Crosshouse village was originally built for workers in the surrounding coal mines in the early 19 century. The village was situated on an old toll road which ran from Kilmaurs through Knockentiber.
Education was provided at two schools. Crosshouse School located at the Cross and St. Pauls Roman Catholic School in Knockentiber which also provided education until it was closed in 1946. Crosshouse School was used as a community centre for some time until it was demolished in the 1990's
The current population of Crosshouse Village is 2435. The Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland, Francis H Groome, 1895 cites the population of the village from the years 1861-1891 as follows:
| Date | Population |
|---|---|
| 1861 | 468 |
| 1871 | 713 |
| 1881 | 740 |
| 1891 | 846 |
Andrew Fisher was the fifth Prime Minister of Australia and served for three terms between 1908 and 1915. He was born in the village of Crosshouse on 29th August 1862. One of the seven children of Robert Fisher and Jane Garvin he was educated at Crosshouse School.
At the age of ten he became one of many boys working in Scottish mines. He was still a coalminer when he migrated to Queensland with his brother in 1885.
Fisher's 1910-13 ministry completed an extensive legislative programme which made him, along with Protectionist Alfred Deakin, the founder of the statutory structure of the new nation of Australia. Fisher died on 22 October 1928. There is a cairn to his memory in the village beside the Carmel Burn.
Crosshouse railway station was a railway station serving the villages of Knockentiber and Crosshouse. The station was originally part of the Glasgow, Paisley Kilmarnock and Ayr railway.
The station opened on 4 April 1843 as Busby. Busby was short lived closing on 15th April 1850 however the station reopened as Crosshouse (then as part the Glasgow and South Western Railway) on 1st September 1872.
Crosshouse and its four platforms served as a junction station, allowing travel to Kilmarnock from the directions of both Irvine and Dalry. The Irvine service was withdrawn on 6th April 1964 with the station closing permanently to passengers on 18th April 1964. The line was still in use by freight trains and diverted passenger trains until 23 October 1973.
The Church of Scotland building at 25 Kilmarnock Road had its foundation stone laid in 1881. It was designed by Bruce and Sturrock a small architectural firm based in Glasgow. Built in red sandstone with a 60ft steeple over the front door, the original estimate for the building was £1,770.
An addition to the vestry was made in 1902. The church has a 500 seat capacity and holds services every Sunday at 11am.