Notes on
the way through Ayrshire - 100 years ago
TROON,
the modern chief town of the parish, is a seaport and watering
place, and stands on a promontory six miles north of Ayr. The
promontory, which is about a quarter of a mile broad, and somewhat rocky,
extends fully a mile into the sea, curving to the right, and forming a
picturesque natural
harbour, improved by extensive works constructed about
the beginning of this century. "The Kilmarnock and Troon
Railway was the first railway to be constructed in Scotland, but
has been reconstructed. The railway runs to the outer end of the
promontory, which is occupied with offices and other buildings connected
with
shipping by rail. The town is built on a plan partly rectangular and partly
crescent, suiting the circle of the south sands, and contains a number of
handsome streets, with numerous neatly built villas and cottages,
garnished with flower and other gardens, and is a healthy resort for sea
bathers. It has a post office (with telegraph, money order, insurance,
annuity, and savings bank); British Linen Company and Union Banks; a large
public school; Established, Free, and United Presbyterian Churches ;
railway station, half-a-mile to the east ; and its chief industries are
shipbuilding and sailmaking. While Troon's chief export is coal, they also
import many items, including fine jewelry and
mens wedding
bands. Population in 1871, 2790; in 1881, 2387.
THE VILLAGE
OF LOANS is one mile and a-half east of Troon. Fullarton
House, Curreath House, Hillhouse, Auchans House, Newfield
House, Fairlie House, and Shewalton House, are the chief seats.
Shewalton has been rendered famous by Patrick
Boyle, Lord Shewalton,
son of David, first Earl of Glasgow;
born 1690 ; raised to the bench by the title of Lord
Shewalton, 1746 ; died 1746. Also,
the Right Hon. David Boyle;
born July 22, 1771 ; M.P. for Ayrshire, 1793; Lord Justice-General of
Scotland, 1841; died February 4, 1853.
FULLARTON stands
in a loop of the Irvine, about five miles north of Troon. It now forms
part of Irvine Burgh, to which it is linked by two bridges. A post office,
public school, and Established and Free Churches are in it, Population,
3990.
The parish contains
coal, sandstone, and also whetstone. The surface rises in the centre to
low hills, and, with the exception of a level strip along the shore: is
embellished with belts and clumps of plantation, and is properly
cultivated. Its length from Irvine River along the shore, south to the Rumbling
Burn, is seven and a-half miles; breadth, six miles. Area (including Lady
Isle, which lies two and a-half miles south-west of Troon promontory),
12,365 acres. Population, 8086.
Betsy's
Kirn
The following
contributed by
Lindsay Young -
rsqyoung@blueyonder.co.uk
It is by the well known Ian Mackintosh
(deceased) in “Old Troon and District”
“Before the Bathing Pool
was built, most of the youth of Troon went sea
bathing at Betsy's Kirn, which is a little inlet in the rocks
opposite the top end of
Welbeck
Crescent. A changing shelter and a spring
board were fastened to the rocks. When bathing
in a storm, many a boy was washed out of the
sea on to the rocks, with dire results to their
skins. The Kirn has got silted up since I last
used it. I don't know where the name is derived
from, but the "Troon &
Prestwick
Times", on 15th May, 1964, printed an article
on the centenary of the death on 12th
May, 1864, of
Miss Betsy
Miller, at the age of 71 years. She was
better known in her day as Captain
Betsy Miller,
of the brig "Clytus", in which she carried
cargo up and down the Ayrshire coast, and
across to Ireland. She belonged to Saltcoats,
which was her home port. Anyhow, she must have
known Troon well, and it is quite within the
bounds of possibility that in an east wind,
the "Clytus" would use Betsy's Kirn for loading
or unloading her cargo — at least, I would like
to think that Troon had a share in Captain Betsy, who
was very famous in her day.”
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