The Scottish Military Research Group - Commemorations Project

kilwincameronian · Joined: 26 Oct 2013 Posts: 30

A question if anyone can help.

I recently holidayed just past Girvan South Ayrshire on a site two miles south of the town on A77. The caravan site was once the grounds of what was formerly Ardmillan Castle.
On the hillside to the rear a monument stands which is in pretty poor condition as I had a good walk with the dogs. I asked the lady who owned the property we stayed in and she thinks it's a war memorial of sorts to a member of the family who owned Ardmillan.
I'm struggling to find out any information or history of the memorial.

Kenneth Morrison · Posted: Mon Dec 02, 2013 7:37 pm Post subject:

Possibly:
GRANT, PHARIC ALASTAIR
Rank:Lieutenant Colonel
Service No:34730
Date of Death:16/11/1944
Age:37
Regiment/Service:Royal Artillery
110 Field Regt
Awards:T D
Grave ReferenceIII. C. 3.
CemeteryLEOPOLDSBURG WAR CEMETERY
Additional Information:
Son of Colonel Pharic Grant, T.D., R.A. and Grace Darling Grant, of Ardmillan, Girvan, Ayrshire.

He is included on this site
http://www.roll-of-honour.com/Surrey/GodalmingCharthouseSchoolWW2.html
_________________
Ken

spoons · Posted: Thu Dec 05, 2013 5:04 pm Post subject:

I think this is a much earlier memorial, I believe it is the one you can see in the 3rd photo down http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/glasgow/byne-hill.shtml looking as if it will collapse to rubble at any minute.

Definitely a memorial to a military man but not seemingly connected to any particular war.

See also http://www.electricscotland.com/history/girvan/chapter17.htm "fast hastening to ruin"

Kyle and Carrick Civic Society kindly informed me

"Obelisk at Ardmillan - Close and Riches simply say it was 'after 1856'.

See 'The
Buildings of Scotland - Ayrshire & Arran' by Rob Close and Anne Riches (Yale University Press, 2012)."

\Paul

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Kenneth Morrison · Posted: Thu Dec 05, 2013 7:47 pm Post subject:

Well found Paul.
Wiki has:
James Craufurd, Lord Ardmillan (1805 – 7 September 1876) was a Scottish judge. Born at Havant in Hampshire, he was eldest son of Major Archibald Clifford Blackwell Craufurd of Ardmillan by Jane, eldest daughter of John Leslie. He was educated at the academy at Ayr, at the burgh school, Edinburgh, and at the Universities of Glasgow and Edinburgh. In 1829 he passed his examination in Roman and Scots law, and became an advocate.
_________________
Ken

kilwincameronian · Joined: 26 Oct 2013 Posts: 30

Thanks everyone, appreciated. It's a shame the memorial is not well known about with the decline of the estate. The material is mainly brick and concrete well weather beaten.

Mike Morley · Posted: Sat May 10, 2014 1:38 pm Post subject:

This memorial is mentioned in this week's Galloway Gazette (taken in as part of a ramble) so I did some digging. There's a picture of it and some background on the Geocaching website: http://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC527ZX_craufurd-memorial?guid=f4c9e74a-c3b5-4f61-a247-f388396ecc72

kilwincameronian · Joined: 26 Oct 2013 Posts: 30

Erected in memory of Major A.C.B Crauford who served in H.M Forces in India. He also took part in the landing and capture of the Cape of Good Hope in 1795.
Follow the Byne Hill walk on the local Girvan walks leaflet.