Topographical dictionary of Scotland > Volume 1

AYR
AYR
Notwithstanding the very advantageous situation of
the town, in the midst of a richly-cultivated district
abounding in mineral wealth, and commanding exten-
sive means of communication, and facilities of convey-
ance, both by sea and land, the town has never been
much distinguished for its manufactures : the prin-
cipal manufacture carried on here, is that of shoes,
which has, for some years, very much diminished,
affording employment, at present, to little more than
200 persons. The working of muslins, in varieties of
patterns, for the Glasgow manufacturers, is carried on
to a considerable extent, occupying about 300 persons,
at their own dwellings. "Weaving with the hand-loom,
for manufacturers of distant towns, employs about 150
persons; and tanning and currying of leather is carried
on, but on a limited scale. A spacious factory for the
spinning of wool and the manufacture of carpets, has
been recently established by Mr. Templeton, which ori-
ginated in a small establishment for the spinning of
cotton-yarn ; since its application to the present use,
the building has been enlarged, and supplied with the
most improved machinery of every kind, and the con-
cern, at present, affords employment to 200 persons.
A mill for carding, spinning, and weaving wool, for
plaids and blankets, has been also erected on the bank
of the river Doon ; the machinery is impelled by water,
and about thirty persons are regularly employed in the
works. The foreign trade of the port consists almost
entirely of the exportation of coal, and the importation
of hemp, mats, tallow, tar, iron, pitch, timber, and other
commodities ; the number of vessels engaged in this
trade, is about eighteen. About 300 vessels are em-
ployed in the coasting trade, which is carried on to a
very considerable extent ; the imports are, corn, gro-
ceries, hardware, iron, lead, haberdasheries, and other
wares, and the exports are, coal, corn, wool, and agri-
cultural produce. In a recent year, 739 vessels, of
62,730 tons aggregate burthen, cleared out from the
port, exclusively of steam-boats. 3136 quarters of
wheat, 306 cwt. of flour, 11,145 quarters of oats, 5623
cwt. of meal, 318 quarters of barley, 643 quarters of
beans, and 51 quarters of peas, were brought into the
port in the year ; and 60,000 tons of coal, 5571 quar-
ters of wheat, 5586 cwt. of flour, 87 quarters of oats,
3178 cwt. of oatmeal, 84 quarters of barley, and 183
quarters of beans, were shipped coastwise. The port
appears to have been distinguished at an early period,
and ships are said to have been built here by several of
the kings of Scotland ; the harbour is capacious, and
affords good accommodation for vessels, but the entrance
is somewhat obstructed by a bar thrown up by the accu-
mulation of alluvial deposit, for the removal of which
considerable sums have been expended, with great effect.
A wall was raised, nearly twenty feet in height, taper-
ing from a base of nearly thirty feet in breadth, to
about eight feet on the summit, and extending nearly
300 yards into the sea, on the south side ; and a similar
pier, on the north side, parallel to the former, was
likewise erected, at a very great expense. By these
means, the harbour has been considerably improved ;
and to render it still more complete, a breakwater
has been partly erected at the mouth of the harbour,
stretching still further into the sea, and which it is esti-
mated will be completed at an expense of about £4000.
The depth of water is from 14 to 16 feet, at ordinary
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spring tides ; and, within the bar, about eighty sail of
ships may lie in perfect safety.
The rivers Ayr and Doon abound with excellent sal-
mon, and considerable quantities are taken, during the
season, with drags, and afterwards with stake-nets, and,
besides affording an abundant supply for the town and
neighbourhood, are sent to the Glasgow, Edinburgh, and
London markets ; the fishery in the Doon is let for
£235, and the other for £45, per annum. The fishe-
ries off the coast are perhaps less extensive than for-
merly, but more than twenty boats, each managed by
four men, are employed in taking cod, ling, haddock,
whiting, turbot, skate, flounders, mackerel, and her-
rings, which last are taken only during the summer
months ; soles, red gurnet, and large conger eels are
found occasionally. The post-office has several delive-
ries daily, and the utmost facility of intercourse is
maintained with the neighbouring towns, and with
England and Ireland. The roads are kept in excellent
order ; and the trade of the place has been much im-
proved by the recent formation of a railroad to Glasgow,
noticed in the article on that place, and for which an
appropriate station has been erected on the north bank
of the river, near the new bridge, having a frontage of
eighty-four feet, with every accommodation for goods
and passengers. The market-days are Tuesday and
Friday; the markets are amply supplied with grain and
provisions of every kind, and four annual fairs are held
for cattle, horses, sheep, and agricultural produce.
The charter of incorporation was first granted in
the year 1202, by William the Lion, who conferred upon
the burgesses the whole of the lands of the parish, with
many valuable privileges. This charter was confirmed
by Alexander II., who added the adjoining parish of
Alloway, and extended the jurisdiction of the magistrates
over the two parishes ; and Robert Bruce, by a subse-
quent charter, dated at Dunfermline, ratified all the
grants of his predecessors, and erected Alloway into a
barony, of which the corporation were the lords. Under
these charters, the government of the burgh is vested in
a provost, two bailies, a dean of guild, a treasurer, and
twelve councillors, of which last number ten were for-
merly of the. merchants' guild, and two of the trades' ;
the provost, bailies, and dean of guild are, ex officio,
justices of the peace of the county. The burgh magis-
trates, were, until lately, elected from the guild brethren,
who formed the council, by whom all the officers of the
corporation were also appointed ; but the magistrates
and councillors are now chosen agreeably with the pro-
visions of the Municipal Reform act, by the voters
within the limits of the parliamentary burgh. The in-
corporated trade guilds were nine in number, and were
styled the squaremen, hammermen, tailors, skinners,
coopers, weavers, shoemakers, dyers, and butchers. The
magistrates have jurisdiction in civil and criminal cases,
but confine the latter to petty misdemeanours. They
hold courts weekly, for civil and criminal causes, but the
more important cases are referred to the sheriff's court,
held every Tuesday, from May to July, and from Octo-
ber to April ; the number of these causes averages 500
in the year, of which very few are removed into the
court of session, or supreme court. A sheriff court for
the recovery of debts not exceeding £8. 6. 8., is held
every Thursday, and a petty court every Monday,
confined chiefly to breaches of the peace ; a dean of