



15$ . AY 



Ayr.' - The prison, like the oW tolbooth of Edinburgh, 

 interlines, and almost block* up, one of the principal 

 streets. Security is the only consideration which 

 seems to have gained the att ntion pf those who plan- 

 ned this public nuisance, which is not so much the 

 tenor of evil doers, as the horror of those that do 

 Wvll. The air is admitted very sparingly, and the 

 accommodation is so inadequate, that old and young, 

 male and female prisoner:', are frequently crowded in- 

 to the same apartment. We are astonished that a 

 great county like Ayrshire, should be so far behind 

 many less populous districts, in effecting an improve- 

 ment, which, more than almost any other, marks 

 the superiority of modern civilization. 



There are few public buildings worthy of particular 

 notice. Before the Reformation there were monaste- 

 ries of Dominicans and Franciscans, the former found- 

 ed in 1230, and the latter in 1472. The church of 

 St John the Baptist stood near the sea, and probably 

 within the ramparts. Its tower still remains. Here, 

 it is said, a parliament was held, in the time of Ro- 

 bert Bruce, to settle the succession to the throne of 

 Scotland. This venerable structure continued to be 

 the place of public worship till the middle of the 

 17th century, when it was converted into an armoury 

 by Oliver Cromwell, who built a citadel round it ; 

 the stones for erecting which were almost all brought 

 from a distance by sea, and chiefly from the castle 

 of Ardrossan, a distance of twenty miles. The ci- 

 tadel encloses twelve acres of ground. Cromwell 

 .gave the town 666 : 13 : 4 sterling, to build the 

 present church, which is capable of containing near- 

 ly 2000 persons. Another church has been recently 

 built, which accommodates 1200. 



In 1796, an academy was established here, and a 

 handsome building erected, containing a number of 

 spacious apartments, in which all the branches of 

 education necessary for a commercial life are taught 

 by able masters. The institution is superintended by 

 a rector, who teaches experimental philosophy, as- 

 tronomy, chemistry, Greek, &c. Other masters are 

 appointed for mathematics, geography, navigation, 

 arithmetic, Latin, French, English, writing, and 

 drawing. The number of students last year amount- 

 ed to 542. Within these few years, two rectors of 

 this academy have been elected professors of natural 

 philosophy in the two oldest Scotish universities. 

 Besides this prosperous seminary, there are several 

 other respectable 'schools, and in particular one or 

 two female boarding schools. 



A flourishing banking company, under the firm of 

 Hunters and Co., has existed in Ayr for many years; 

 and has a branch at Irvine, and another at Maybole. 

 The Bank of Scotland has also an agent at Ayr. 



The manufactures are not very considerable. Tan- 

 ning and soap-boiling deserve to be mentioned. 



The port was formerly considered as of no small con- 

 sequence. Buchanan characterises it as " Emporium 

 non ignobile." The navigation, however, is liable to 

 be impeded by a bar, which is occasionally thrown 

 across the mouth of the river, especially by the N. W. 

 winds ; an d the depth of water, even at spring tides, 

 is but 12 feet. The foundation of a harbour was 

 laid in 1 772, a year memorable also for the failure of 

 the Douglas and Heron Bank. To this port belong 



R. 



at present 60 vessels ; from 200 tons register down- 

 . the whole tonnage of which amounts to be- 

 tween 5000 and 60(H). The seamen employed are 

 500. The principal export is coal to Ireland, about 

 50,400 tons annually. The other exports are pig- 

 iron from Muirkirk and Glenbuck, 1000 tons; coal- 

 tar, 650 ca^ks; brown paint, 470 casks; lamp-black, 

 700 barrels; coal-oil, 26 puncheons; soapers' salts, 

 170 tons ; also writer of Ayr stone, and black-lead ; 

 with boots, shoes, stockings, linens, cottons, wool, 

 yarn, cheese, seeds, farming utensils, machinery, &c. 

 The imports are hides and tallow from S. America ; 

 beet, butter, barley, beans, oats, meal, yarn, linen, 

 feathers, kelp, bricks, quills, soap, and limestone, 

 (about 8000 tons annually,) from Ireland; wheat, 

 square timber, spars, and deals, from the British co- 

 lonies in America ; hemp, pilch, tar, iron, timber, 

 &c. from the Baltic ; slates from Easdale and Fort- 

 William ; grain and meal from Galloway ; British 

 spirits and general goods from Glasgow; oak timber, 

 &c. from the west of England ; and general cargoes 

 from Leith, Liverpool, London, &c. 



Contiguous to the harbour, and within the pre- 

 cincts of Cromwell's Fort, are barracks capable of 

 containing a battalion of infantry. 



The inhabitants in general are industrious and so- 

 ber ; and the more opulent part of them equally dis- 

 tinguished for their hospitality to strangers, and their 

 humanity to the poor. A charity-house was built 

 in 1756 ; and various other means have been pro- 

 vided for relieving the necessities of the helpless 

 and infirm. One expedient in particular deserves, 

 we think, to be made known, as its beneficial effects 

 have been extensively felt among the lower orders. 

 Within the last twelve years, six female societies 

 have been formed ; the first of which consists of 45 

 honorary members, and 70 general members, as they 

 are called. Every member pays six shillings annual- 

 ly into the funds ; and every ordinary member, when 

 unable to work, receives five shillings a week. They 

 receive also two guineas each when they are married; 

 half-a-guinea for every child that is born ; and when 

 they die two guineas are paid for their funeral ex- 

 penses. Some of the other societies are conducted 

 on a principle somewhat different ; but all of them 

 are under the management of ladies, and the regula- 

 tions are such as tend equally to guard against impo- 

 sition, and to secure immediate relief to the distress- 

 ed. The number of females associated for this pur- 

 pose is 645. 



It has sometimes been regretted that there is no 

 infirmary or bridewell in Ayr. The want of the for- 

 mer must be felt chiefly by the medical practitioners, 

 who might, by such an establishment, be saved a 

 great deal of inconvenience. In all cases of necessi- 

 ty, these gentlemen are in the habit of giving their 

 advice and attendance gratuitously, and this with equal 

 assiduity and tenderness. 



The markets are well supplied with provisions of 

 all sorts, particularly fish, at moderate prices. Coal 

 is abundant and very cheap. The climate is healthy, 

 and the society more agreeable than is generally to 

 be met with in small towns, A public library has 

 long been established ; and, for several years there 

 has been a printing-office, where a newspaper is pub- 



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