Dalmellington is an ancient settlement of indeterminate origin. It is probable that the area was first occupied 6000 years ago, when Man moved inland from the West Coast along the rivers.

Certainly it was occupied by the Neolithic Period, as cairns and a few scraps of tools from this period have been found. In recent years traces of early human activity have been found around Loch Doon. There may have been crannogs (timber lake dwellings) at
Bogton Loch and Loch Doon.

In the medieval period Dalmellington was part of Kyle Stewart and under the rule of a
series of Norman lords, invited to Scotland by the king to assist in subduing the country. On behalf of the king they collected taxes and administered justice. It was during this 
period that the Motte was constructed.

In the 17^th century Dalmellington was involved in the Covenanting movement. In common with many of his colleagues in Ayrshire, Dalmellington's minister was dismissed or "outed" and an Episcopal curate put in his place. Courts administered by the army were held in the town and Covenanters and their supporters were punished.

In spring 1678 the parish suffered with the arrival of the "Highland Host", a body of several hundred armed men sent to punish supporters of Presbyterianism. They stayed the whole summer at the expense of the parish. As well as the food they consumed, they stole goods and killed sheep and cattle.

At the end of the 18^th century the population of the parish was around 800, 500 of whom lived in the village. The principal activities were agriculture and weaving. There were 8,000 sheep, 800 cattle and about 40 handloom weavers who worked in their homes.

At the beginning of the 19^th century there were two small wool-spinning mills, each employing 15 boys and girls. These mills had closed by the 1850's and the handloom weavers had all but vanished. A number of small pits and drift, mines were being worked to provide coal for salt pans and forges. One of these had a steam winding-engine as early as the 1830's.