A William Stewart of Hiefield lived there in 1649. Highfield wasn’t just a crossroads. It was a bustling hamlet. Around twenty-five households called Highfield home. A pub thrived there the Highfield Inn. It even had a shop attached. Imagine the lively conversations. The clinking of glasses. The smells of ale and freshly baked bread.
Highfield sits between Barkip and Dalry. It’s on the A737 at a junction with the B777. This area was part of the old Barony of Kersland. Kersland Castle’s ruins and East Kersland Mill are nearby. Highfield’s history is woven into the landscape. The land itself whispers stories of the past.
The ‘Creepies’ or ‘Little Acre’ is part of Highfield. ‘Creepie’ is a Scots word for the hedge sparrow. This area once had miner’s cottages now long gone. The history of coal mining is deeply intertwined with the life of Highfield. Coalheughglen nearby had a limekiln and a quarry. The small Kersland Colliery also operated nearby.
Southfield was once the name for the entire settlement. It had 374 inhabitants in the 19th century. Now Southfield is just a northern area of Highfield. A lodging house remains. It was once a wash-house for the residents. A lane connected the crossroads to the old Kersland pit. Pasturehill Farm is gone but Pasturehill Cottages stand on the A737.
Maps tell a visual story of Highfield’s evolution. Roy’s 1747 map marks the settlement as ‘Hie Field’. Armstrong’s 1775 map shows a substantial property. Thomson’s 1832 map shows Highfield and Pasturehill Farm. The 1890 OS map refers to the settlement as ‘Southfield’. Each map is a snapshot in time. Each one helps piece together Highfield’s rich past.
Highfield Garage once stood on the Beith side of the road. It sold Cleveland petrol. It boasted three pumps and a workshop. Now only new houses stand on this site. This site is a physical representation of Highfield’s evolution. The past is gone but its echoes remain. Highfield’s past is a vibrant tapestry woven from coal mining. A pub. Miners’ cottages. A garage. All parts of a larger story. This small hamlet once thrived with industry and people. Highfield’s story is still being written. It’s a story worth hearing.