AYR, a ιoyal burgh, the capital of Ayrshire, is situated at the influx of the river Ayr into the Irish Sea. The spot has been inhabited from a remote antiquity. It was the site of a Roman station; and it has been ascertained that a hamlet remained here until the year 1197, when William the Lion engrafted a new town upon it, which about the year 1202 he constituted a royal burgh. In ancient times Ayr was distinguished both for its trade and military strength; and being an important point of concentration on the west, it was the scene of frequent conflict, and repeatedly changed hands during the wars of Scotish independence in the times of the Edwards and the Bruces. Here Edward I. fixed a powerful garrison, and here the patriotic exploits of Sir William Wallace commenced. When Scotland was overrun by Oliver Cromwell, he fixed upon it as the site of one of the four forts which he built to command the country. This fortification, termed the citadel, inclosed an area of about ten or twelve acres, including the old church where the Scotish parliament met and confirmed the title of Robert Bruce to the throne: but the church was converted into a storehouse; the Protector partly indemnifying the inhabitants for this seizure by liberally contributing towards the erection of a new place of worship, which was made large enough to accommodate 2000 individuals. The town of Ayr forms a tolerably regular parallelogram, extending up the south side of the river Ayr, which is crossed by two bridges; and it possesses several good streets and a number of elegant public and other buildings. The Ayr academy is a handsome edifice; and the town-house, recently erected, is considered the finest structure of the kind in the west of Scotland. There are also the county buildings, which afford extensive accommodation for the circuit and provincial courts and the various local authorities. Contiguous to these stands the jail, a well-regulated establishment. In addition to the church already mentioned, there is a modern erection, besides several dissenting places of worship and a Roman Catholic chapel. Ayr possesses numerous charitable establishments, a dispensary, a flourishing mechanics’ institution, an extensive subscription library; and it also supports a weekly newspaper. There are two weekly markets and four yearly fairs. The principal manufactures of Ayr are tanning, boot and shoe making, soap-boiling, and ship-building to a small extent. The trade of the port is carried on in small vessels only, the water never rising above twelve feet. The exportations, however, are extensive for the size of the town; consisting of coal, iron, brown paint, coal-tar, casks, lampblack, soapers’ salts, and Water-of-Ayr stones. The imports are also considerable from South America, the colonies, and Ireland; consisting of hides, tallow, beef, butter, barley, yarn, linen, spars, deals, hemp, &c. Two reflecting light-houses are erected to guide vessels to the entrance of the harbour. There is a steam-boat conveyance to and from Glasgow during the summer months, and there are regular traders to several of the principal English and Scotish ports. It is 75 miles S. W. of Edinburgh. Long. 4. 37. W r . Lat. 55. 27. N. The population of the burgh and parish in 1831 was 7606.

Ayr, Newton upon. While the burgh of Ayr extends along the south side of the river Ayr, this small parish is situated on the north side of the same river. It is a burgh of considerable consequence, having a baronial jurisdiction, and governed by a magistracy elected by freemen, but without parliamentary representation. It is °f very ancient erection, owing its privileges to Robert Bruce; who, upon being attacked by leprosy, came to reside in this place, and was induced to establish a lazarhouse, and to confer considerable favours on the town, and on the small village of Priestwick, about two or three miles distant· In Newton-upon-Ayr are a number of very good houses·
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It has a tolerably good harbour, chiefly occupied with the coal trade. From its situation on the banks of the Ayr and the sea-coast, the soil is mostly flat and sandy. Its extent is about three miles in length and one and a half in breadth. In 1811 the population was 2809.

Ayk, a river in Ayrshire, which takes its rise in the high grounds dividing the shire on the east from Lanarkshire, and, pursuing a westerly course for 18 miles, falls into the sea at the town to which it gives name. The volume of its waters is not large, but it sometimes shifts its bed, and does considerable damage. It contains those whetstones called Water-of-Ayr stones, which are exported in considerable quantities.