Hi I now live in Kilmarnock but originally come from Priestland which is a little hamlet about a mile east of Darvel. I grew up in the 50,s and went to Darvel school . My first memories of Loudoun were of going with my dad to the annual crow shoot . This consisted of a number of farmers and friends assembling outside the castle and knocking three bells out of the crow poulation with shotguns. Not something that I am particularly proud of as today it would be considered distinctly environmentally unfriendly. Anyway years later I joined the local constabulary and took up clay pigeon shootng. Lady Jean Campbell of Loudoun very kindly offered us the use of facilities at Loudoun and presented the club with a lovely trophy. This consisted of a silver stag mounted on a black plinth. Yes you guessed it the first name on it was mine . As far as I am a ware the trophy is still shot for annually, but is in the hands of Strathclyde police now . Anyhow in those days we had many a social evening togeth r and Lady Jean was a keen participant. When she died some years later we were all deeply disappointed and she was given a"police" funeral. I have never been back in the kirkyard since . Surely by now I have written far too much I don't see any other blogs . I do remember once being at a fete at Loudoun Castle which was opened by Dickie Henderson a tv personality of the 60,s Lady Fiona did the honours I believe. Any how if I can assist anyone re contacts in the Kilmatrnock and Loudoun District please feel free to contact me via this website. Thankyou for allowing me this little self-indulgence.