Ayr
| |
|---|---|
| Administrative centre and town | |
Skyline of Ayr town centre Pavilion building and Place De Saint-Germain-en-Laye fountain Wellington Square Gardens Coat of Arms | |
 Coat of arms of Ayr | |
  Ayr Location within South Ayrshire Council area  Ayr Location within Scotland Ayr Location within South Ayrshire | |
| Population | 46,260 (2022)[3] |
| Urban | 62,270 |
| OS grid reference | NS 33853 21445 |
| • Edinburgh | 66 mi (106 km) |
| • London | 330 mi (530 km) |
| Council area | |
| Lieutenancy area | |
| Country | Scotland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | AYR |
| Postcode district | KA6-KA8 |
| Dialling code | 01292 |
| UK Parliament | |
| Scottish Parliament | |
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Ayr (/ɛər/ AIR; Scots: Ayr; Scottish Gaelic: Inbhir Àir, "Mouth of the River Ayr") is a town situated on the southwest coast of Scotland. A former royal burgh, today it is the administrative centre of the South Ayrshire Council, and the historic county town of Ayrshire. With a population of 46,982, Ayr is the 15th largest settlement in Scotland and second largest town in Ayrshire by population. The town is contiguous with the smaller town of Prestwick to the north. Ayr submitted unsuccessful bids for city status in 2000[4] and 2002,[5] and as part of the wider South Ayrshire area in 2022.[6]
Ayr was established as a Royal Burgh in 1205 and is the county town of Ayrshire. It served as Ayrshire's central marketplace and harbour throughout the medieval period[7] and was a port during the early modern period.[7] On the southern bank of the River Ayr sit the ramparts of a citadel constructed by Oliver Cromwell's men during the mid-17th century. Towards the south of the town is the birthplace of Scottish poet Robert Burns in the suburb of Alloway. Ayr has been a popular tourist resort since the expansion of the railway in 1840 owing to the town's fine beach and its links to golfing and Robert Burns.
Ayr is one of the largest retail centres in the south of Scotland and in 2014 was recognised by the Royal Society for Public Health as the second healthiest town centre in the United Kingdom. Ayr has hosted the Scottish Grand National horseracing steeplechase annually since 1965 and the Scottish International Airshow annually since 2014. The town also accommodates the headquarters of the Ayr Advertiser and Ayrshire Post newspapers.
- ^ "StackPath". www.ainmean-aite.org. Archived from the original on 28 September 2021. Retrieved 15 June 2011.
- ^ "Map of Scotland in Scots - Guide and gazetteer" (PDF).
- ^ "Mid-2020 Population Estimates for Settlements and Localities in Scotland". National Records of Scotland. 31 March 2022. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
- ^ "Inverness awarded city status". BBC. 18 December 2000. Retrieved 1 April 2024.
- ^ "Five new cities creates row". BBC. 14 March 2002. Retrieved 1 April 2024.
- ^ "Council Approve South Ayrshire City Status Bid". South Ayrshire Council. Retrieved 1 April 2024.
- ^ a b "Letter Xii: Containing a Description of the South-western Part of Scotland; Including the City of Glasgow". Archived from the original on 9 March 2016. Retrieved 2016-02-17.