The Duke of Portland
The Bentinck family had originally been an ancient and
noble family from Holland. Hans Bentinck came to England with
William of Orange, and had been created Earl of Portland in 1689.
William Bentinck, the 3rd Duke of Portland, changed his family's
name to Cavendish-Bentinck when, in 1766, he married the Dorothy
Cavendish, the daughter of the Duke of Devonshire. The 3rd Duke was
an incredibly important nobleman who was Prime Minister in 1783 and
1807.
An agreement was made that the Kilmarnock Estate could only
be inherited by a descendant of Henrietta's. In 1809 the 3rd Duke
died, and Henrietta's husband became the 4th Duke of
Portland.
Although he never visited any of his Ayrshire estates after
his accession to the title, William took a warm interest in them
and was very well informed about their condition. He was noted for
his personal interest and knowledge in agriculture and was
especially fond of his lands and farms around Troon and to this day
many of the street names bear witness to his investment in the town
and its surrounding countryside.
He obtained from Parliament the right to build
the first railway in Scotland "for the improvement of
his estates", and construction started in 1808. It took the form of
a tramroad or 'plateway' and was nine and a half miles long and ran
between Kilmarnock and Troon. The rails were cast iron fixed to
stone blocks and the whole thing cost £50, 000. It opened in 1812
with the carriages being drawn by horses. It was in time adapted
for locomotive traffic with the first engine being constructed by
Stephenson. It was eventually leased to the Glasgow &
South-Western Company.
