personal interest in the development.[11] Construction started in April 2011.
In February 2019 The Scotsman reported that only 31 of the planned 770 homes had been built.[12]
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.[13]
Politics and governance
Allan Dorans has been the MP for Cumnock since 2019
Elena Whitham has been the MSP for Cumnock since 2021
The Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley constituency was created following the re-establishment of the Scottish Parliament in 1999, and since then has been represented by the following MSPs.
Dumfries House, located in the town, is owned by the Prince's Trust
The town has six churches, five Protestant churches, the Congregational Church, Old Cumnock Old Parish Church, St Andrew's United Free Church, Cumnock Trinity Church, Cumnock Baptist Church, and the Roman Catholic St John the Evangelist Church (1878–1880), by architect William Burges for the third Marquess of Bute.[14][15]
Education
Cumnock is home to the largest educational campus in Scotland, 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. [3]
One other primary school is located within the town at Netherthird Primary School.[16] Barshare Primary School closed and was demolished in 2021 following the merger of Barshare and Greenmill Primary School to form the new Lochnorris Primary School located within the Barony Campus.[17]
Nearby Dumfries House offers a variety of educational programmes and apprenticeships through the Dumfries House Educational Programme created by The Prince's Trust. The programme offers vocational training and education in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM), textiles, outdoor and resilience building, hospitality and horticulture amongst others.[18] When Prince Charles, Duke of Rothesay's, bought the estate of Dumfries House in 2007, he created the educational programme at Dumfries House in an attempt to see young people undertake learning experiences and training that promote confidence, personal development and offer training in real life skills.[18]
The original Cumnock railway station opened on 20 May 1850.[20] The station was renamed to Cumnock on 10 January 1955,[21] and closed to passengers on 6 December 1965.[21]
Cumnock is connected to nearby settlements including Kilmarnock, the principal town in East Ayrshire, and other smaller settlements such as Mauchline by the A76 road.[23] The A70 also connects Cumnock to other large towns including Ayr.[24]
Sports
The local football team is Cumnock Juniors, who compete in the West of Scotland League Premier Division and play their home matches at Townhead Park. The team has a bitter rivalry with local neighbours Auchinleck Talbot. The town also has an athletics park and rugby club Cumnock RFC, as well as a modern sports centre containing fitness gym and swimming pool.[25]
^Quick, M E (2002). Railway passenger stations in England, Scotland and Wales – a chronology. Richmond: Railway and Canal Historical Society. p. 145. OCLC931112387.
Administrative centre: Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire Council Headquarters, London Road, KA3 7BU Council structure: Chief Executive: Eddie Fraser; Provost of the CouncilCllr Jim Todd; Leader of the Council Cllr Douglas Reid
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