thriving village of Dalry,* situated on an eminence, and nearly surrounded with the waters of the Garnoch, Rye, and Caaf. Pop. 2706. The next place of importance is Kilwinning (the cell of Winning, a saint who resided here in the eighth century). [Inn: The Eglinton Arms. 14 miles from Ayr, 26 from Glasgow. Pop. 3265.t] Hugh de Moreville, Lord of Cuningham, in 1107, founded the abbey for monks of the Tyronesian order, and dedicated it to Saint Winning. The greater part of this splendid edifice was destroyed at the Reformation, and a grant of it was made to the Earl of Glencairn; but the temporalities were erected, in 1603, into a lordship in favour of Lord Eglinton. A party of free-masons, who came from the Continent to assist in the building of this monastery, were the first to introduce free-masonry into Scotland; and by means of the establishment of lodges, the knowledge of their mysteries was diffused over the rest of the country. Kilwinning is also distinguished as a seat of archery, a company of archers having been organized here in 1488. They have a custom of shooting annually for a prize at the popinjay or papingo, a sport described in the tale of "Old Mortality." The neighbourhood of Kilwinning is a rich mineral district, both coal and iron being worked to a great extent. Among the manufactures may be mentioned that of the Messrs. Baird (the Eglinton iron-works), half a mile from Kilwinning. About a mile from Kilwinning is Eglinton Castle, the seat of the Earl of Eglinton and Wintoun, and where the famous Eglinton tournament took place in the autumn of 1839. The castle was built about forty years ago, and is surrounded by extensive pleasuregrounds. The family of Montgomery is of Norman origin, and the first of the name that settled in Scotland was Robert de Montgomerie, who obtained from Walter, the High Steward of Scotland, a grant of the barony of Eaglesham, in the county of Renfrew. In *From this a branch line is carried to Kilmarnock and Dumfries. Kilmarnock is distinguished for its manufacture of worsted shawls, Brussels and Venetian carpets, boots, shoes, and some other articles; its success in these manufactures having raised it to the rank of the principal town in Ayrshire for size, wealth, and population. [Inns: The George; The Black Bull.] Population, 23,500. Within a mile north of the town stand the ruins of Dean Castle, once the residence of the Earls of Kilmarnock. From this a branch line conducts to the town of Ardrossan, a wateringplace of recent origin, indebted for its rise chiefly to the public-spirited exertions of the Eglinton family. It possesses an excellent harbour, constructed by one of the late Earls of that family, who laid out an enormous sum of money on its erection. [Inn: Eglinton Arms.] Population, 2951. Steamboats ply regularly from Ardrossan to Arran during the summer. the fourteenth century Alexander de Montgomerie acquired the baronies of Eglinton and Ardrossan, by marriage with Elizabeth, daughter and sole heiress of Sir Hugh de Eglintoun. At the famous battle of Otterbourne, fought in 1387, Henry Percy, the renowned Hotspur, was taken prisoner by Sir Hugh Montgomery, and, for his ransom, built the Castle of Penoon or Polnoon in Renfrewshire, which is still the property of the Eglinton family. In 1488, the representative of the family was raised to the peerage, by the title of Lord Montgomery; and in 1507-8, Hugh, the third baron, was created Earl of Eglintoun. In 1582, Robert, the first Earl of Wintoun, married Lady Margaret Montgomery, eldest daughter of Hugh, third Earl of Eglintoun; and the third son of that marriage, Sir Alexander Seton of Foulstruther, was adopted into the family, and became sixth Earl of Eglintoun. The direct line of the Winton family having failed, the present Earl of Eglinton was, in January 1841, served heir to the title of Earl of Winton. (See p. 148.) Proceeding onward, the tourist will obtain on the right a view of the Island of Arran, with its lofty and precipitous mountains. The line next crosses the the Garnoch, which here forms the boundary betwixt the parishes of Kilwinning and Irvine, and, a little further on, the river Irvine by an elegant bridge of six arches. The town of Irvine carries on one of the largest trades in Scotland in the exportation of coal. [Inns: The Kings Arms; The Wheat Sheaf. 10 miles from Ayr, and 29 from Glasgow. Pop. 8526.] It was the temporary residence of Burns, and the birth-place of James Montgomery the poet, and John Galt the novelist. After leaving Irvine a view is obtained, on the left, of the remains of the ancient castle of Dundonald, standing on an elevated position, about two miles distant. This castle gives the title of Earl to the family of Cochrane. It was the property of Robert Stewart, who, in right of his mother Marjory Bruce, succeeded to the Scottish throne under the title of Robert II. Here he wooed and married his first wife, Elizabeth Mure of Rowallan, and here he died in 1390. The estate passed into the hands of the Earl of Eglinton in the beginning of last century; but the castle, along with the hill on which it stands, and five roods of adjoining land, still belong to the Earl of Dundonald. In its vicinity are the remains of an ancient church dedicated to the Virgin, called our Lady's Kirk, where James IV. uniformly made an offering, generally giving fourteen shillings at a time. Proceeding southwards we observe on a tongue of land the village of Troon, of which the Duke of Portland is superior. It is frequented as a watering place. [Inns: Portland; Commercial. -6 miles from Ayr, and 4 from Irvine.] The line now passes very near the sea; and in the course of a short time we observe, on the left, Fullarton House, a seat of the Duke of Portland, situate on a spacious lawn. Two miles onward is MONCKTON STATION and village, and a mile further, the small burgh of Prestwick; a little beyond it are the ruins of Kingscase, a charitable institution, endowed by King Robert Bruce; and, at the distance of forty miles from Glasgow, at the mouth of the river of the same name, the county town and royal burgh of AYR. [Hotels: The King's Arms; The Ayr Arms; The Commercial. Population 18,572.] 40 miles from Glasgow, 403 miles from London. Trains leave the South Side Station, Glasgow, several times daily. Time occupied by the trains about two hours. A steamer plies regularly between Glasgow and Ayr. See Time Tables. The town of Ayr— "Wham ne'er a town surpasses For honest men and bonnie lasses," * occupies an agreeable situation on the sea-coast; containing a number of handsome public buildings, and many shops and dwelling-houses which may even vie in elegance with those of the metropolis. The river Ayr, which divides Ayr proper from Newtown and Wallacetown, rises on the border of the county, at the eastern extremity of the parish of Muirkirk, following a course of about thirty miles. It is crossed by two bridges, termed respectively the Auld and New Brigs-noticed under these denominations by Burns, in his poem of "The Twa Brigs." The Auld Brig is said to have been built in the reign of Alexander III. (1249-1285) by two maiden sisters of * The "bonnie lasses" of Ayr have ever been a favourite theme of the poets. Thus Tennant, in his poem of " Anster Fair," has the following: "Next from the far-famed ancient town of Ayr Sweet Ayr! with crops of ruddy damsels blest, In lieu of saddles placed upon their asses backs " the name of Lowe, whose effigies were consequently carved upon a stone in the eastern parapet, near the south end of the fabric. It is stated by tradition, that before the erection of this bridge, a ford, about two hundred yards further up, called the Doocote Stream, afforded the best passage which was to be had across the river in this quarter. The new bridge was erected in 1788, chiefly through the exertions of Provost Ballantyne, the gentleman to whom Burns dedicated his poem of "The Twa Brigs." The "Dungeon Clock," alluded to in the poem, was placed at the top of an old steeple in the Sandgate, but was taken down in 1826. The "Wallace Tower" was a rude old building, which stood in the eastern part of the High Street, at the head of a lane named the Mill Vennel. It was in this tower, according to tradition, that Wallace was confined. Having become ruinous, it was taken down in 1835, and a Gothic structure erected on its site, containing at the top the clock and bells of the dungeon steeple, and ornamented in front by, a statue of Wallace executed by Mr. Thom, the well-known self-taught sculptor. Another statue of Wallace was placed by a citizen on the front of a dwellinghouse, which occupies the site of the ancient court-house, supposed to have been that in which, according to Blind Harry, the Scottish Lords were treacherously hanged. The fort of Ayr was built by Oliver Cromwell, in 1652, upon a level piece of ground between the town and the sea. A few fragments of the ramparts still remain, together with an old tower, which formed part of St. John's Church, founded in the twelfth century; the latter having been recently modernized and fitted up as a residence for the present proprietor. Cromwell inclosed this church within the walls of his citadel, and turned it into an armoury, and as compensation to the inhabitants, gave £150 towards the erection of the present Old Church of Ayr, on the site of a Dominican monastery, remarkable in history as the place where Robert Bruce held the Parliament which settled his succession. The only memorial now existing of this monastery is the name of a spring called the Friar's Well, which runs through the churchyard into the river. The Old Church still contains the seats and galleries with which it was originally fitted up. At the north-eastern angle of the fort, close upon the harbour, is |