Ayr in historic gazetteers

Gazetteer of the British Isles (Edinburgh: Bartholomew, 1887). John Bartholomew

Ayr.-- par., parl. and royal burgh, and co. town of Ayrshire, at mouth of river Ayr, 40½ miles SW. of Glasgow, 78½, miles SW. of Edinburgh, and 384 miles from London by rail -- par., 6939 ac., pop. 10,182; parl. burgh, pop. 20,812; royal burgh, pop. 8776; 7 Banks, 4 newspapers. Market-days, Tuesday and Friday. The town is connected with Newton and Wallaceton on N. side of the river by the "Auld Brig" and "New Brig," cerebrated by Burns. There are mfrs. of carpets, woollen goods, and leather; iron foundries; engineering works; and shipbuilding yards. It has extensive docks; coal and iron are the chief exports. The fisheries and the shipping are important. (For statistics, see Appendix.) There are still some fragments of the ramparts of the Fort of Ayr, which was built by Cromwell in 1652. At the S. end of the town is the racecourse, where the Western Meeting takes place annually in September. Ayr unites with Irvine, Campbeltown, Inveraray, and Oban in returning 1 member to Parl.