Ayrshire is a former(?) 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.
The Ayrshire breed of cattle originated here, prior to 1800.
Ayrshire became part of the newly created Strathclyde Region in 1975.
- Sir Thomas Brisbane[?] (1773-1860), British soldier and colonial administrator after whom the city of Brisbane, is named.
- Robert Burns, poet, in Alloway;
- John Dunlop[?], (1840-1921), British inventor of the pneumatic tire, in Dreghorn.
- Andrew Fisher, (1862-1928), prime minister of Australia;
- John Galt[?], (1779-1839), author.
- John McAdam, (1756-1836), engineer, responsible for a system of road design;
- William Wallace, one of Scotland's greatest national heroes, in Ellerslie (now Elderslie).