Ailsa Craig

Ailsa Craig, a rocky islet of Ayrshire, 10 miles W. by N. of Girvan. Rising abruptly out of the sea to a height of 1114 feet, it forms a most striking object. It is about 2 miles in circumference, and is accessible only at one point, where the accumulation of debris has formed a rough beach. The rock may be described generally as a mass of trap, assuming in some places a distinct columnar form, with dimensions far exceeding those of the basaltic pillars of Staffa. On the NW., perpendicular cliffs rise to a height of from 200 to 300 feet; on the other sides, the Craig descends to the sea with a steep slope, covered with grass and wild-flowers, with numerous scattered fragments of rock. Till the erection of a lighthouse (1883-86), the only inhabitants were goats, rabbits, and wild-fowl; solan geese, in particular, breeding in the cliffs in countless numbers. About 200 feet from the summit are some springs, and on the ledge of a crag on the eastern front, are the remains of an ancient stronghold. In 1831, the Earl of Cassillis, the proprietor of Ailsa Craig, was raised to the dignity of Marquis of Ailsa. Pop. (1891) 27.