Ayrshire
Ayrshire is a
traditional county in south-west
Scotland, located on the shores of the
Firth of Clyde. Its principal
towns include
Ayr and
Kilmarnock.
It became part of the kingdom of Scotland during the
11th century. In
1263, the Scots successfully drove off a group of
Norwegian Vikings in a skirmish known as the Battle of Largs.
A notable historic building in Ayrshire is Turnberry Castle, which dates from the
13th century or earlier, and which may have been the birthplace of
Robert the Bruce.
Historic sub-regions of Ayrshire included:\n* Carrick\n*
Cunninghame (or Cunningham)\n* Kyle\n \nThe Ayrshire breed of
cattle originated here, prior to 1800.
The newly created
Strathclyde administrative Region included Ayrshire in 1975. When the two-tier system was abandoned, Ayrshire split into the council regions of
East Ayrshire,
South Ayrshire, and
North Ayrshire, although the later also includes part of
Buteshire.
Glasgow Prestwick International Airport, serving
Glasgow, Scotland, is located in Ayrshire.
Some notable people born in Ayrshire
\n*Sir Thomas Brisbane (1773-1860), British soldier and colonial administrator after whom the city of
Brisbane, is named.\n*
Robert Burns, poet, in Alloway;\n*
John Dunlop, (1840-1921), British inventor of the pneumatic tire, in Dreghorn.\n*
Andrew Fisher, (1862-1928), prime minister of Australia;\n*
John Galt, (1779-1839), author.\n*
John McAdam, (1756-1836), engineer, responsible for a system of road design;\n*
Bill Shankly, (1913-1981), successful
football manager\n*
William Wallace, one of Scotland's greatest national heroes, in Ellerslie (now Elderslie).
Category:Scotland
