86-523: Ayr Town Hall is a municipal building in New Bridge Street, Ayr , Scotland. The town hall, which was the headquarters of Ayr Burgh Council, is a Category A listed building . The first municipal building in Ayr, an old tolbooth which was erected in the middle of the road at the junction of Sandgate and New Bridge Street, was of medieval origin. The building, which incorporated a council chamber,
172-502: A large burgh , which allowed the town to continue to run many local services itself. The burgh boundaries were expanded in 1935 to include Alloway, Castlehill, Doonfoot and Whitletts. In the 1930s, council estates were also developed at Lochside and Heathfield. The mining villages of Dalmilling and Whitletts were also cleared and developed into sizeable council estates. Following the Second World War , more council housing
258-630: A 1-mile-long (1.5-kilometre) esplanade alongside Prestwick Bay, part of the Firth of Clyde . It has two children's playgrounds. At the north end Kid'zplay, an indoor activity centre, can be found next to the large play-area that was formerly a large open air swimming pool. Parallel to the esplanade is a line of large houses overlooking Arran. The Prestwick Old Course hosted the first Open Golf Championship in 1860. The first twelve Open Championships were played there, from 1860 to 1872. (the Championship
344-403: A courtroom and a prison, was rebuilt in 1575 and augmented by a belfry in 1615 and by a steeple in 1726. It was approached on the north side by use of a flight of nineteen steps. After becoming dilapidated, the steeple was removed in 1823 and the building was demolished completely in 1825. In the late 1820s, civic leaders decided to replace the tolbooth with a new town hall on a site occupied by
430-436: A line was built between Newton and Mauchline for the export of coal. By 1851 Ayr's population was 21,000 and by 1855 between 60,000 and 70,000 tonnes of coal were being exported to Ireland from Ayr's Harbour each year, with imports of hide and tallow coming into the harbour from South America and beef, butter, barley, yarn and linen being imported into the harbour from Ireland. In 1854, 84,330 tonnes of goods were exported from
516-432: A list of councillors elected to serve Ayr, sorted by ward: As a former Royal Burgh , Ayr had a Provost as chief magistrate of the burgh council and the earliest recorded Provost is Nicholas de Fynvyk. The title of provost was retained by Kyle and Carrick District Council and South Ayrshire Council for their civic heads. The role of provost is now apolitical and carries a number of duties including chairing meetings of
602-433: A major fire, the interior was remodelled again to a design by J. Kennedy Hunter in 1901. Improvements included a concert organ, designed and manufactured by Lewis & Co , which was installed in the main assembly hall in 1904. The building continued to serve as the headquarters of Ayr Burgh Council for much of the 20th century but ceased to be the local seat of government when the enlarged Kyle and Carrick District Council
688-404: A marching camp dating to the 1st century AD, used by Roman legions during the invasion of Roman General Agricola. According to Arabaolaza, the fire pits were split 30 meters apart into two parallel lines. The findings also included clay-domed ovens and 26 fire pits dated to between 77- 86 AD and 90 AD loaded with burn and charcoal contents. Archaeologists suggested that this site had been chosen as
774-626: A memorial erected by the Polish Air Force at Monkton . Discovered there in a dilapidated and vandalised condition, it was moved by Kyle and Carrick District Council in 1986 to its present site in the gardens of the RAFA Club which overlooks the sea. The memorial was repaired and placed on a new plinth. On 2 May 1987 the memorial was unveiled with a commemorative plaque by the Polish Naval, Air Force and Ex-Combattants' Associations. On
860-609: A pivotal role in the Plantation of Ulster throughout the 17th century, in which a significant number of British people settled in present-day Northern Ireland. The town provided the largest share of colonists from Great Britain, with many colonists from Ayr joining the Earl of Eglinton , Hugh Montgomery 's, plant in the Ards Peninsula (particularly around Newtownards ), and others going on to settle around Belfast . In 1652,
946-595: A place of sun worship by Stone Age people. In 1197, King William the Lion ordered that a new castle be built between the River Ayr and the River Doon . It is believed that the castle was a wooden structure built around Montgomerie Terrace . Ayr was later established as a royal burgh and market town on 21 May 1205 by King William the Lion. At its establishment, the burgh encompassed a single street (The Sandgate) and
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#17327875045321032-636: A popular tourist resort since the expansion of the railway in 1840 owing to the town's fine beach and its links to golfing and Robert Burns. Ayr is one of the largest retail centres in the south of Scotland and in 2014 was recognised by the Royal Society for Public Health as the second healthiest town centre in the United Kingdom. Ayr has hosted the Scottish Grand National horseracing steeplechase annually since 1965 and
1118-594: A porch with a triangular pediment on the ground floor, a round headed window on the first floor flanked by giant pilasters supporting a cornice with triglyphs and a steeple. The steeple was structured in multiple stages which included a clock, a belfry modelled on the Tower of the Winds in Athens and a spire with a weather vane . The building, measured to the top of the spire, was 225 feet (69 m) high. At that time
1204-530: A residential area of Prestwick, killing all 20 passengers and crew and five people on the ground. Glasgow Prestwick Airport , formerly Prestwick International Airport, opened in the 1930s. The airport was a transatlantic gateway for over half a century. It lies close to, and was the last European re-fuelling way-point on, the Great Circle route from London via Thule in Greenland to San Francisco in
1290-454: A spirit of friendship and comradeship between Polish and Scottish ex-servicemen. The Oval is a public park in the centre of Prestwick with two full size football pitches with indoor changing rooms, a tennis centre with three indoor courts and eight outdoor, a 25m indoor swimming pool and gym, indoor bowling green and cricket club. The park was gifted to the town in 1954. Prestwick has five schools, four primary and one secondary, one of which
1376-734: A strategic location for the Roman conquest of Ayrshire. Ayr was represented by a Conservative MP continuously for a period of 91 years – from 1906 (as part of the Ayr Burghs constituency) until 1997 , followed by Labour from 1997 to 2015, and the Scottish National Party from 2015 to 2017. The town forms part of the Ayr constituency in the Scottish Parliament , which was the first Conservative constituency seat in
1462-748: A tram service was opened between Prestwick Cross in Prestwick and St Leonards in Ayr. This was expanded south the following year to Alloway, and east in 1913 to the Racecourse at Whitletts. The tram service was eventually shut due to expensive repair costs, with the last tram running on New Year's Eve in 1931. 817 men from Ayr died during the First World War . A memorial was unveiled at Wellington Square in 1924 dedicated to those who died, with other memorials being put up at Alloway Village Hall and Whitletts Cross. Ayr's growing population following
1548-404: Is a denominational school , serving Prestwick and north of Prestwick. The schools are: Prestwick Academy is a secondary school fed by all these primary schools. St. Ninian's pupils can go on to Queen Margaret Academy or Prestwick Academy. The primary schools in the outlying villages of Monkton and Symington also 'feed' the secondary school. Prestwick census locality has a population of 14,934;
1634-452: Is a public park located in the centre, and consists of 2 full size football pitches with indoor changing rooms, a tennis centre with 3 indoor courts and 8 outdoor, a 25m indoor swimming pool and gym, indoor bowling green and cricket club. Prestwick Golf Club is a classic links golf course , built on the rolling sandy land between the beach and the hinterland. The course is near the Prestwick airport, and some holes run along railway tracks on
1720-613: Is about two miles (three kilometres) south, and the small village of Monkton to the north. It had a population of 14,901 at the 2011 census. Glasgow Prestwick Airport is on the town's outskirts, providing passenger flights to European and transatlantic destinations, and international cargo flights. The town was the first home of the Open Golf Championship , which was played on the Prestwick Old Course from 1860 to 1872. Prestwick's name comes from
1806-417: Is cooler during the summer due to its proximity to the sea as water has a major cooling effect on summer temperatures. During the winter months the reverse happens and the sea air has a major warming effect on the climate. The area rarely sees extremes, owing to the effects of sea air. Rainfall is generally plentiful throughout the year due to Atlantic weather systems sweeping in from the west. Compared with
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#17327875045321892-416: Is estimated to have been at around 2,000. By the late 17th century and early 18th century, Ayr was widely regarded as a town in decline, with Daniel Defoe remarking in A tour thro' the whole island of Great Britain "The capital of this country is Air, a sea-port, and as they tell us, was formerly a large city, had a good harbour, and a great trade: I must acknowledge to you, that tho' I believe it never
1978-657: Is on the Ayrshire Coast Line between Glasgow Central and Ayr. Three trains per hour call at both Prestwick Town and Prestwick International Airport , with additional services at peak times. Glasgow is approximately 50 minutes from Prestwick by rail. The line continues south to the port of Stranraer on the Wigtownshire coast, but a change of trains at Ayr is usually required. The bus routes that run through Prestwick are usually run by Stagecoach Western including an express service to and from Glasgow known as
2064-488: Is the county town of Ayrshire. It served as Ayrshire's central marketplace and harbour throughout the medieval period and was a port during the early modern period . On the southern bank of the River Ayr sit the ramparts of a citadel constructed by Oliver Cromwell 's men during the mid-17th century. Towards the south of the town is the birthplace of Scottish poet Robert Burns in the suburb of Alloway . Ayr has been
2150-525: Is the life of nations, of cities towns, harbours, and of the whole prosperity of a country: What the reason of the decay of trade here was, or when it first began to decay, is hard to determine; nor are the people free to tell, and, perhaps, do not know themselves. There is a good river here, and a handsome stone bridge of four arches." The formation of the Kingdom of Great Britain through the Acts of Union 1707
2236-676: The Central Ayrshire constituency. It is represented by Scottish Labour MP Alan Gemmell : the constituency extends north into Troon and rural South Ayrshire and further north into Irvine and part of Kilwinning in North Ayrshire . Four Councillors currently represent the Prestwick ward as part of South Ayrshire Council. Prestwick is geographically split into two main areas by the Main Street running parallel to
2322-599: The General Register Office for Scotland as the adjoining localities of Ayr and Prestwick − this is the 12th largest urban area in Scotland. – Laigh Glengall – Rozelle – Bellisle – Greenan – Glencairn – Woodfield – St Leonard's – Hawkhill The nearest official Met Office weather station to Ayr is Auchincruive, about 3 miles (5 km) to the north-east of Ayr town centre. The area experiences very cool summers and somewhat mild winters. The air
2408-525: The Golden Jubilee of Elizabeth II , losing to Stirling . In 2021, South Ayrshire Council announced a South Ayrshire wider bid, which would include Ayr. This bid was part of the granting of city status to towns to honour the Queen's Platinum Jubilee in 2022. Again, the bid was unsuccessful, with the region losing to Dunfermline . In 2019, GUARD Archaeology team led by Iraia Arabaolaza uncovered
2494-532: The Old English for, priest's farm : preost meaning "priest" and wic meaning "farm". The town was originally an outlying farm of a religious house. George T. Flom suggested that the name was of Old Norse origin. In this case, it would mean "priest's bay". From Robert the Bruce is reputed to have been cured of leprosy by the waters of the well at St Ninians church. The well still exists behind
2580-635: The Scottish International Airshow annually since 2014. The town also accommodates the headquarters of the Ayr Advertiser and Ayrshire Post newspapers. The name Ayr can be traced back to a pre-Celtic word meaning "watercourse" or "strong river". This name was used before the establishment of the Julian calendar in reference to the River Ayr . The town was formerly known as "Inverair" or "Inverayr", meaning "mouth of
2666-541: The civil parish of Monkton and Prestwick has a population of 14,261. Prestwick lies within the South Ayrshire Council area. Prestwick is part of the Ayr Scottish parliamentary constituency which has been represented by SNP MSP Siobhian Brown since the 2021 Scottish Parliament election . The constituency also incorporates the towns of Ayr and Troon . At Westminster, Prestwick forms part of
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2752-533: The river Ayr "; this was later abbreviated to "Air", now spelled "Ayr". The full name remains in the Scottish Gaelic name for Ayr – Inbhir Àir . The areas surrounding modern day Ayr were known to have been occupied by Mesolithic hunter-gatherers more than 5,000 years ago. There is also a Neolithic standing stone at the end of Stonefield Park in Doonfoot , which is believed to have been upended as
2838-557: The "X77". The A79 road runs directly through the town, and is normally reached from the A77 trunk road between Glasgow and Stranraer, or from the A78 Ayrshire coastal route to Largs and Greenock . The remains of the old parish church are located near Prestwick railway station. Thought to have originally been built in the 12th century, the small church building is now a ruin, and is surrounded by an ancient graveyard. Prestwick has
2924-633: The 45th anniversary of the sinking of the ORP Orkan (G90) , 8 October 1988, another commemorative plaque was installed in memory of the Polish Navy, Merchant Navy and Coastal Command airmen who died in the Battle of the Atlantic. On Polish Navy Day (10 February) at the memorial, in a service that both Polish and Scottish ex-servicemen participate in, the memories of those that perished are remembered in
3010-576: The Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock constituency. It takes in the towns of Irvine, Kilwinning, Prestwick, Troon and rural Kyle, running into Annbank. It also incorporates the Woodfield area of Newton-on-Ayr and is represented by SNP MP Philippa Whitford . In previous elections Ayr was represented in Westminster as part of the Ayr parliamentary constituency, the boundaries of which included elements of Prestwick, Troon and rural South Ayrshire. The seat
3096-515: The Church of St John. By 1225 the town reached as far as Carrick Street and Mill Street along the south side of the River Ayr. The town grew quickly to become the main seaport, marketplace and administrative centre for Ayrshire . The King gifted fishing rights to the burgh for the River Ayr and the River Doon in 1236. In the following year, a timber bridge was built across the River Ayr, linking
3182-655: The Cromwellian occupation, and they collaborated with local merchants in circumventing the Navigation Acts by disguising Ayr ships as English vessels. Tobacco, sugar and indigo were imported, and salted fish, meat, clothing and indentured servants were exported. Deposits of coal were found and mined in Newton during the 17th century, resulting in the town becoming a base for the industry, with coal being exported abroad from its harbour. At this time, Ayr's population
3268-692: The English colonies in the Americas. This commenced during the 1640s when the English Civil War disrupted established colonial trading arrangements, and during the Cromwellian occupation there was free trade between Scotland and the English colonies. Following the 1660 Restoration of the monarchy, the Navigation Acts excluded Scottish ships from this trade apart from a few exceptional cases. Several English merchants had settled in Ayr during
3354-481: The Kyle Centre by reinventing it as a centre of leisure through the creation of a new cinema complex among other new features. As of 2014 Royal Society for Public Health found Ayr's High Street to be the second healthiest in the United Kingdom behind Shrewsbury , a measure which reflects the presence of health-promoting infrastructure such as health services, community spaces and libraries, although by 2018 it
3440-566: The Parliament, but has been represented by Scottish National Party (SNP) MSP Siobhian Brown since the 2021 Scottish Parliament election . In the UK Parliament , Ayr is situated within the Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock constituency which was represented by Conservative MP Bill Grant from the 2017 general election , until he was unseated in the 2019 general election by Allan Dorans of the Scottish National Party. Ayr forms part of
3526-723: The Scottish Parliament to elect a Conservative MSP. The constituency also includes the towns of Prestwick and Troon. Ayr is also represented at Holyrood by the seven MSPs for the South Scotland electoral region . Ayr is represented by 11 elected councillors on South Ayrshire Council , of which five belong to the Scottish Conservatives , four belong to the Scottish National Party and two belong to Scottish Labour . Below are
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3612-524: The UK parliamentary constituency of Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock . This constituency includes Carrick and Coylton in South Ayrshire in addition to Doon Valley, Cumnock and New Cumnock in southern East Ayrshire . The seat was held by Conservative Bill Grant from 2017 until 2019 when Allan Dorans gained the seat for the Scottish National Party. The Central Ayrshire constituency runs north of
3698-620: The US; it is now no longer relevant for modern aircraft with non-stop range. During World War II the US Army Air Corps had a base at the airport, and Elvis Presley set foot in the UK for the only time there on 3 March 1960, when his US Army transport aircraft stopped for refuelling en route from Germany. Though a period of decline in the 1980s and 1990s saw it lose its status as Scotland's primary transatlantic airport, Prestwick continues to handle US military flights. In July 2005,
3784-507: The Wallaces of Craigie House. Ayr Racecourse was established in 1777. The "New Brig" of Ayr was constructed in 1785–88 and rebuilt in 1877 after severe flooding. In 1792 and 1817, Parliament passed acts to deepen and maintain Ayr's Harbour. During this period Ayr's population was estimated to be around 4,000. A permanent military presence was established in the town with the completion of Ayr Barracks (later known as Churchill Barracks) on
3870-576: The airport was the main transport hub for world leaders attending the G8 conference in Gleneagles . The airport now caters to one low-cost airline , Ryanair . In addition, BAE Systems , Goodrich Corporation , Spirit AeroSystems and GE Aircraft Engines have maintenance/manufacturing facilities adjacent to the airfield. Prestwick has a Royal Navy Air Station , also known as HMS Gannet , where Sea King search and rescue helicopters were stationed until
3956-660: The boundaries of the constituency were altered in a move which saw the Conservative areas of Alloway, Doonfoot and Masonhill alongside parts of Kincaidston and Forehill being transferred to the neighbouring Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley constituency, benefiting the Labour Party. Prior to this Ayr formed part of the Ayr Burghs constituency which combined various towns along the Ayrshire coast such as Irvine , Troon , Prestwick , Ardrossan and Saltcoats : this seat
4042-675: The central retail hub in the south-west of Scotland after the opening of the town's first department store, Hourstons, in 1896. In the 1970s the opening of stores such as Marks and Spencers and Ayr's first shopping centre, the Kyle Centre (1988), encouraged an expansion in the local economy. Heathfield Retail park, an out-of-town retail park, opened in 1993 with shops such as Halfords and Homebase . Ayr Central Shopping Centre opened in March 2006, housing shops such as Debenhams and H&M and under-parking for 500 cars. In December 2014 Threesixty Architecture received planning permission to refurbish
4128-507: The church. Although it has been a Burgh of Barony for over a thousand years, it was a village until the railway arrived in the 1840s and the middle class from Glasgow started to build large houses along the coast. Prestwick Burgh Hall was completed in around 1837. The Prestwick Bathing Lake, known as the Lido, was opened in 1931 by the Secretary of State for Scotland, William Adamson. It
4214-422: The citadel site in 1795. Ayr Town Hall was designed by Thomas Hamilton and completed in 1832. In 1801, the parish of Ayr had a recorded population of just under 5,500, with the adjoining burgh of Newton to the north having a population of just under 1,700 people. By 1826 Ayr's streets were lit by gas and by 1842 Ayr had a water supply, with sewers being dug soon after. Ayr was connected to Glasgow , and thus
4300-460: The council since 11 June 1923. In addition, South Ayrshire Council erects lamp posts with the Royal Burgh coat of arms emblazoned on the diffusers outside the official resident of the provost – this has been undertaken since 1854. Each newly elected provost enters their name into a Bible at the "Kirkin 'O The Council" service at Ayr Auld Kirk after each council election. The Bible in which
4386-567: The council, acting as civic head representing South Ayrshire Council, promotion of South Ayrshire Council and networking with various organisations such as local businesses. A chain and robes are worn by the provost while undertaking their ceremonial duties. The Provost's chain was donated in June 1897 by James McLennan who was a Glasgow wine and spirit merchant who was born in Coylton and lived in Ayr. The official provost's robes have been provided by
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#17327875045324472-453: The fort with the tower being used for military practice; it is now protected by "Friends Of Saint Johns Tower" (FROST) residents in the " Ayr Fort Area " which sits atop the former site of the citadel. The lands occupied by the fort were granted to the Earl of Eglinton, Alexander Montgomerie , in 1663, who established the separate Burgh of Regality named Montgomerieston around the fort, which
4558-527: The harbour was in operation during the 1770s. The grounds of Alloway were sold in 1754 to help pay off Ayr burgh's public debts, resulting in the establishment of the Belleisle and Rozelle estates to the south of the town, which are now public parks. Rozelle was acquired by Robert Hamilton, who named his estate after one of his plantations in Jamaica . In 1760, Wallacetown was formed to the east of Newton by
4644-423: The historic county town of Ayrshire . With a population of 46,982, Ayr is the 15th largest settlement in Scotland and second largest town in Ayrshire by population. The town is contiguous with the smaller town of Prestwick to the north. Ayr submitted unsuccessful bids for city status in 2000 and 2002, and as part of the wider South Ayrshire area in 2022. Ayr was established as a Royal Burgh in 1205 and
4730-469: The land in and around Ayr is flat and low lying surface, used for rearing dairy cattle. Towards the south of Ayr, however, the land is higher than most areas in the county of Ayrshire, an example of this being the Brown Carrick Hill which is situated due south of Doonfoot . Ayr lies approximately 35 miles (55 km) southwest of Glasgow . The urban area which encompasses Ayr is defined by
4816-442: The mild sea air. At the 2001 United Kingdom census , Ayr had a population of 46,431, a fall of −3.2% on 1991. Mid-2008 population estimates placed the total resident population at 46,070 making Ayr the 12th largest urban area in Scotland. The 2011 census found that Ayr's population had grown by around 0.9% since the 2001 census – surpassing the total population growth of Ayr and Prestwick, which only grew by 0.63%, falling short of
4902-451: The mouth of the River Ayr which flows into the larger Firth of Clyde estuary. From the coast, the Isle of Arran can be seen, and on a very clear day, the northern tip of Northern Ireland is also visible. Ayr is located within the region of Strathclyde , and forms part of the historic county of Ayrshire . Today, it is the largest town and administrative centre of South Ayrshire . Much of
4988-572: The names are entered was acquired by the Kirk during the Provostship of Hugh Miller (1841–1855). The names of the provosts entered into the Bible are as follows: The current provost is Labour councillor Helen Moonie. List of Provosts of Ayr from 1560 to 1692, See Annals of Ayr in the olden time, 1560–1692, By John Pagan. Ayr: Alex Fergusson, 18 High Street, 1897. Ayr is a coastal town which lies on
5074-468: The national population growth of Scotland of +4.61%. In 2001, nearly 0.36% (167) people in the town could speak Scottish Gaelic – this fell to 0.34% (161) in 2011. South Ayrshire Council provides no educational support for the language. The north side of Ayr Harbour still operates as a commercial port, mainly exporting coal, and extensive railway sidings still lead down from the main railway line near Newton-on-Ayr station . Ayr developed as
5160-425: The north side of the River Ayr. Ayr was continuously hit by a number of plagues from 1545 to 1647, resulting in the town's port being quarantined and plague victims being removed from the town on pain of death. Mary, Queen of Scots visited the town in 1552 and 1563. Ayr remained a significant port throughout the 16th century, exporting goods such as fish, hide and wool and importing salt and wine. Ayr played
5246-437: The old assembly rooms, a short distance to the north east of the old tolbooth. The new building was designed by Thomas Hamilton in the neoclassical style , built by Archibald Johnston in ashlar stone at a cost of £9,965 and was completed in November 1830. The original design involved an asymmetrical main frontage with six bays facing onto New Bridge Street; the third bay from the left, which slightly projected forward, featured
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#17327875045325332-412: The principal room was the main assembly hall. The building was extended to the south by three extra bays with a new block, which projected forward as a pavilion and was built to a design by James Sellars of Campbell Douglas and Sellars, in 1881. Following the expansion, as well as the main assembly hall, the principal rooms included a council chamber, a committee room and a town clerk's office. Following
5418-489: The railway line. Most people live on the east side of Main Street. Here there is a mixture of council and private housing. The main neighbourhoods on the east of the Main Street are Shawfarm, Marchburn, Glenburn, Powmill, Kingcase, Moorfield and East Road/Kings Meadow. On the west side of the Main Street is a mixture of council, privately owned, rented and hotel/B & B accommodation. Prestwick has an oceanic climate ( Köppen : Cfb ). St. Ninian's Park, nicknamed The Oval ,
5504-428: The rest of Great Britain, by rail in 1839, with the first service operating in August 1840 to a terminus on North Harbour Street . This led to a significant expansion in Ayr's tourist industry due to its attractive, sandy beach and links to Robert Burns. In 1857 a line was built from Dalmellington to export iron from Waterside and a new station was built to replace the old station called " Ayr Townhead Station ". In 1877
5590-400: The rest of Scotland, the area rarely sees much mist and fog due to the land being relatively flat and low lying, and, with the wind blowing across the flatter land, this generally hinders fog from developing widely. This has made Glasgow Prestwick International Airport particularly well known as one of the less fog-prone airports in Scotland. Snowfall is rare in this part of Scotland because of
5676-408: The role was civilianised in January 2016. Prestwick is a major air traffic control centre, with both the Scottish Air Traffic Control Centre (controlling 70% of UK airspace) and Prestwick Oceanic Area Control Centre ( Shanwick Oceanic Control - responsible for air traffic over the eastern half of the North Atlantic) located at the NATS owned 'Scottish and Oceanic Area Control Centre'. Prestwick
5762-454: The town and 36,760 tonnes were imported into the town. Other prominent industries in Ayr at this time included fishing, tanning and shoemaking, with several sawmills, woollen mills and carpet weavers located in the town as well. Timber and tobacco were also traded between Ayr's Harbour and North America. The Burgh of Ayr Act 1873 resulted in Newton and Wallacetown being absorbed into the Burgh of Ayr. Newton's more industrial character has left
5848-408: The town hall include a portrait by John Stevens of the former local member of parliament , Lord Patrick Crichton-Stuart . Ayr Ayr ( / ɛər / AIR ; Scots : Ayr ; Scottish Gaelic : Inbhir Àir , "Mouth of the River Ayr ") is a town situated on the southwest coast of Scotland. A former royal burgh , today it is the administrative centre of the South Ayrshire Council , and
5934-406: The town to the north side of the River. Since 1261, annual fairs were held in the town. At this time the town had a recorded population of 1,500 and served as a major port on the west coast. The town was unsuccessfully attacked by Norwegian forces in 1263 and invaded and occupied by English forces from 1296 until 1312 as part of the Scottish Wars of Independence . In 1298 the original castle at Ayr
6020-432: The town today divided into two distinct areas, with areas south of the River Ayr incorporating a mixture of affluent Victorian residential suburbs and modern suburban developments, in contrast to more deprived and industrial areas to the north of the river. When elected county councils were created in 1890 under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1889 , the burgh of Ayr was deemed capable of running its own affairs and so
6106-413: The town was used as a base and fortress for some of Oliver Cromwell's men. They established a large fortress along the mouth of the River Ayr and erected walls around the area just south of the River's mouth – most of these walls remain present to this day. St John's Tower, which sat around the centre of the fortress, was originally part of a large church yet this was knocked down during the construction of
6192-478: The town's infrastructure, with Ayr's textile, wool, linen and shoemaking industries thriving as a result. A small lighthouse was constructed on the River Ayr in 1712, followed by a quay in 1713. Repairs to the town's Harbour and High Tolbooth took place between 1724 and 1726, with funding provided by the Convention of Royal Burghs . Street lighting was installed around the town centre in 1747. A sugar refinery at
6278-446: The war resulted in significant slum clearance and redevelopment around the town centre, with the development of new housing estates on the periphery of the town. The lands surrounding Woodfield House were acquired by the council in 1919 to build council housing on, with the first residents moving in 1921. Further local government reform in 1930 brought the burgh of Ayr within the area controlled by Ayrshire County Council, but classed as
6364-416: Was a city, yet it has certainly been a good town, and much bigger than it is now: At present like an old beauty, it shews the ruins of a good face; but is also apparently not only decay'd and declin'd, but decaying and declining every day, and from being the fifth town in Scotland, as the townsmen say, is now like a place so saken; the reason of its decay, is, the decay of its trade, so true is it, that commerce
6450-599: Was abolished in 2005 to be replaced by the Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock and Central Ayrshire constituencies which were subsequently represented by MP's belonging to Labour , and later, the SNP. From the seat's creation in 1950 until the 1997 general election Ayr was continually represented by MP's from the Conservative Party . George Younger served as Member of Parliament for the constituency for most of this period – serving as MP for Ayr from 1964 to 1992 . In 1997
6536-401: Was destroyed by Robert The Bruce's forces. On 26 April 1315, a Parliament of Scotland was held in Ayr by Robert The Bruce at St. John's Tower by the sea. As a Royal Burgh, Ayr was afforded various privileges relating to trade, tolls and fishing rights, which allowed the town to out-compete the neighbouring free burgh of Newton-on-Ayr which was established in the 14th century and situated on
6622-575: Was developed in Ayr at Kincaidston , with the Wallacetown and Whitletts estates being expanded. Suburban housing was also developed at Alloway, Doonfoot and Holmston, and many disused industrial buildings throughout the town were redeveloped into flats. In 2000, as part of the Millennium celebrations, Ayr submitted an unsuccessful bid for city status, losing to Inverness , and again submitted an unsuccessful bid two years later in 2002 as part of
6708-530: Was due to its fine sandy beach and the construction of the rail link to Glasgow which was completed in 1840. Prestwick Prestwick ( Scottish Gaelic : Preastabhaig ) is a town in South Ayrshire on the west coast of Ayrshire in Scotland about 30 miles (50 kilometres) southwest of Glasgow . It adjoins the larger town of Ayr to the south on the Firth of Clyde coast, the centre of which
6794-468: Was eventually absorbed into the Burgh of Ayr. The separate village of Alloway to the south-east of Ayr was also annexed by the town in 1691, despite numerous petitions against this to Edinburgh from residents of the village. Although the importation of French wine continued to be Ayr's most important trade during the 17th century, the port was one of the first in Scotland to establish regular trade links with
6880-507: Was excluded from the jurisdiction of Ayrshire County Council, although the county council chose to meet at County Buildings in the town. The Carnegie Library was opened in Ayr on 2 September 1893. By the turn of the century, Ayr's population was around 31,000 people. The Burns Statue Square drill hall was completed in 1901 and the Wellington Square drill hall was probably completed shortly after that. On 26 September 1901,
6966-748: Was formed at the County Buildings in Wellington Square in 1975. The concert organ was refurbished in 2008, enabling the venue to resume hosting the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and other musical ensembles. A statue of the Indian political leader, Mahatma Gandhi , by the sculptor, Guatam Pal, was presented by the Government of India and unveiled inside the town hall on 14 September 2019. Works of art in
7052-471: Was held by the Conservatives from 1906 until the constituency's abolishment in 1950, making Ayr the longest seat to be held by the Conservatives in Scotland at over 100 years. In the Scottish Parliament , the Ayr constituency was represented from 2000 to 2021 by Conservative MSP John Scott until he was defeated at the 2021 election by the SNP's Siobhian Brown . It was the first constituency in
7138-568: Was initially harmful to Ayr, due to the importance to its economy of the wine trade with France. The terms of the English Methuen Treaty of 1703, which favoured the importation of Portuguese and Spanish wines and was accompanied by punitive duties on French wines, were extended to Scotland. However, the Union provided Ayr with significant trading opportunities with Britain's colonies around the world and resulted in improvements to
7224-496: Was no longer in the top ten. In 2016 research conducted by the Local Data Company suggested that Ayr had among the highest number of shops per head in the United Kingdom at one shop for every 270 people. In 2010, premium home furnishings company, The Designer Rooms , was established in the town and opened its first showroom within the town. During the 19th and 20th centuries, Ayr became a popular holiday resort. This
7310-426: Was not played in 1871). The town also hosts two other golf courses, St. Nicholas and St. Cuthberts. St. Nicholas is a traditional links course south of the town. Prestwick St Ninians Golf Club (now defunct) was founded in 1912. The club continued until the 1950s. The Shaw Monument stands on the high ground overlooking Prestwick Airport. On Ardayre Road in Prestwick is a Polish memorial. Its origins can be traced to
7396-639: Was the largest swimming pool north of the border. It could accommodate 1200 bathers and 3000 spectators. It hosted swimming galas, diving exhibitions, moonlight swimming sessions and regular fireworks displays and was the venue of some of the Miss Scotland competitions. It was closed in 1972 and subsequently demolished. On 28 August 1944, a Douglas C-54 Skymaster (42-72171) of the United States Army Air Forces , on approach into Glasgow Prestwick Airport in bad weather, crashed into
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