Annotation:Troon House (The)
X:1 T:Troon House, The M:3/4 L:1/8 R:Air B:John Riddell of Ayr – Collection of Scots Reels, Minuets &c. B:for the Violin (1782, p. 56) Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion K:Amin E2|A4 T(B>A/2B/4)|(c2 c>d) (c/d/e/d/)|(cA)(GAcE)|{E}G4 (TB>A/2B/4)|c4c2| d2e2g2|{f}(e3d)(cd)|{cd}e4 (GF)|{F}E2G2c2|(e>f) (e/f/g) (fe)| (ag)(feTdc)|d4 {cd}(Td>c)|A4c2|(E2D)(fed)|c2 {B}A2 (T^G2{AB}|A4):| |:(G>F)|(E2G2)(AB)|c2 (cA)(GF)|(E/F/G) FEDC|d4 T(B>A/2B/4)|c2d2g2| agfedc|c>G (cd/e/) (de/f/)|{f}e4 (GF)|E2G2c2|(e>f) (e/f/g) (fe)| (a>g) (a/g/e g/e/d/c/)|d4 {cd}T(d>c)|A4c2|(E>F) (D>f)(e>d)|c2 B>A T^G2{AB}|A4:|]
TROON HOUSE, THE. Scottish, Air (3/4 time). A Minor. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB. Composed by Ayrshire fiddler-composer biography:John Riddell (1718-1795), the tune is contained in his Collection of Scots Reels, Minuets etc. (c. 1766), printed in Edinburgh by Robert Bremner. It is also contained in Riddell's second collection of 1782 (p. 56), an expansion and elaboration of the first, "greatly improved", printed in Glasgow by James Aird.
Troon is a town in South Ayrshire, although not in existence in at the time of Riddell's 1766 publication. Troon was a promising, though undeveloped, harbor on the Scottish coast largely known for its association with smuggling. In 1707 Patrick Fullarton of Fullarton (1677-1710) had obtained a charter from Queen Anne for a free port and harbor at Troon, but died before any progress had been made. His great-grandson, Colonel William Fullerton of Fullarton (1793, p. 88), continued this aspiration, additionally proposing the construction of a canal from Kilmarnock to bring coals. While this was approved by the House of Commons it was defeated in the House of Lords because the proposed charges were considered excessive. However, private funding was obtained and a plated wagon way (later a railway line), a harbor, and the planned the town of Troon were all built. However there is no record of a 'Troon House' there. Rather, the manse of the Troon area was called Fullarton House and had been built in 1745 by William's father, together with extensive gardens. William expanded the country house in the 1790's, obtaining the design services of famed Robert Adam. The manor was eventually allowed to decay and was bought by the town of Troon in the 1920's. The upkeep, however, proved too much and it was demolished in 1966.
