Ayrshire

Ayrshire, a large maritime county in the SW. of Scotland, washed on the W. by the Firth of Clyde and the North Channel. Its greatest length is 78 miles; its greatest breadth, 28; and its area is 1149 sq. m., or 735,262 acres, it being seventh in size of the Scottish counties. The general aspect of the county is undulating and hilly, the land attaining no great elevation, except a small portion in the north, and some considerable tracts in the south and south-east, which are mountainous. None of the eminences exceed 2520 feet, which is the height of Shalloch on Minnoch. Loch Doon (5¾ × ¾ mile) is much the largest of several fresh-water lakes; whilst the chief rivers—only 20 to 38 miles long—are the Ayr, with its tributary the Lugar, and the 'bonny' Doon, which flow across the centre of the county; the Garnock and Irvine in the north; and the Girvan and Stinchar in the south. To Ayrshire belong, too, the first 16 miles of the Nith, which passes off into Dumfriesshire. To the south of the Girvan the rocks are chiefly Silurian; to the north of it are patches of old red sandstone and carboniferous strata, with both of which igneous rocks are commonly associated. Ayrshire is rich in valuable minerals, especially coal, ironstone, limestone, and freestone. The other minerals have long been wrought, but it was from 1850 that the iron trade rose to great importance, again to decline since 1880. On the banks of the Ayr is found an excellent species of whetstone, called Water-of-Ayr Stone. The climate of Ayrshire is mild and healthy. The soil along the coast is light and sandy, interspersed with deep loam; and this district sends yearly to various markets vast quantities of early potatoes. On the east side are extensive mosses and moorlands. The three ancient divisions of the county are—Carrick, south of the Doon, mostly wild and hilly; Kyle, between the Doon and the Irvine, containing much rich level land, though towards the coast the soil is lighter and less productive; and Cunninghame, comprising all the country north of the Irvine, mostly fertile. Agriculture till 1800 was very backward; but since then extraordinary progress has been made in draining, improved rotation, and road-making; while the condition of the cottars has been much improved. There is a great trade in early potatoes. The percentage of cultivated area is 43·2, that of all Scotland being 23·5; and 22,177 acres are under wood. The farms are generally small. Dairy-husbandry is carried to high perfection in Ayrshire, the breed of milch-cows, of which it rears a greater number than any other Scotch county, being noted as the finest in the kingdom for the quantity and quality of their milk. The Dunlop cheese, so called from the parish of that name, was almost as celebrated as Stilton, but since 1855 has been almost superseded by that made on the Cheddar process. The breed of horses is also excellent. Manufactures, especially woollen and cotton, are carried on to an important extent. There are extensive cotton-works at Catrine; at Kilmarnock, iron-foundries, carpet, bonnet, and tweed factories; dynamite and chemical works near Saltcoats; and at Galston and Newmilns much lace is manufactured. Of the minor manufactures, the most characteristic is that of ornamental woodwork, often bearing tartan designs, which is extensively carried on at Mauchline. Great iron-works exist at Muirkirk, Hurlford, Kilwinning, Kilbirnie, Ardeer, Dalry, and Dalmellington. Ayr and Maybole manufacture shoes and agricultural implements in very large quantities. There are valuable fisheries on the coast, whose headquarters is Ballantrae. Troon, Ardrossan, and Ayr are thriving ports. Pop. (1801) 84,207; (1881) 217,504; (1891) 226,386. Ayrshire returns two members to parliament. The chief towns, besides Ayr, are Kilmarnock, Girvan, Maybole, Dalry, Kilwinning, Beith, Irvine, Stewarton, Old Cumnoch, Ardrossan, Saltcoats, Troon, Mauchline, Galston, Newmilns, Kilbirnie, and Largs. Of antiquities, the most interesting are the ruins of Crossraguel and Kilwin ning Abbeys; of 'Alloway's haunted kirk,' with the 'auld clay biggin,' Burns's birthplace, hard by; and of the castles of Turnberry (the family seat of Robert the Bruce), Dunure, Loch Doon, Dean, Dundonald, &c. Ayrshire was inhabited in the time of Agricola by the Damnonii, with whom were afterwards mixed the Scots from the opposite coast of Kintyre. It contains the battlefields of Largs and Loudon Hill; and during the religious persecutions of the Stuarts, it was a stronghold of the Covenanters. See James Paterson's History of Ayrshire (2 vols. 1847-52), and A. Millar's Castles and Mansions of Ayrshire (1885).