The earliest
recorded history of the market town Ayr is during the reign of the
Scottish King ‘William the Lion’ (1165-1214). This famous
king had a wooden castle built between the mouths of the rivers Ayr
and Doon. The settlement that grew beside the castle was granted Royal
Charter in 1205, this founding the Royal Burgh of Ayr. By 1263, the
town of Ayr had to fight off an invasion by Vikings. Although that
invasion was successfully repelled, the English army of Edward 1st
(Longshanks) took control of the town in 1296, along with most other
parts of Scotland. This was a time when a local of Ayr ‘William
Wallace’ (1270-1305) began his rise to fame. Robert the Bruce
(1274-1329) born at Turnberry Castle 15 miles south of Ayr used the
town for his first parliament to conduct his succession to the Scottish
throne. The next famous local of Ayr was John Loudon Macadam born
in 1756; he pioneered the building of roads made from layers of different
size of broken stone. Three years later, Scotland’s most famous
poet Robert Burns (1759-1796) was born in Alloway village to the south
of Ayr. Much of present-day Ayr has buildings, statues, pubs and monuments
dedicated to Robert Burns and William Wallace. |
The
statue of Robert Burns as seen right is situated near the bottom of
the Burns Statue Square in the town centre. The other statue in this
square is in honour of the Royal Scots Fusiliers that served in South
Africa, Soudan, Burma and Tirah. The old Royal Scots barracks were
situated on the south side of Ayr Harbour on the site now containing
the swimming pool. |
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Left is the 115 feet high Wallace Tower with a statue
of the Scottish legend on the front facade. This tower was built
in honour of William Wallace who led the Scottish rebels to an historic
victory over the English army at Stirling Bridge in 1297. Wallace
was rewarded for his bravery by being given the title ‘Guardian
of Scotland’. The tower that was reconstructed to its present
form in 1832 may have been built on the site where William Wallace’s
father once lived, now the centre of the High Street. |
The
Auld Brig leading off the High Street was built in the 1400s to replace
the original wooden bridge from the 1200s. The 1400s also saw many
of the wooden buildings in Ayr replaced by stone buildings. |
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Off
the High Street to the right is a narrow lane named Kirk Port. This
lane leads to an old churchyard and riverside pathway named Blackfriers
Walk. This site originally contained a monastery named Greyfriars
from the 1400s and is supposedly near the site of the monastery of
the Blackfriars from the 1200s. The Auld Kirk was built in 1654 during
the reign of Oliver Cromwell. The English Parliamentarian leader Cromwell
had Charles 1st (Stewart) beheaded in 1649 and ruled Britain as Lord
Protector until 1658. During that time, he funded one fifth of the
cost of this church and had a large fort built on the south side of
the harbour. Little of that fort now remains. The Auld Kirk is still
used to this day. |
The
New Brig allows a good view of the harbour. The fish market at Ayr
was relocated to Troon in the 1990s allowing this harbour to be developed
into accommodation apartments. The large indoor swimming pool can
be seen to the left of the new apartments with the ruins of the old
fort next to that. |
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Left
is a view from the Sandgate looking towards the New Brig and the Town
Buildings 226 feet high steeple (one of Scotland’s highest).
Most of Ayr’s Chinese, Indian and Italian restaurants are situated
on this street. |
At
the top of the Sandgate is Wellington Square. This peaceful scenic
square hosts three statues and a war memorial. The first statue as
you enter the square is of Brigadier General George Smith who served
in India during the 1800s. He was credited with stemming a rebellion
at Bengal and died later in action at Licknow. |
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A
right turn at the court buildings leads to Cassillis Street and St
Johns Tower. The tower is one of Ayr’s oldest surviving buildings
built in the 1300s. Next to St John’s Tower are the outdoor
tennis courts. The courts are open to the public free of charge all
year round. |
Right is a view of Ayr beach from the
south at the point for windsurfing. This sandy beach that can get
exceptionally busy in summer seems to stretch for miles. There is
the vast Low Green grassland that runs almost the length of the
beach with an outdoor and indoor kids play area. The Harbour and
the Citadel
(large indoor pool and sports complex) are at the north end of the
beach. |
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For a guided tour of Ayr, let Donald Kay take
you back to the 1200’s and show you how the town developed
from two streets into the beautiful Royal Burgh you see today. Discover
where and when the charter was awarded and by whom. Hear about Ayr’s
many distinguished residents and visitors - Sir William Wallace,
Robert the Bruce, Mary Queen of Scots, Oliver Cromwell, Maggie Osborne,
John Macadam and others. Admire the Covenanters and the history
of the Auld Kirk of St. John the Baptist... and many more facts
about the people of Auld Ayr. For more information, visit the website
www.walkaboutayr.com
Phone: 00 44 (0)1292 287765
Mobile: 07867 510 165
Email: donald@walkaboutayr.com |
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