Irvine, North Aryrshire, Ayrshire and Arran, Scotland

Notes:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irvine,_North_Ayrshire

Irvine (/'??rv?n/ UR-vin; Scots: Irvin,[2] Scottish Gaelic: Irbhinn)[3] is an ancient settlement, in medieval times a royal burgh, and now a new town on the coast of the Firth of Clyde in North Ayrshire, Scotland. The 2011 Census recorded the town's population at 33,698 inhabitants, making it the largest settlement in North Ayrshire.[1] home to the football team Irvine Meadow



Irvine was the site of Scotland's 12th century military capital and former headquarters of the Lord High Constable of Scotland, Hugh de Morville.[4] It also served as the capital of Cunninghame and was, at the time of David I, Robert II and Robert III, one of the earliest capitals of Scotland.[5]



The town was once a haunt of Robert Burns, after whom two streets in the town are named: Burns Street and Burns Crescent. He is known to have worked in a flax mill on the Glasgow Vennel. Despite being classed as a new town, Irvine has had a long history stretching back many centuries and was classed as a Royal Burgh. There are also conflicting rumours that Mary, Queen of Scots stayed briefly at Seagate Castle. There is still a yearly festival, called Marymass, held in the town. Marymass refers to the religious Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary celebrated on 15 August, and was therefore Mary's Mass hence Marymass.



Irvine is the birthplace of the present First Minister of Scotland and leader of the Scottish National Party, Nicola Sturgeon as well as the former First Minister of Scotland, Jack McConnell. The current Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Europe and External Affairs, Fiona Hyslop was also born in Irvine.



History

Prehistory



Eglinton Castle, home of the Earls of Eglinton, c. 1830s.

Part of modern Irvine contains the oldest continually inhabited village in Europe.[6] Dreghorn, a separate village on the outskirts of Irvine, appears to contain archaeological remains dating back to the first incursions of humanity into Scotland (Mesolithic).[6] Numerous ancient sites pepper the region. Iron Age Hill forts are abundant.



The Grannie stone (or Granny Stane) is described as "one of Irvine's prehistoric puzzles", this boulder is either left behind from the Ice Age or is the last remaining stone of a stone circle ? others were removed, by blasting, after the Irvine weir was constructed in 1895, but popular protests saved this remaining stone. The Grannie Stane is visible when the water is low.



Middle Ages

The medieval parish of Irvine was one of the most important regions in Scotland. Originally the site of the Military Headquarters of the Lord High Constable of Scotland and one of the earliest Scottish Capitals, it served as an HQ to no fewer than three kings.[7] King John I of Scotland inherited the lordship of Irvine sometime in the mid-13th century.[8] Robert the Bruce, in an attempt to seize John's lands, made sure that he secured the town.[6] From Bruce it passed to his grandson Robert the Steward, future King Robert II of Scotland.[9]



Irvine is the site of an incident in 1296 during the Scottish Wars of Independence when an English army marched to Irvine to engage the Scottish army that was encamped at Knadgerhill, only to find that dissension amongst the Scots leaders was so great that armed conflict did not occur and many of the leaders changed sides and joined King Edward I.[10] Bourtreehill House, the only major Estate in the parish, was periodically possessed by all three kings and possibly the Constables of Scotland before them.[11]



In December 2010, the writer A. J. Morton stated that Irvine was a "Lost Medieval Capital" and a likely candidate in the debate about the Stone of Destiny and its location before it was moved to Scone. Citing Hector Boece, who said the Stone was kept at Evonium a legendary city and home to the early Scottish crown, Morton said that Irvine's early high status position in the 12th century supported the theory that Irvine is Evonium.[dubious ? discuss] Morton write:



We can't be certain that Evonium actually existed, so we can't properly identify the Stone's western home, or say with any certainty that Irvine is most definitely Evonium. What is certain is that the Irvine district was enormously important in the middle ages. The most intriguing evidence concerns Irvine?s links with early monarchs and officers of post-Norman Scotland.[12]



In 1618 John Stewart, said to be a vagabond or juggler, and Margaret Barclay, wife of Archibald Dean a burgess of Irvine, were tried for witchcraft. They were accused of sinking a ship called The Gift of God of Irvine belonging to John Dean, Barclay's brother-in-law. Margaret Barclay was alleged to have wished the crew would be eaten by crabs at the bottom the sea. Stewart hung himself, and Barclay was tortured, found guilty by her confession, and executed along with Isobel Scherer who was accused of the same acts.[13]



Trindlemoss Loch

Trindlemoss Loch, Scotts Loch or the Loch of Irvine was situated in a low-lying area running from Ravenspark to near Stanecastle and down to Lockwards, now represented only by the playing fields off Bank Street. The loch was natural, sitting in a hollow created by glaciation. The loch waters were progressively drained and in 1691 this was finally achieved. The loch and its adjacent land was purchased by the Reverend Patrick Warner (minister in Irvine 1688?1702),who had sought refuge in the Netherlands after the Battle of Bothwell Bridge. It has been suggested that it was during this exile that he learned the skill of land reclamation.[14]



Etymology

One interpretation of the placename is that it means 'green river' as in the Welsh river named Irfon. It has had many variants, such as Irwyn (1322), Ervin (1259) Irewin (1429?30), Irrvin (1528), and Irwin (1537).[15] Another author lists Yrewin, c.1140; Irvin, c.1230; Orewin, c.1295, with a meaning of 'west flowing river.'[16] "Eriwine" and "Erwinne" are also old English first names. A parish in Annandale in Dumfriesshire has the name Irving. In the 12th century a Gilchrist, son of Eruini, witnessed a charter in Galloway and this is the earliest use of the name so far discovered.[17]



Harbour

The harbour for Irvine has a long history and once was one of the most prominent ports in Scotland after Glasgow. Across from the main harbour itself there was a terminal for the ICI-Nobel Explosives plant on the River Garnock. Much of the harbour went into decline in the 19th century when Glasgow, Greenock and Port Glasgow achieved higher prominence as sea ports. Despite this, there was still commercial sea traffic, though the harbour went into further decline in the 20th century. The main shipping in the 20th century was light coastal traffic and vessels destined for the Nobel Explosives facility. This facility had its own quay, which, although now disused, is still visible from Irvine Harbour. A shipyard on the River Irvine, the Ayrshire Dockyard Company, remained active until after World War II, though its last ship was built just prior to the war. Afterwards it was involved in refitting ships and also in the manufacture of fittings for other vessels including the Cunard liner Queen Elizabeth 2. Irvine Harbour is now officially closed as a commercial port and houses a small number of privately owned pleasure craft. It is also home to part of the Scottish Maritime Museum with numerous vessels on display, including the 'Spartan', one of the last surviving Clyde puffers.



Irvine Harbour is home to a unique and distinctive building which marked the tide level. It was built in 1906 and devised by Martin Boyd, the harbourmaster at that time. The Automatic tide signalling apparatus indicated the tide's state in two ways depending on the time of day. During daylight, the level was marked with a ball and pulley system attached to the mast. At night, a number of lamps marked the tidal level. Unfortunately the building fell into some disrepair and the mast partially dismantled. In 2013 an initiative by Coastwatch Scotland, a Voluntary Coastal Monitoring and Safety organisation, got underway in an attempt to turn the building into a watch tower for the benefit of the people of Irvine and visitors. In November 2016 the first stage was completed with an overall roof installed, new windows, a new door, the building re-painted and a radio aerial installed.



The harbour and surrounding area became an area heavily blighted by industrial waste even long after some of the industries were gone. There was a waste bing known by the locals as 'The Blue Billy' due to the colour of the waste there. During World War II a Royal Observer Corps watchtower was sited here giving a wide overall view of the Firth of Clyde. It is also credited with the first visual sighting of Rudolf Hess's Messerschmitt Bf 110 in 1941.

Latitude: 55.6201, Longitude: -4.6614

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