AYRSHIRE, an extensive maritime co. in the s.w. of Scotland, bounded, n., by Ren ffewshire; w , by the firth of Clyde and the North channel; s., by Wigton and Kirk cudbright; e. and n.e., by Dumfries and Lanark. Its greatest length is 78 ni.; its greatest breadth, 26—average 144; area, 1149 sq.m., or 735,262 statute acres. It is the seventh in size of the Scottish counties. The general aspect of the county is undulating and hilly, the land attaining no great elevation, except a small portion in the n., and some considerable tracts in the s. and s.e., which are mountainous. None of the eminen ces exceed 2000 feet. A. contains a great number of lakes and small streams, the latter rising near the inland boundary of the county. The chief rivers—only 20 to 85 in. long —are the Ayr, with its tributary the Lugar, and the Doon, which flow across the center of the county; the Garnock and Irvine in the n.; and the Girvan and Stinchar in the south. A. to the s. of Girvan consists of lower Silurian rocks, and to the n. of that river, of patches of Devonian, carboniferous. and trap rocks. It is rich in valuable minerals, especially coal, ironstone, limestone, and freestone. The other minerals have been long wrought, but it is only of late years that the working of ironstone has been established— and is now carried on on a large scale in the n. of the county. On the banks of the Ayr is found an excellent species of whetstone, called water-of-Ayr stone. The climate of A. is mild and healthy, but moist. The soil along the coast is light and sandy, inter spersed with deep loam; the most fertile districts are in the center of the county, where clay predominates. On the e. side are extensive mosses and moorlands. The three aucient divisions of the county are—Carrick, s. of the Doon, mostly wild and hilly; Kyle, between the Doon and the Irvine, containing ranch rich level land, but towards the coast the soil is light, and, though well cultivated, is less productive; and Cunning ham, comprising all the country n. of the Irvine, mostly fertile. The characteristics of these districts are rudely indicated in the old country rhyme: Kyle for a man; Carrick for a coo; Cunningham for butter and cheese; And Galloway for woo.
Agriculture in A. till about 1800, was very backward; but since then, especially of late, extraordinary progress has been made in furrow-draining, improved rotation, and road-making; while the condition of the peasants has been much improved. In 1878,
314,191 acres were under crops and grass, held by 3569 persons, the farms being generally small. Dairy-husbandry is carried to high perfection in Ayrshire, the breed of milch cows, of which it rears a greater number than any other Scotch county, being noted as the finest in the kingdom for the quantity and quality of their milk. The Dunlop cheese, so called from the parish of that name, is almost as celebrated as Stilton, but is now almost superseded by that made on the Cheddar process. The breed of horses is also excellent. Manufactures, especially woolen and cotton, are carried on to an important extent. At Catrine there are extensive cotton-works; at Kilmarnock, dye works, iron-foundries, etc.; and at Cumnock, a large pottery. Of the minor manufac tures, the most characteristic is that of ornamental woodwork, often bearing tartan designs, which is extensively carried on at Mauchline. Great iron-works exist at Muirkirk, Hurlford, Kilwinning, Ardeer, Dalry, and Dalniellington. Maybole mann tures shoes and agricultural implements. There are valuable fisheries on sonic parts of the coast. Troop, Ardrossan, Ayr, and Irvine are thriving ports. Pop. '71, 200.809; inhabited houses, 26,798; and the number of children, from five to thirteen, receiving education, 30,576. A. county returns two members to parliament. The chief towns, besides Ayr, are Kilmarnock, Girvan, Maybole, Dairy, Kilwinning, Beith, Irvine, Stewar ton, Ardrossan, Saltcoats, Troon, Mauchline, Galston, Newmilns, Kilbirnie, and Largs. Of antiquities, the most interesting are the ruins of Crossraguel Abbey, near Kirkoswald, and of the castles of Turnberry, the family seat of Robert the Bruce, Dnnure, Loch Doon, Dean, Auchinleck, Dundonald, etc.; also the ruins of Alloway Kirk.
A. was inhabited, in the time of Agricola, by the Damnii, with whom were afterwards mixed the Scots from the opposite coast of Kintyre. In the 8th c., the Northumbrian Saxons seized the territory; and afterwards came the Normans, whose traces still exist in local names. During the religious persecutions of the Stuarts, A. was a stronghold of the Covenanters.