1860

A shepherd in Ballantrae Parish who lay down for a rest fell asleep and awoke to find an adder wrapping itself around his throat.  He managed to throw it off without being bitten.

The Ayrshire Express newspaper reported an alarming increase in pugilism in the Ballantrae area

Auchenflower built by James Miller for James McIlwraith, the Road Supervisor responsible for two thirds of the parish's roads, the Galloway to Girvan mail road, and Ballantrae Harbour.  He was also Captain of the 'Stinchar Volunteers', 8th Company Ayrshire Rifles.

1863

Auchairne mansion house put up to let for one or more years.  John McEwen, forester at Auchairne, will show the premises.

1864

Lime was imported from Larne in Ireland at a cost of one shilling per barrel.  Coarser lime available from Colmonell at about ninepence per barrel.

Glenapp Estate sold by Public Roup for £42,800

Around this time the Earl of Orkney created the artificial lake Kilantringan Loch on Auchencrosh moor which flooded and caused £700 of damage to Currarie Glen

Ballantrae has about six or seven Public Houses to a population of under 600

1865

Laggan Estate made over to David MacGibbon by his father

1867

Crew of Ballantrae Lifeboat received £400 reward from Royal National Lifeboat Institution for rescuing four men from the fishing boat 'JWR' which was overtaken and disabled by a sudden gale  

1869

Ship 'Ithuriel' became disabled in a storm off Balig, drifted towards Ballantrae Harbour and eventually went down.  Lifeboat was not launched as none of the crew had been visible from the shore at any time.  Large quantities of the wreck came ashore three hours after the ship sank.  This was recorded as the third total shipwreck close to Ballantrae within the last three weeks.

Greek brig 'Thia Elpis' struck a reef at Downan Point.  A sailor jumped overboard with a rope tied around his waist and swam towards shore, where he was pulled out of the water by local farm workers.  The remaining eleven crew then pulled themselves ashore on the rope and were saved.  The ship later broke up and sank.

An albino skylark found at Ballantrae was exhibited by James Coutts to the Natural History Society in Glasgow