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Prestwick is a
town situated 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 Ninians
church on the south
side of
Prestwick.
A regularly
overlooked fact is
that 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
Quizes.
Prestwick
Shops Click On
Map
36 Large
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This view is
looking north
showing Prestwick
Cross with the road
straight ahead
leading to the
Airport.
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Image
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The road to the left
leads 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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A right turn at
the Train Station
leads to the rear
of the old Church
of St Nicholas
built in the 1100s.
The main entrance
to the Church is
from Kirk Street,
50 yards north of
Prestwick
Cross.
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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 Knight
Templars, guardians of the
Holy Grail. There is
supposed to be a Plaque in
the Church with the Maltese
Cross, the symbol of the
Knight Templars.
Large Image .
Map
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Only a few
hundred yards west
of Prestwick Cross,
next to the Train
Station, is
Prestwick Golf
Club, known by many
as Old Prestwick.
This was the first
Course to host the
Open Championship
when the tournament
began in 1860.
Map
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Past the Train
Station and Old
Prestwick Golf
Course is the Beach
area. The view left
shows the indoor
play area to the
north of the Beach
with a large car
park free of
charge.
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There is also a fairly
large outdoor play area
next to Kidz Play that is
free of charge. Tel: 01292
475 215.
www.kidz-play.co.uk
. Map
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Prestwick has a
long sandy Beach
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 with
outdoor seating for lunch
on sunny days. Website
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Left is a view
of the south end of
the Beach where the
Prestwick Sailing
Club is
situated.
Map
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Bruce’s
Well is situated to
the south of
Prestwick on
Maryborough Road,
just behind St
Ninian's
Church.
St
Ninian's Church
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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.
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. It is believed St
Ninian’s Chapel (now
a ruin west of the well)
was built or restored by
Bruce after his ascension
to the Scottish
throne. 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/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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Prestwick Indoor
Bowling Club is
situated off Ayr
Road to the south
of Prestwick
centre.
Website .
Map/KA9
1NW
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This private Bowling
Club can be visited by
Members of other Clubs
throughout the world or as
Guests of Members. Tel:
01292 471 454.
There is a mid sized
indoor Swimming Pool next
to the bowling club.
Website
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Prestwick Flying
Club is situated at
the south end of
Prestwick Airport.
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.
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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 Concord pilots.
Concord 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 the
realising just how special
that sight was, as there
are no such Aircraft in
service today, and unlikely
to be for some time.
The Airport now relies
on Cargo and Budget
Airlines providing flights
throughout Europe.
For more information on
Prestwick and its Airport
history, visit the website
mcintyre.demon.co.uk
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