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Prestwick
is a Town in Ayrshire
southwest Scotland,
on the north side of
Ayr with a long sandy
Beach.
The Towns of
Prestwick and Ayr
expanded and joined
together after the
Railway from Glasgow
reached Prestwick and
Ayr in 1840.
Robert the Bruce
is said to have been
cured of leprosy by
the waters of the
well at St Ninian's
Church on the south
side of
Prestwick.
Prestwick Golf
Club is where the
Open Championship
began, played here
first from 1860 -
1872.
Prestwick Town has
a popular Beach, Main
Street with many busy
Bar/Diners and
Restaurants, three
Golf Courses and a
large Tennis Centre.
The Main Street is a
popular place most
nights of the week
for Drinks, Meals and
Entertainment such as
Live Music, DJs,
Karaoke, and
Quizzes.
Prestwick
Shops Click On
Map
36 Large
Images
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Prestwick
Cross view
looking north with
the road straight
ahead leading 1
mile to the
Airport.
Large
Image
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The road to the left
leads 200 yards to the Rail
Station, Old Prestwick Golf
Course and Beach.
Prestwick Main Street
runs from the Cross south,
with a good variety of
Restaurants, Pubs for Food
and Entertainment. Most of
the Hotels also have
Restaurants for guests and
non guests.
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Church of St
Nicholas can
be found by walking
along Station Drive
by the Train
Station that leads
to the rear of the
Church built in the
1100s.
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The main entrance to the
Church is from Kirk Street,
50 yards north of Prestwick
Cross.
The ancient Burgh of
Prestwick grew around the
old Church of St Nicholas.
This was originally a
Monastery Church, modified
after the Protestant
Reformation in the late
1500s.
There have been claims,
that buried within the
grounds are Knights
Templar, guardians of the
Holy Grail. There is
supposed to be a Plaque in
the Church with the Maltese
Cross, the symbol of the
Knights Templar. A street
next to the Church is named
Templerigg Street, there
are a number of Streets in
Ayrshire named Temple----,
thought to be after the
Templars.
Large Image .
Map
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Prestwick Golf
Club is
about 300 yards
west of Prestwick
Cross, next to the
Train Station,
known as Old
Prestwick.
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Kidz
Play is past
the Train Station
and Old Prestwick
Golf Course at the
Beach area. This
view shows the
Indoor Play Area to
the north of the
Beach.
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The large car park is
free of charge. Large Image
There is also a fairly
large outdoor play area
next to Kidz Play that is
free of charge. Tel: 01292
475 215.
kidz-play.co.uk .
Map/Reviews
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Prestwick
Beach is
long with grassland
that runs
alongside. There is
an outdoor Kids
Play area midway
along the beach.
Large
Image
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The Parkstone Hotel
looks onto the beach, this
Hotel has now been sold for
a Care Home. The Parkstone
had been built as a beach
resort hotel in 1933.
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Prestwick
Sailing Club
is at the south end
of the Beach.
Map/Reviews
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Bruce’s
Well is to
the south of
Prestwick centre on
Maryborough Road,
just behind St
Ninian's
Church.
St
Ninian's Church
Image
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Robert the Bruce,
Scotlands most famous King,
drank from this Well when
conducting his guerrilla
campaign against the
English occupiers of
Scotland in the early
1300s.
He thought the water
from the Well reduced the
severity of his skin
disease, probably leprosy.
This led to him returning
to the Well as often as
possible. Church Website .
Map/KA9 1SD
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Prestwick
Tennis,
Badminton and
Fitness Centre is
situated on
Whinfield Place off
Ayr Road, south of
Prestwick
Cross.
Map/Reviews/KA9
2TS
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The Indoor and Outdoor
Tennis Courts are open to
members and non-members
from 6am - 10.30pm, with
the Outdoor Courts being
free of charge. Tel: 01292
474 700.
Website
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St Ninian's
Park is off
Ayr Road to the
south of Prestwick
centre with a
Swimming
Pool / Gym, Cricket
Club, 5 a side
Football and
Football
Pitches.
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Prestwick
Flying Club
is at the south end
of Prestwick
Airport.
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Information on joining
the Club, looking to gain
your Pilots Licence, or
just curious about Flying
and would like a Test
Flight. Tel - 01292 475
583.
prestwickflyingclub.co.uk
Prestwick
Airport opened in
1934, mainly as a Training
Airfield. It expanded over
the years, as for some
time, it was the only
Scottish Airport allowed to
operate Transatlantic
Flights, due to it being on
the coast with rarely any
fog.
The United States Air
Force had a base here from
1952 - 1966, and British
Airways used the long
runway at Prestwick for
training Concorde pilots.
Concorde would fly round
all day, just touching the
runway then back up. People
in cars would line the
roads watching the amazing
sight, with nobody then
realizing just how special
that sight was, as there
are no such Aircraft in
service today, and unlikely
to be for some time.
The singer Elvis Presley was
at Prestwick in 1960 for 2
hours as the plane he was
traveling on stopped to be
re-fueled. About 200 fans
found out, leading to them
getting there to meet
him.
The Airport now relies
on Cargo and Budget
Airlines providing flights
throughout Europe.
Prestwick History
with Old Photos
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