Greenknowe Park in the village of Monkton

The Street is called Greenknowe Park because it was the site of the Greenknowe Caravan Park. The Caravan Park contained 28 caravans set out in a horseshoe pattern. In the 1960's, it was owned by John McIndoe, who also owned the Wheatsheaf Inn. This was situated at the main village junction, known as The Cross. The original building is being used as an Early Learning Centre today. Also sited at the Cross, next to the Village Hall, was a Fish and Chip Shop. About 100 Yards before Greenknowe Park, there was a second small caravan site, behind Shearers garage. This is just before the junction of Kilmarnock Road and Baird Road. The Garage and Petrol station has been converted into a house using the original building layout. The third Caravan Park was the Dutch House, which is still there today. This used to have a large wooden building designed in a Dutch style which gave the caravan site its name. The building is now gone now. We gave up our caravan at Greenknowe in the 1980's, but have great memories of spending time in Monkton and the local area. In the 1960's, HMS Gannet, where the Air Sea Rescue helicopters are today, was an American Air Force Base. A small part of America set in the village of Monkton, where you could purchase sweets and comics if you had American Cents and Dollars. Before security was tightened we used to climb in an out of old aircraft that sat in the site of what became Scottish Aviation and British Aerospace. The SAL Club(Scottish Aviation Limited), was at the junction of Tarbolton Road and Manse Gardens. There was also a(what seemed slightly secretive) betting Shop at the back of one of the low cottage houses on Tarbolton Road, across from the Church Cemetery. Monkton has changed significantly with the increase in new houses being built, built it still retains a significant number of original buildings that could be seen in the 1960's.