The Bonnet Toun
Stewarton in east Ayrshire has been known in Scotland as The Bonnet Toun (town) for centuries. Records show that the bonnet trade existed by 1650, but it is likely that woollen bonnets were being knitted in and around the town well before that.
The history of bonnet making in Stewarton is believed to date back to the end of the 16th century and the records of the original guild of bonnet makers date from the 17th century onwards. However, while Stewarton is undoubtedly the most famous place in Scotland for bonnet making, it was not the only place making them. The nearby town of Kilmarnock was known for the ‘Big Kilmarnock Bunnet’. The
