150 YEARS AGO – Earl of Eglinton – Silver Tankard

26/01/15 – Courtesy of The Herald (Glasgow)

‘The annual curling game for the silver tankard presented by the late Earl of Eglinton for competitions by the curlers of Ayrshire, came off on the Auchans Loch, near Dundonald, yesterday.

Twenty eight parishes entered and there were fourteen rinks. 

The ice was very keen early on, but got softish and cracked in the afternoon. 

Galston was the winner’

Checkout our SUPPORT/INFORMATION pages  – Curling Places of Scotland – David B Smith (Troon 2000) – Page 33

’18. Auchans, Dundonald, Ayrshire, in the grounds of Auchans House, just to the west of
the village. A tarmac pond made in the 1850s, Dundonald Minutes. OS NS 3336.’

Interestingly looking at Google Maps on the Satellite view you can see the ruins of Auchans Castle and what appears to be the ruins of ‘Old’ Auchans House to the south?  – as listed in 1:25K OS Map where there is no mention of Auchans Loch – unfortunately it could now be silted up like a lot of old curling ponds in Scotland.