Extracts from an 1828 manuscript by Ann Macfie (1785-1851)
copied about 1903 by Mary Colquhoun Macfie (1839-1911)

In this Parish, (Inverkip), my father was born in a place called Gateside in 1746 and died at Langhouse on 25th September, 1827. He was a merchant in Greenock from the year 17?? till his death. He bought Langhouse in 1798 from Duncan Campbell of Glendaruel, who had received it as a marriage portion, or rather bought it from Cuddie Kelbourne, whose daughter he married. Boyle, the son of the former proprietor died at St Croix. A lawsuit of considerable importance was raised against Mr Kelbourne, who had been his father's agent all which expenditure on the education of the heir by Mr Kelbourne was found by the Court of Session to be quite correct, and, "he" (I suppose Mr Campbell) was allowed to keep the estate and thus indemnify himself. The only date about the property is on the garden wall (above the main entrance) and is 1705.

The house was originally three storeys high and faced the offices, the upper floor was never repaired. Mr Scott, the Minister, lived in this house for some time about 1750, when the old Manse was burned down. The new one built in its place was at the top of the Manse garden. It was taken down in 1864 when the present Manse was built. A new Church was built about 1802, the stones for that purpose were quarried out of Langhouse ground, in addition to those taken from the Auld Kirk which was pulled down at that time, except the tomb which was the burying place of the Ardgowan Family. The oldest proprietor (to be traced) of Langhouse, was a Dr. Stewart, presumed to be one of the Ardgowan family, who was Laird of Crosswell, the old Castle on the Greenock road.

In 1815, an apple tree in the centre of Langhouse garden yielded 20 gross of apples. In 1830, William Macfie built a small sawmill at Langhouse, with a thrashing and churning mill also, to which he has since added a wheel for breaking logwood.

The road to Langhouse was by fording the Daff water in a hollow a little below where the present entrance bridge stands. It was built by a D. Campbell and the two bridges on the property were built by my father. Mr Campbell also took a floor off the house and reduced it to its present diminutive state, in which it now looks contracted with the large addition in front built by my brother, William Macfie, in 1829.

The Superiority at Mains which was made void by the passing of the Reform Bill in 1832/33 which as much as constituted a vote for a member of Parliament was bought by D.Campbell then sold by public sale and bought by a Mr Stratton. It was again exposed for sale in 1826 when my father, Robert Macfie bought it for £1,400. In 1821 he exchanged 50 acres of the Leap Moor, which had been divided a few years before by order of the Court of Session, for the Daffersly Park of 13 acres with Sir M. Shaw Stewart of Ardgowan.