Gazetteer of Scotland

AYR
that much has been done in that way.
Possessing valuable seams of excellent
-coal, and enriched with the returns
from its exportation, little attention
was paid to the culture of the ground.
The establishment of the Douglas and
Heron bank, though ruinous to the
proprietors, contributed greatly to
promote the improvement of Ayrshire.
The abundance of wealth which it
fallaciously seemed to pour into the
country, and the ready command of
money it gave, set all the proprietors
towards improving and planting their
estates, furnished means for Raising
and burning lime for manure, and a-
bove all, with the money from the
bank, canals and roads were* opened
through every part of the country.
Upon the failure of that ill- conducted
speculation, though the proprietors of
many estates saw their lands brought
to sale, yet by the improvement which
the grounds had received during the
profusion of money, the prosperity of
the county was rather promoted than
retarded, by an event which threat-
ened to overwhelm not only Ayrshire,
but the greater part of Scotland, in
the gulf of bankruptcy. Ayrshire, be-
sides the inexhaustible ssams of coal
with which it abounds, possesses se-
veral ether valuable minerals ; as
freestone, limestone, ironstone, seve-
ral rich ores of lead, and copper. A
few curious specimens are also to be
found in the hills of Carrick, of agates,
porphyries, and of caicai - eous petrifac-
tions. In the parish of Stair, antimony
and molybdtena have been found ; and
in several^ parts of the county is found
that species of whetstone, known by
the name of Ayr-stone. There is plen-
ty of marl in most of the lakes ; the
chief of which is Loclf Doon, from
which the river of that name takes its
rise. There is annually a great quan-
tity of sea weed thrown ashore, from
which many tons of kelp are made,
All the rivers of Ayrshire abound
with salmon, and the coasts are admir
rably adapted for the white fishing.
To attempt tq enumerate all the seats
with which this county is ornament-
ed, would extend this article far be^
yond our limits. A few of the chief
families need only be mentioned. The
Kennedies, the Cunninghams, the
Cpchranes, the Stewarts, the Mont-
gomeries, the Boyds, the Campbells,
AYR
and the Boswells, are the most an-
cient, and most of them possess resi-
dences in the county. The valued
rent of Ayrshire is estimated at
191,6051. Scots, and the real rent a-
mounts to 105,8001. Sterling. Popu-
lation of the county in 1801, 84,306",
AYR ; a royal borough of great an-
tiquity, the County town of Ayrshire,
and the seat of a justiciary court. It
was erected into a royal borough by
William the Lion, about the year'
1180; and the privileges granted by
that charter are still enjoyed by the
town. It is pleasantly situated on a
point of land, between the influx of the
fivers Doon and Ayr into the Atlantic
oqean, The principal street is a fine
ornamented broad spacious way, with
a row of elegant houses on each side.
Its shape is somewhat of the form of
a crescent, having the tolbocth and
towii-hall in the centre, with a fine
spire, 135 feet high. In ancient times
we find Ayr to have been a' town of
considerable trade. The merchants
imported a great quantity of wine
from France, and exported., corn and
ether produce of the country. The
rising trade of Glasgow proved very
injuripus to the trade of this town ;
but of late it has much revived. The
sea shore is Rat and shallow, and the
entrance of the fiver Ayr, which forms
the harbour, is subject to the inconve-
nience of a bar of sand, which is often
thrown quite across the river, espe-
cially with a strong N. W. wind. The
water never rises above 1 2 feet ; but,
from some improvements and exten-
sive works now carrying on the sides
of the river, it is hoped the channel
will be considerably deepened. There
are erected 2 reflecting light-houses
to conduct vessels safely into the harr
hour. There are great plenty of sal-
mon in the two rivers, the fishings of
which rent at upwards of 2001. Be-
sides the salmon fishery, the sand banks
on the coast abound with all kinds of
white fish, and one or two companies
are established here for curing them,
The principal trade carried on is the
exportation of coal to Ireland, in which
nearly 2000 tonnage of vessels are an-
nually employed. There is an exten-
sive manufacture of leather and soap.
Ayr was in ancient times, however,
not only distinguished for trade, but
also for military strength. Here- the