The spelling 'Broomlands' and 'Montgomery' is used throughout for consistency. The name may derive from the common shrub Broom or
Cytisus scoparius that is plentiful in the area to this day. Roy's map of 1747 clearly marks two properties as 'Broom Land' and 'Broom Lands' and John Thomson's map of 1832 marks 'East, Nether and Over Broomlands. Armstrong's map of 1775 records a 'Bloomly' to the north of the Annick and a 'Broomland' to the south, as well as 'Lockwards' to the west and 'Cherylands' to the east.
The lairds of Broomlands In 1596 John Peebles of Broomlands died and is recorded as having been a merchant burgess and also Provost of Irvine at the time of his death. John's father was Robert Peebles, baillie and burgess of Irvine who died 16 September 1605. Patrick Peebles of 'Brumelands' inherited the property. John Peebles was succeeded by his daughter Mariote Peebles. Hugh had been the Provost of
Campbeltown in
Argyll and Bute. Charles Montgomery of Broomlands inherited, however he sold the estate and died in the 1780s unmarried after a career as a merchant burgess in
Glasgow. Jean Montgomerie was Charles's eldest sister and she married Henry Eccles of the excise. Robert Montgomery of Broomlands, a banker, represented the line of the Hammils of
Roughwood through his great-grandfather Robert Montgomery of Craighouse who had married Anna Hammil. Robert Montgomery of Broomlands married Jane Haldane, granddaughter of William Cunninghame of
Lainshaw.
The estate The lands of Broomlands consisted of the 'Little, Upper or Over Broomlands' and 'Nether Broomlands'. East Broomlands and Broomlands Cottage are also recorded, however inclusion within the estate is not clear. The 1856 OS map shows Nether Broomlands with farm-like outbuildings and a 'superior' dwelling facing an ornate garden with eight parterre-like beds that are absent by 1805, by which time the nearby coal pit No.7 is in operation with the associated freight railway to
Dreghorn station. In 1856 a Broomlands Coal Pit was located near Annickbank on the Templelands to Irvine Road, In 1886 the Bourtreehill Coal Company extended its Broomlands No.9 Pit to work under Newmoor, however by 1928 production had ceased. While 'shanking' (or sinking a shaft for a coal mine) was in progress in the
Irvine area, clay was brought in from Broomlands when 'motting the shank' or sealing the shaft was necessary due to the shaft being cut through sand. ==Micro-history==